Businessman.
Born at Bremerhaven, Germany on 13 February 1951, son of Alexander “Alex” Hirsch (1919-2004) and Hulda Gretchmann, he immigrated with his parents to Canada in 1953. They settled at Winnipeg and, after graduating from River East Collegiate, he studied accounting at Red River Community College, where he met Arlene Wylderman. They married on 26 March 1977 and had two children. Continuing his studies in the certified general accounting (CGA) program at night school, he worked for Royal American Shows, travelling across Canada in the summers, and then at Sherwin Williams Paint Company, where he became the western regional auditor.
In 1976, he and his brother Manfred joined M&H Cartage, a business their father had founded in Winnipeg in 1961. The brothers established M&H Rentals which, in 1977, became Paragon Industries, a demolition business. In 1982, he was instrumental in founding the Heavy Equipment Rental Association of Manitoba (HERAM), and was a 20-year charter member. He also served as its president (1988-1989) and later supported HERAM’s creation of the Heavy Equipment Operators Training Program. Through his involvement with Paragon and M&H, he was a member of the Winnipeg Construction Association and Independent Dump Truck Association of Manitoba.
He died at Winnipeg on 22 May 2004.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 27 May 2004.
Obituary [Alexander Hirsch], Winnipeg Free Press, 25 September 2004.
About Us, Paragon Industries.
We thank Arlene Hirsch for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Lois Braun.
Page revised: 27 August 2020
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