Byron James Seaman (September 7, 1923April 24, 2021) was a Canadian businessman. He was the co-owner of the
Calgary Flames of the
National Hockey League (NHL) for three decades from 1980 until 2010.
Early life
Seaman was born in
Rouleau, Saskatchewan
Rouleau is a town in southern Saskatchewan, Canada, located on the Canadian Prairies. It lies within census Division No. 6 and rural municipality Redburn No. 130.
As of 2011, the population was 453 (an increase of 13.3 percent from the 2006 ...
,
on September 7, 1923. He was one of four children of Byron Luther Seaman and Mae Patton, who were both born and raised in the United States.
He attended the
University of Saskatchewan
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...
and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering in 1945.
Career
Seaman moved to Alberta shortly after graduating to work in the oil industry with his two brothers, Donald and
Daryl Seaman
Daryl Kenneth "Doc" Seaman (28 April 1922 – 11 January 2009) was a Canadian oilman and hockey executive. Seaman was the founder, president, and chairman of Bow Valley Industries Limited, which was one of Canada's largest independent petrol ...
. They first established Seaman Engineering and Drilling Co. Ltd. (shortened to Sedco). It became noted for providing the option of
turnkey contracts at a fixed price, rather than bidding a price for every foot drilled. The company also covered a portion of the drilling costs to secure the contract, as well as for services like cementing and casing. Sedco ultimately merged with three other companies in June 1962 to form Bow Valley Industries.
Seaman went on to serve as CEO of Bow Valley (later Bovar, Inc) from 1976 to 1987, and as chairman from 1987 to 1990.
Seaman was one of the original six owners of the
Calgary Flames, along with his brother Daryl,
Harley Hotchkiss,
Norman Kwong
Norman Lim Kwong (born Kwong Lim Yew; ; October 24, 1929 – September 3, 2016) was a Canadian football player who played for the Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was also an active businessman ...
,
Norman Green
Norman N. Green (born June 12, 1934) is a shopping mall developer and owner from Calgary, Alberta. He was an original director and one of the principal investors in Sage Telecom, a private, telecommunications company operating in eleven US states ...
, and
Ralph Thomas Scurfield.
Under his co-ownership, the franchise won their only
Stanley Cup in
1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
.
They reached two other Stanley Cup Finals in
1986
The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
**Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles.
** Spain and Portugal ent ...
and
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
, losing to the
Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games in the latter.
[ Seaman remained a part-owner of the Flames until 2010, one year after his brother Daryl died.]Alberta Sports Hall of Fame
The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, dedicated to the preservation and history of sports within the province. It was created in 1957 by the Alberta Amateur Athletic Union (AAAU). The museum ...
in 2007. He was also conferred the Governor General's medal.
Personal life
Seaman was married to Evelyn until her death in 2003 from cancer and Parkinson's disease. Together, they had four children.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Seaman, Byron
1923 births
2021 deaths
Alberta Sports Hall of Fame inductees
Businesspeople from Saskatchewan
Calgary Sports and Entertainment
Calgary Flames owners
People from Rouleau, Saskatchewan