Robert McNutt

Robert was born in Victoria B.C. He held his first job in the foodservice and hospitality industry in 1958, working part time in high school at “The Pacific Club”, Victoria’s oldest private club.

By April 1967 Robert was a qualified hotel chef and a founding member of the Association of Chefs de Cuisine of Vancouver Island. At that time he was the Association’s youngest member.

Robert’s career with Sears began in Victoria in 1969 with the opening of store #818 where he managed several different departments, including the restaurant. In April of 1974 Robert and his family transferred to Toronto where he became Assistant Buyer Candy and Foodservice Departments. From there he moved on to become Assistant Retail Sales Manager and then Retail/Catalogue Sales Manager of Candy and Foodservice. October 1984 saw Robert in the role of Buyer, Restaurants & Employee Foodservice, moving to Buyer, Foodservices in 1987. On June 1, 1988 Robert was appointed National Manager, Restaurants at the corporate headquarters, a position he held until his early retirement in April 1996 due to Parkinson’s disease.
Until Robert’s retirement he had spent as a member of the We Care Board of Governors representing Sears. Serving also on the Casino Night and HostEx event committees for We Care, Robert was an enthusiastic supporter of We Care. Beyond the time and effort devoted to these activities Robert and his wife Sylvia were always ready to volunteer themselves to sell tickets or any other job which needed doing. As important as his personal involvement was, Robert was instrumental in the introduction and encouragement of many new volunteers to We Care.

Upon his retirement, Robert joined the Toronto Branch of the Parkinson Foundation of Canada to assist with fund-raising and was elected to the Board of Directors to promote public awareness, education and care for people with Parkinson`s disease.

Active in church work since he was a child, Robert and Sylvia have been members at St. Matthias Church in Etobicoke since 1974. Robert has served as the church warden and has also served as Chairman of the Outreach Committee. As such, he spear-headed a programme to bring a refugee family of 5 from war torn Ethiopia. These family members are now Canadian citizens. Married to Sylvia since 1963, they have two grown daughters; Denise and Sharon whom Robert is proud to say are 4th generation McNutt’s born in Victoria.

Robert said retirement is wonderful, allowing more time for such hobbies as cooking, entertaining and travel. He and Sylvia enjoyed their condo by the lake and made the boardwalk and the surrounding parks a part of their daily walkabouts.