MNP founding partner Donald Penny passes away at 80
Donald Penny, a founding partner and former CEO at MNP (Meyers Norris Penny), passed away at Brandon General Hospital on November 28, at the age of 80.
Penny was born and raised in the town of Virden, Manitoba, about 80 km west of Brandon. He joined Brandon accounting firm Laird Sprague, which was the predecessor to MNP, as an articling student in 1962. He became a partner three years later, and then in 1977 became CEO of Meyers Norris Penny.
From its roots as a small independent firm in Brandon, MNP expanded across Western Canada, and then coast-to-coast. Today, the Calgary-headquartered company is the fifth largest national accounting and consulting firm in Canada, with more than 5,000 staff across 80-plus locations.
"Don put in place the elements that allowed the firm to grow rapidly, but gracefully — from its beginnings as a regional accounting firm based in Brandon, Manitoba, to the National firm we have become today. MNP is the firm that was born out of Don Penny's vision," said Jason Tuffs, CEO of MNP.
Penny retired from the MNP partnership in 1998, and from the company’s board in 2005.
During his career, Penny was an influential figure in the Canadian accounting industry. Nationally, he served on the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA) board of governors, and was chair of CICA in 1997-1998. He also served in multiple board positions for the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Manitoba (ICAM), including as president.
Upon his retirement from the MNP board in 2005, Penny was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada for his lifetime contribution to business, commerce, and industry. Penny also received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Brandon University and the inaugural Courage Award from Assiniboine College.
"MNP sends its sincerest condolences to the Penny family. We honour Don's contributions to the firm, his profession and his community through an uncompromising commitment to the values and passions he held dear," said Tuffs. "His legacy will always be a guiding light for MNP, and we are forever grateful for his wisdom, vision and — most importantly — his friendship."
