Of
Hulse, Playfair & McGarry Ltd.
McGarry Family Chapels Inc.
McGarry Memorial Funeral Home/Crematorium
Memorial Funeral Home/Simplicity Plan®
Brian McGarry began his funeral service career in 1962 under the tutorship of Charles Hulse and Keith Playfair. Brian is the CEO of the various funeral/cremation service companies under McGarry Family ownership.
- In 1973, the McGarry’s purchased a minority position in the founding firm, formerly known as Hulse Brothers, then Hulse & Playfair and now incorporated as Hulse, Playfair & McGarry.
- In 1987, the McGarry family attained majority ownership of Hulse, Playfair & McGarry. The family also owns McGarry Family Chapels Inc.; the McGarry Memorial Funeral Home/Crematorium; the Memorial Funeral Home/Simplicity Plan®.
- In March 2004, Brian McGarry and business partner Sharon McGarry purchased the remaining minority shares of Hulse, Playfair & McGarry from Trillium Funeral Service, returning the firm to 100% local Ottawa ownership.
- Brian is a Past President of the Ontario Funeral Service Association, Past President of The Funeral Service Association of Canada, Past Chair of the Ontario Board of Funeral Services (the government regulatory agency of the funeral profession) and a Board member of the international funeral directors association (IFTA). He is the only Canadian to have held positions in all four voluntary/regulatory boards. Mr. McGarry also belongs to the Cremation Association of North America (CANA). In September 2002, Brian received the Ontario Funeral Service Cornerstone Award, the highest honour which peers can bestow on a colleague. In March 2004, Brian received the "Order of Ottawa" for economic development. Many of his career accomplishments are included in Canadian Who's Who.
- Brian states his greatest accomplishment in the funeral/cremation service profession has been to ensure the various companies are family controlled while at the same time continuing the long tradition of Charles Hulse and Keith Playfair incorporating employee shareholdings. Brian has also formed corporate partnerships which have expanded the McGarry companies into one of the largest privately controlled funeral/cremation firms in Canada.
- Brian’s community life includes holding public office for 12 years:
- 9 years as an Ottawa Board of Education Trustee, serving one term as Chair;
- 3 years as a Regional Councillor of the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton (now the City of Ottawa).
His four successive elections to public office were the result of the direct influence of his mentor Charles Hulse who held office as a school board trustee for 31 years.
- 9 years as an Ottawa Board of Education Trustee, serving one term as Chair;
- Some other community activities:
- Kiwanis International;
- Dialogue Canada;
- Youth related initiatives, including the Ottawa Senators Foundation;
- Helping to bring the Ottawa Senators back into NHL in 1992…
For more information on Brian McGarry, his partners, colleagues and history of the firm, see the History section.