Grain executive, businessman.
Born in Russia in 1906, he came to Winnipeg at the age of six. He spent his entire working career in the grain business, starting as an office boy at 17. In 1945, he was made General Manager of the McCabe Grain Company, with which he had been associated since 1924. He rose to Senior Vice President of the firm in 1951, and President in 1952. He served as Chairman of the Winnipeg Grain Exchange (1953-1954) and was on several corporate boards, including the Canadian National Railway. In 1971, he became Chairman of National Grain Limited.
On 6 June 1933, he married Heloise Cohn (1910-2002) at St. Boniface and they had two sons: Guy Joseph Kroft (husband of Hester Israels, daughter of Abraham Montague Israels) and Richard Henry Kroft (husband of Hillaine Jacob). He served on the boards of several community organizations, including The Winnipeg Foundation, United Way, and Winnipeg Football Club. For many years he was a trustee on the City of Winnipeg Sinking Fund for city employee pensions. He served as President of the Canadian Club of Winnipeg (?-?) and Glendale Golf and Country Club (1956). At the time of his death, he was Chairman of the Investment Committee of the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba.
He died at Winnipeg on 12 April 1984 and was buried in the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery.
Marriage registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“C. E. Austin is elected President of company,” Winnipeg Free Press, 10 October 1945, page 15.
“Charles Kroft,” Winnipeg Free Press, 18 October 1947, page 22.
“McCabe Grain Company Limited - Executive Appointments,” Winnipeg Free Press, 17 March 1951, page 22.
“Charles Kroft,” Winnipeg Free Press, 6 January 1953, page 25.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 13 April 1984, page 48.
Obituary [Heloise Kroft], Winnipeg Free Press, 26 January 2002.
We thank David Kroft and Richard Kroft for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 17 April 2020
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