In Memory of John Bott

In 2011, the Ontario Public Buyers Association (OPBA) funded a bursary for students in the Business-Supply Management program at Fanshawe College in memory of Mr. John Bott.

Mr. Bott was a long-standing member of the association and a strong advocate for formal education in procurements. Mr. Bott was an employee of the Lincoln County Board of Education (later the District School Board of Niagara) in St. Catharines, Ontario. He understood that education and technology
were going to be important components of the procurement profession. He became a driving force in the OPBA, promoting a formalized education program within the association.

As a mentor to many of the people who are still involved in the association today, Mr. Bott was considered a “guru”. He saw the benefits technology could bring to the profession. He also looked at other opportunities and developed, with the assistance of association members, numerous educational sessions at the OPBA annual conference. He developed workshops and promoted the benefits of training that were relevant to the workplace. These principles and beliefs live on today in the OPBA.

Communication was a key focus of many of Mr. Bott’s activities and endeavours, and he believed that strong communication links with the membership would strengthen the association and the profession. To coordinate the communications and elevate the association’s presence, Mr. Bott and his wife, Carol, created a central office for the OPBA in 1989, and it remains vital to communication for all public buyers. Mr. Bott’s involvement with the Executive of the OPBA, as well as chapters across Canada and the United States, led to recognition by the Ontario government. He was invited to consult
on the development of co-operative purchasing initiatives being examined by the Ministry of Education for the school boards. This discussion became the foundation for many of the public procurement co-operatives in existence today.

When Mr. Bott retired in 1995, he volunteered as the blacksmith for the local historical village in the Niagara area. There, he continued his commitment to education by teaching and demonstrating what blacksmiths do, amazing many a student with his skill and explanations.

Mr. Bott also found time to return to school—in 2010, he completed a degree in art at Brock University.

Sadly, Mr. Bott passed away in 2010. His legacy lives on in both the OPBA and through the John Bott Memorial Award at Fanshawe College.