Aecon’s Beck appointed to Order of Ontario
By Adam Freill
Construction LeadershipHonour recognizes the impact and lasting legacy he and his company have played in building a stronger province, country and world.
John M. Beck. (Photo courtesy of Aecon Group Inc.)
John M. Beck, founder and chairman of Aecon Group Inc., is one of 25 new appointments to the Order of Ontario, the province’s highest civilian honour bestowed by the Lieutenant Governor.
“I am incredibly proud and honoured to be appointed to the Order of Ontario,” said Beck. “Thank you to my family, the thousands of dedicated Aecon employees, our valued clients and the many business and community partners across the province whom I’ve had the privilege of working with to create sustainable communities and a stronger Ontario.”
An accomplished businessman and community builder over his career, which has spanned six decades, Beck has been at the forefront of building Aecon into a national construction and infrastructure development company with global experience.
He transitioned to the role of chairman in 2020, having previously served as chief executive officer and executive chairman, steering Aecon’s strategic growth from the company’s inception as a precast concrete business through its evolution into the fully integrated and diverse publicly traded infrastructure company it is today.
Under his leadership, Aecon has helped to shape Ontario through the development of some of its key infrastructure landmarks, with Beck playing a pivotal role in pioneering innovative financing models, forming successful corporate and community partnerships, championing sustainability and Indigenous partnerships, and supporting a green economy.
An active community builder, Beck supports a number of organizations and initiatives both personally and through Aecon’s community engagement efforts. He is a founding member of the Corporate Leadership Table for the Inclusive Local Economic Opportunity (ILEO) initiative, is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario. He previously served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Royal Conservatory of Music and as co-chair of the Infrastructure & Urban Development Industries at the World Economic Forum. He also served as director of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, president of the Club Canadien de Toronto, director and chair of the Building Committee for the Canadian Opera Company, and as a board member of the Ontario Financing Authority and chairman of the board of the Ontario Power Authority.
In 2019, he received the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the Manufacturing and Construction category for Ontario, and was presented with the LiUNA Builder’s Award at the 2018 Ontario Business Achievement Awards. In 2013, Beck was inducted as a Fellow into the Canadian Academy of Engineering and was honoured as P3 Champion of the Year by the Canadian Council of Public Private Partnerships.
