Latest news with #Desmarais
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Generations of Desmarais family gather in Chicopee for 100th reunion
CHICOPEE — In 1925, Charles and Rosella Desmarais welcomed relatives to the family's homestead at 16 Boylston St., a reunion that has continued for 100 years. About 100 relatives showed up at the centennial event on Saturday, with family members traveling from as far as California, Arizona, Georgia, Canada and even the island of St. Thomas, said Charles 'Chuck' Desmarais, who at 91 is the family's patriarch. 'It's the warmth, the love we have for family' that has kept the tradition alive, Desmarais said. 'It's something special for families to get together and enjoy each other's company.' Five generations of the family have participated in the reunions. Desmarais is the last surviving member of the second generation and the last of seven children. With only brief adjustments, primarily because of World War II and the COVID-19 pandemic, the gatherings of this large, extended family have been held at the same location — 16 Boylston St., in the Aldenville section — which the family calls 'The Homestead.' About 50 years ago, the reunions were held a couple of times in Indiana, when Desmarais' sister Claire decided to move there after marrying a serviceman whose family lived in that area. 'We had a convoy of about six or seven cars, driving all the way on Route 20,' Desmarais said. 'It took us 18 hours.' The house at 16 Boylston St. was bought by Charles and Rosella Desmarais in 1923 for $2,150, with $250 down and $75 every 6 months, Desmarais said. Desmarais' son, Bob Desmarais, and his wife, Sherri, live at the homestead, while the elder Desmarais and his wife, Joan, live across the street. In recognition of the 100th reunion, Chicopee Mayor John L. Vieau presented Desmarais with a proclamation, thanking the Desmarais family for 'their century of devotion to family, community and tradition.' Desmarais said the gathering, which usually falls on the Fourth of July weekend but was adjusted a bit this year because of schedules, is held 'in recognition of the beauty of our country for which we are extremely proud.' While spread out across the land, the family has maintained firm Chicopee roots for more than a century. Read the original article on MassLive.
Montreal Gazette
5 days ago
- Business
- Montreal Gazette
News Quebec's 25 richest people and the empires behind their billions
To break into Quebec's wealthiest club, you'll need more than a billion dollars. That's the entry price for The Gazette's inaugural Rich List, which ranks the province's 25 wealthiest individuals and families. Together, they hold nearly $87 billion in net worth, from a convenience-store empire and dairy dynasty, to a paper fortune and finance giant. This elite crowd has quietly stacked billions. Some inherited it. Some built it. A few did both. But they all have one thing in common: they're the richest people in the province. The list is dominated by family names most Quebecers would recognize: the Saputos in dairy, the Molsons in beer and hockey, and the Desmarais brothers in finance. But there are also surprises — including unexpected new fortunes and fresh entrants to Quebec's club of billionaires. At the very top is Alain Bouchard, whose estimated $9-billion fortune began with a single dépanneur in Laval in 1980. Born in Saguenay, Bouchard was one of four friends who launched what would become the Couche-Tard empire — now nearly 17,000 convenience stores across the globe. Behind the Rich List: How we calculated it The company's success is no small feat. In fact, no Quebec company has created more individual billionaires. Bouchard's co-founders Jacques D'Amours, Richard Fortin and Réal Plourde all appear on this year's list. Together, they control more than $17 billion. In second place are Naomi, Sharon and Danna Azrieli, with $7.7 billion to their names. They run Israel's biggest real estate company, built by their late father David — a Holocaust survivor who moved to Montreal. They also manage the Azrieli Foundation, Canada's largest family charity, with over $2.4 billion in assets. The Desmarais family, with Paul Desmarais Jr. and André Desmarais at the helm of Power Corp, are worth an estimated $7 billion through holdings in insurance, energy and asset management. They rank third on the list. The youngest self-made billionaire on the list is Ryan Cohen, 39, who co-founded Chewy in 2011 and sold it to PetSmart for more than $4.5 billion in 2017. He later became a major investor in GameStop and Alibaba. At the other end of the spectrum is Stephen Jarislowsky, the 99-year-old investment legend behind Jarislowsky Fraser. Still one of Canada's most respected investors, he ranks near the bottom of the list with an estimated net worth of $1.5 billion. Why some didn't make the cut Some names remain difficult to assess. The Bronfman family's wealth — once synonymous with the Seagram empire — has become fragmented over time, with much of it now housed in their family investment office, Claridge. They were excluded from the ranking due to limited transparency. To compile this ranking, The Gazette conducted a months-long review of stock filings, property records, company disclosures and legal documents. We tracked shareholdings and estimated private-company valuations. What we couldn't include: Why it's so hard to track the fortunes of Quebec's wealthiest But in Quebec, financial information about private companies and family investment firms is often scarce. That means the numbers on this list are deliberately conservative. In reality, Quebec's billionaires may be richer than they appear. This story was originally published July 11, 2025 at 6:00 AM. Related Stories from Montreal Gazette News Missing billions? Why it's so hard to track the fortunes of Quebec's wealthiest July 11, 2025 6:00 AM News Rich List Exclusive: How the Azrielis built Canada's largest family foundation July 11, 2025 6:00 AM
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SEED Therapeutics Appoints Dr. Bill Desmarais as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Officer
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SEED Therapeutics Inc. ("SEED"), a biotechnology company pioneering targeted protein degradation (TPD) through the discovery of innovative molecular glues and bifunctional degraders, today announced the appointment of Dr. Bill Desmarais, Ph.D., MBA, as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Officer. "Bill's appointment comes at a pivotal time as SEED advances its differentiated pipeline into clinical trials and expands global strategic partnerships,' said Dr. Lan Huang, Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of SEED. 'His extensive experience in high-impact transactions and strategic licensing will strengthen SEED's ability to accelerate breakthrough therapies in oncology, neurodegeneration, and immunology through our proprietary RITE3™ TPD platform. This appointment underscores SEED's commitment to delivering transformative treatments for patients, partners, and shareholders in 2025 and beyond.' Dr. Desmarais brings more than two decades of leadership in finance, business development, and strategic operations within the biopharma and biotech industries. He previously served as Chief Business Officer at Alchemab Therapeutics and TScan Therapeutics, as well as Vice President of Business Development at Momenta Pharmaceuticals, where he played a critical role in the company's $6.5 billion acquisition by Johnson & Johnson. Earlier in his career, he spent over a decade at Eli Lilly and Company in Search & Evaluation and Corporate Business Development, advancing global partnerships and pipeline expansion. Dr. Desmarais holds a Ph.D. in Biophysics and Structural Biology from Brandeis University, an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management, and a B.S. in Biology from Purdue University. "I am excited to join SEED at this transformative moment, working alongside an exceptional team of leaders and innovators,' said Dr. Desmarais. 'I look forward to collaborating with Dr. Lan Huang and her distinguished SEED Co-Founders—Nobel Laureate Avram Hershko and HHMI Investigators Michele Pagano and Ning Zheng—who are at the forefront of breakthrough research in targeted protein degradation. SEED's world-class translational scientists, drug developers, and deeply engaged Board of Directors bring unparalleled expertise across science, finance, risk management, law, and governance. Together, we will advance SEED's groundbreaking strategy, forge key alliances, and drive meaningful impact for patients and stakeholders worldwide.' About SEED TherapeuticsSEED Therapeutics is a biotechnology company dedicated to advancing targeted protein degradation (TPD) through the discovery of novel molecular glues and bifunctional degraders. Powered by its proprietary RITE3™ TPD platform, SEED is developing a pipeline of first-in-class degraders aimed at traditionally undruggable targets across oncology, neurodegeneration, immunology, and virology. Strategic collaborations with industry leaders Eli Lilly and Company and Eisai Co., Ltd. further reinforce SEED's commitment to developing innovative therapies, with its lead RBM39 degrader program expected to enter clinical trials in 2025. For more information, visit Investor Contact: IR@ Contact: PR@
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SEED Therapeutics Appoints Dr. Bill Desmarais as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Officer
KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SEED Therapeutics Inc. ("SEED"), a biotechnology company pioneering targeted protein degradation (TPD) through the discovery of innovative molecular glues and bifunctional degraders, today announced the appointment of Dr. Bill Desmarais, Ph.D., MBA, as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Officer. "Bill's appointment comes at a pivotal time as SEED advances its differentiated pipeline into clinical trials and expands global strategic partnerships,' said Dr. Lan Huang, Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of SEED. 'His extensive experience in high-impact transactions and strategic licensing will strengthen SEED's ability to accelerate breakthrough therapies in oncology, neurodegeneration, and immunology through our proprietary RITE3™ TPD platform. This appointment underscores SEED's commitment to delivering transformative treatments for patients, partners, and shareholders in 2025 and beyond.' Dr. Desmarais brings more than two decades of leadership in finance, business development, and strategic operations within the biopharma and biotech industries. He previously served as Chief Business Officer at Alchemab Therapeutics and TScan Therapeutics, as well as Vice President of Business Development at Momenta Pharmaceuticals, where he played a critical role in the company's $6.5 billion acquisition by Johnson & Johnson. Earlier in his career, he spent over a decade at Eli Lilly and Company in Search & Evaluation and Corporate Business Development, advancing global partnerships and pipeline expansion. Dr. Desmarais holds a Ph.D. in Biophysics and Structural Biology from Brandeis University, an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management, and a B.S. in Biology from Purdue University. "I am excited to join SEED at this transformative moment, working alongside an exceptional team of leaders and innovators,' said Dr. Desmarais. 'I look forward to collaborating with Dr. Lan Huang and her distinguished SEED Co-Founders—Nobel Laureate Avram Hershko and HHMI Investigators Michele Pagano and Ning Zheng—who are at the forefront of breakthrough research in targeted protein degradation. SEED's world-class translational scientists, drug developers, and deeply engaged Board of Directors bring unparalleled expertise across science, finance, risk management, law, and governance. Together, we will advance SEED's groundbreaking strategy, forge key alliances, and drive meaningful impact for patients and stakeholders worldwide.' About SEED TherapeuticsSEED Therapeutics is a biotechnology company dedicated to advancing targeted protein degradation (TPD) through the discovery of novel molecular glues and bifunctional degraders. Powered by its proprietary RITE3™ TPD platform, SEED is developing a pipeline of first-in-class degraders aimed at traditionally undruggable targets across oncology, neurodegeneration, immunology, and virology. Strategic collaborations with industry leaders Eli Lilly and Company and Eisai Co., Ltd. further reinforce SEED's commitment to developing innovative therapies, with its lead RBM39 degrader program expected to enter clinical trials in 2025. For more information, visit Investor Contact: IR@ Contact: PR@ in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Veteran at beach to spread dog's ashes is crushed by log from sneaker wave in Oregon
Julian Desmarais was at an Oregon beach to spread his dog's ashes when an unexpected wave came crashing onto the shoreline. That wave threw Desmarais, an Army veteran, off the log he was standing on. The log then crushed him and broke his leg, a TikTok video shows. Desmarais and his friend Emmy Isle went to a beach March 1 near Mo's Seafood & Chowder in Lincoln City, he told McClatchy News by phone on March 12. He was there to spread Koda's ashes, a King German Shepherd and Desmarais' companion for the past nine years. 'He was a water dog, and the beach was one of his favorite places. That's why I was going out there,' he said. Desmarais went close to the shoreline, stood on a log and started to pull out Koda's ashes when a sneaker wave came out of nowhere and sent him into the water. Isle was standing further from the water and caught the moment on camera. A video shows Desmarais fall forward as the wave hits, then he falls backward as the log rolls over him. Isle stops recording to rush over to help her friend. At this point, Desmarais said he started crawling and was 'screaming for help.' Onlookers also heard his cries and ran over to him, including an off-duty medic, he said. It took about five or six people to carry him to a waiting ambulance where he was taken to a nearby hospital in Lincoln City. Desmarais then had to be transported to a different hospital in Corvallis where he underwent surgery for a broken femur. 'It was the most pain I've ever been in in my life, hands down,' he said. Cody Heidt, a spokesperson for the North Lincoln Fire & Rescue District #1, told McClatchy News the log weighed about two tons. The average weight of a white rhino is about the same. Although, Desmarais grew up in the area, he said he knew better and shouldn't have been standing on the log to begin with. 'I'm just happy to be alive. I'm very, very lucky.' Sneaker waves unexpectedly surge up further on the beach. They can be deadly and dangerous, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These waves can sweep beachgoers away, and they can carry heavy wet pieces of logs that can knock people over or pin them. Beachgoers should check weather, surf and tide forecasts for any warnings of sneaker waves, NOAA said. 'We would like to remind beachgoers to not stand or play on drift wood/logs that are near the surf line, never turn their backs on the ocean, and to watch for and adhere to warning signs that are posted,' Heidt said in an e-mail. Lincoln City is about a 60-mile drive west from Salem. Man rushes to save 8-year-old boy swept to sea, but both die, California officials say Rescuers rush to help dad and teen after finding them trapped on rocks at Oregon beach Two die after wave sweeps them off rocks and out to sea, California rescuers say
