John Forzani, the founder of the Canadian sporting goods retailer The Forzani Group Ltd, died after suffering a heart attack on Oct. 30.

Forzani
was born and raised in Calgary and achieved a degree in business from
Utah State
University. He then returned to Calgary to play for the Stampeders as an
offensive guard in the 70s alongside his brothers, Tom and Joe. He helped the team win a Grey Cup in 1971. After retiring from football, he founded Forzani, the parent of Canada’s Sports Chek that eventually reached more than 500 stores across Canada. Forzani was sold to
Canadian Tire Corp. in 2011.

“John Forzani was an entrepreneur, a leader and a great Canadian who
made a deep and positive impression on everyone he came in contact with.
The whole team at FGL Sports and the Canadian Tire Family of Companies
are mourning his loss today.  Our thoughts are with Johns family and
many friends.” said Michael Medline, president, Canadian Tire.

A big believer in the benefits of physical fitness, Forzani established Calgarys annual Mothers Day Run and Walk in 1977. In 2000, the Forzani Foundation was established to assist charities including Canadian amateur athletics.

He was also part of a local group that purchased the Stampeders in 05.
The Calgary Flames became majority owners of the football franchise in
12 but Forzani retained a minority stake and was the teams co-chair in
2013.

“John’s passion for community and football were singularly essential in
the revival of the Stamps important role in the community,” said
Stampeders chairman Ken King, in a statement. “It is one, among many, of his great
legacies. I will miss him dearly.”

Forzani is survived by his wife Linda and grown children Mike and Jodi. Funeral arrangements were not immediately known.