ASA Johal (1922-2021), one of British Columbia’s most successful entrepreneurs and philanthropic leaders and a South Asian legend, was inducted posthumously into the Business Laureates of BC Hall of Fame on May 30 at the 17th annual Business Laureates of BC Hall of Fame Gala Dinner and Induction Ceremonies in Vancouver.

His citation read:

Asa Johal was the President and CEO of Terminal Forest Products, B.C.’s largest independent lumber company. He immigrated to Canada from India in 1924 when he was a toddler. When the Depression devastated his family financially, he left school at aged 14 to work in a sawmill.

He founded Terminal Forest Products in 1965 and learned how to work with B.C.’s predominately white-owned and white-run forestry companies. He went on to establish sawmills, manufacturing plants and a trucking operation.

In addition to growing his lumber empire, Asa Johal, was a leader in the Sikh community who believed in using his successes to help others.

Over the decades, Johal contributed generously to fundraising campaigns for the B.C. Children’s Hospital, Canadian Cancer Society, Rotary Club-Polio Plus, and other causes supporting immigrants to Canada.

Asa was recognized for being an outstanding citizen by the B.C. government in 1991, earning the Order of B.C. and the Order of Canada for his contributions to the economy and also his philanthropy. He became a member of the University of British Columbia board of governors and a director of the Children’s Hospital. He was also given an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by the University of British Columbia for his support of ethnic studies.

Asa’s endless beneficiaries included a girls’ school in his home village in Punjab, the Sikh Temple in Richmond (which he founded), and many more.

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