Risto Laamanen, one of Sudbury's most prominent businessmen and community leaders, died suddenly Tuesday from a cerebral hemorrhage, said a close friend. Laamanen, 61, was co-founder, chair and CEO of Wallbridge Mining Company Ltd.
Risto Laamenan (left) receives a 2007 chamber award from the City of Greater Sudbury's CAO, Doug Nadorozny.
Risto Laamanen, one of Sudbury's most prominent businessmen and community leaders, died suddenly Tuesday from a cerebral hemorrhage, said a close friend.
Laamanen, 61, was co-founder, chair and CEO of Wallbridge Mining Company Ltd., a junior exploration firm focused on nickel, copper and PGEs in the Sudbury Basin.
His industrial and commercial construction firm, Laamanen Construction, also worked actively on projects throughout the region, including Xstrata Nickel's Nickel Rim South project.
He will be sorely missed by all, said Science North CEO Jim Marchbank, adding that "everyone here is shocked and saddened."
In June, Laamanen was hailed as a Northern Icon by Northern Ontario Business for his many local efforts in the community. They include helping to develop Sudbury landmark Science North, volunteering on fundraising committees for the facility more than a decade ago and serving as the chair of the Science North board of directors since 1996. He was also the driving force behind the IMAX theater addition and the production of 'Gold Fever', its first large-format film production. These efforts led to the creation of Science North Productions, an IMAX production and distribution business, which has since delivered the likes of 'Bears', and 'Jane Goodall's Wild Chimpanzees' to IMAX screens.
He was also "instrumental" in the creation of Dynamic Earth, says Marchbank, and continued to actively support the twin attraction up until his death.
"Just in the last couple of weeks we've had two big events that he was prominent at … and he was in good humour and in good health, continuing to do what he's always done, which is encouraging everyone to keep making this place better and better."
A graduate of Cambrian College's civil engineering technology program, Laamanen remained loyal to the college over the years.
He became one of its most influential and hard-working supporters of the college, said Cambrian College president Sylvia Barnard in Northern Ontario Business' recent profile of Laamanen.
Having served on Cambrian College's board of governors for years, he was also the founding chairperson and longtime member of the Cambrian Foundation's board of directors.
He served on the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation's board of directors, and received the 2007 Chair's Award during the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce Bell Business Excellence Awards.
That same year, he was also nominated for a Premier's Award for his social and economic contributions to the province and the world.
