Get in touch
Bio
I was born and raised in Nanaimo, British Columbia, the youngest of five children; Michael, Elizabeth, Cynthia, andStephanie are my siblings. Tom and Christine are my parents and both attended high school in Nanaimo before settling here, starting a family, and building our automotive and cellular businesses. At seven years old I started my first business selling candy out of 25 cent vending machines in my father's Chevrolet Cadillac dealership.
Having grown up on Vancouver Island I have always had a deep appreciation for my natural surroundings and love the outdoors; you will find me on a boat in the summers, on the mountain in the winters, and at Vancouver Canucks games whenever possible.
After my high school graduation from Brentwood College I enrolled at the University of Western Ontario, graduating with a degree in English Literature.
Living in Ontario further deepened my love of British Columbia and so I returned to Vancouver Island. In June of 2005 the Inaugural Tony Harris Hockey Classic took place. Now in its fifth year, the Tony Harris Hockey Classic is a charity street hockey tournament founded for the benefit of Canuck Place Children's Hospice in Vancouver, BC and other local causes.
Shortly thereafter, in August of the same year, CanRepel Products Inc. was formed. CanRepel was my first "real" entrepreneurial project and the business of organic deer repellent promises growth due to a recent partnership with TerraCycle Inc. and its wide availability in Home Depot USA stores.
In September 2006, I enrolled in the National Automobile Dealer's Association's Dealer Candidate Academy in Washington DC in order to pursue the goal of becoming a fully-trained and certified Automobile Dealer. This intense operations and management training was an excellent jumping-off point for my interests in the family automotive group. Shortly after completing the NADA program I was fortunate to be selected for the charter class of the NADA Executive Management Program at Babson College. Concluding in the summer of 2009, this program focused on leadership, development and the mastering of best practices in business.
June, 2007 marked the incorporation of Tony Harris Enterprises and the acquisition of a boutique, semi-waterfront development site in Departure Bay - Nanaimo, British Columbia. Coming in 2010 is a luxury, three-level, residential development with a cafe on the ground floor. The contemporary, west-coast architecture will be an exclusive commercial/residential first for the Harbour City; construction begins TBA.
I have a very strong economic and social outlook for the future of central Vancouver Island. Geographically we remain the gateway to majestic beaches, great surfing, world-class fishing, exceptional skiing, golfing, hiking, boating, and mountain biking that Vancouver Island is so famous for. Virtually a stones throw from the burgeoning mainland, Nanaimo still offers the small town appeal while having the amenities of a much larger city.
Our real estate market, although strong, presents significant growth opportunities; a new conference center, museum, theatre, cruise ship terminal, airport and local sports facilities are economic drivers. I must mention the back-to-back National Champion VI Raiders football club too! Urban density is a core issue facing our city and the fruition of this concept in our region is arriving.
With great amateur sports teams, and even better fans, and of course the World Championship Bathtub Race, the Spirit of Nanaimo remains magnetic. From my Grandfather Jack, to my father Tom, I pledge to help drive our ever-growing city towards a great future.