MARK CHIPMAN

Date of Birth: 1960
Date of Induction: 2022

Winnipeg-born and raised, Mark Chipman is a quiet but fierce defender of his hometown.

Graduating from St. Paul's High School in 1979, Mark attended the University of North Dakota between 1979 and 1983, studying Economics while also playing football.

After a brief period working in Florida, Mark returned to Winnipeg in 1988 and succeeded his father as president of Megill-Stephenson Company, the Chipman family's holding company.

After the original Winnipeg Jets left for Phoenix in 1996, he was part of a group that purchased the International Hockey League's Minnesota Moose and moved them to Winnipeg. He then spearheaded the formation of the Manitoba Moose Yearling Foundation to raise monies to support local charities through grants.

With the demise of the IHL in 2001, he was instrumental in brokering a deal which saw the Moose along with 5 former IHL teams join the American Hockey League.

Along with local investors, True North Sports & Entertainment was created in 2001 for the purpose of building a new sports and entertainment venue in downtown Winnipeg. Opening in 2004, the facility now operates as the Canada Life Centre hosting professional sports, concerts and events.

In 2010, True North opened the MTS Iceplex offering the community four rinks and access to 12,000 hours of ice time annually.

While successfully establishing the Moose in Winnipeg, Mark and partner David Thomson worked quietly behind the scenes to return the National Hockey League to Winnipeg. In 2011, the province was thrilled as the purchase of the Atlanta Thrashers was announced and shortly after Mark re-christened the new team as the Winnipeg Jets at the NHL Draft.

Serving as Executive Chairman and Governor of True North Sports & Entertainment, the Manitoba Moose Yearling Foundation became the True North Youth Foundation and continues to support youth in a range of activities and wellness programming.

True North has expanded to develop True North Square, a $400 million four-tower mixed-use development that is located adjacent to Canada Life Centre.

In 2005, Mark was awarded the James C. Hendy Memorial Award as the AHL's top executive. In 2011, he received the Thomas Ebright Memorial Award for outstanding contributions to the AHL.

In 2012, he was made a member of the Order of Manitoba and later that year honoured by UND with their prestigious Sioux Award, the highest award given by the university, for his accomplishments and community service.

Now a sitting member of the NHL Board of Governors, Mark Chipman's support of his community and for hockey from the grassroots to the NHL never wavers.