James Irving is the eldest son of industrialist K.C. Irving who has an estimated net worth of $5.35 billion as of August 2018. James and his brother, Arthur, are among the richest people in the globe today.

Born on March 20, 1928, James K. Irving or J.K. Irving is considered as one of the leading Canadian industrialists during his time. He has diversified the largest company in Atlantic Canada with more than 300 subsidiaries within the Irving Group of Companies. After the death of their father, he inherited the Brunswick News, a publishing company, and J.D. Irving Limited, the conglomerate started by his grandfather J.D. Irving. The firm has interests in oil, natural gas, gas stations, timber, paper products, shipbuilding, construction, agriculture, building supplies, newspapers, radio stations, and a Canadian Hockey League team.

In 1957, James Irving headed the company’s reforestation and tree improvement programs, and has helped expand the forest product’s business. For more than 50 years, the company has planted more than 850 million trees in Canada.

J.K. Irving was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1996. He was made a Member of the Order of New Brunswick and of the Canadian Hall of Fame in 2008. He has been involved in several philanthropic activities for the advancement of his home province of New Brunswick.