Segal left school at 14 when his father died and later joined the Canadian army penniless to fight in World War II. His road to riches began after the war, when he purchased military surplus goods that no one else wanted -- starting with 2,000 cans of olive paint that he convinced farmers to buy to beautify their dilapidated barns, Segal said.
"Nobody would even take them to dump them," he said. "I bought them for 25 cents a gallon and sold them for C$2."
From there he built an empire spanning retail, manufacturing and real estate, including founding Fields Stores Ltd., a no-frills chain that became a fixture in many rural towns across western Canada. The holdings of his family’s Vancouver-based conglomerate Kingswood Capital Corp. today include interests in crib maker Stork Manufacturing Inc., a Vancouver television broadcaster, and commercial, industrial and residential real estate developments in the region.
Segal says he’s in no rush to sell.
"I don’t need the money," he says. "I want someone who will respect and treasure it."
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.