Huntsville’s renowned man-about-town and patriarch of a storied local family, Bob Hutcheson and his many achievements seem to be defined by an alignment between belief and action.
Now in his 100th year, Bob believes in community and invests in it. He believes in hard work, and he models it. He believes in participation and lives it fully, whether in business, sport, adventure, or philanthropy. There is little difference between who Bob is, what he says and what he does.
However, he views his community involvement as simply doing what everyone in Huntsville does.
“In Huntsville, everybody has participated in supporting the town,” says Bob. “We have a better feeling of community than most places. We’re doers, and that’s everyone. It’s amazing. We have all sorts of organizations pulling and working together. It’s a great town.”
Bob’s lifelong love for his hometown was honoured recently in support of a cause his family has championed for generations – Huntsville’s hospitals.
In September 2025, the Jack Cockwell family, in partnership with the Bob Hutcheson family and nine other very generous local families, donated a record-setting $20 million gift to the Huntsville Hospital Foundation in support of the Raise Muskoka campaign to build new hospitals in Huntsville and Bracebridge.
Huntsville’s new centre of health and healing will be named after Bob Hutcheson.
“I’m absolutely blown away,” says Bob, whose family has been active for generations on town committees, church boards and clubs since arriving in Huntsville in 1896. “I couldn’t possibly dream of having such a thing happen to me. Using my name and our family’s name recognizes about five generations of giving and participating in medical facilities in Huntsville. We have contributed to four different hospitals. They are using my name to represent the many people who have contributed to making it possible.”
Bob and his children, Drew, Ann, Scott and Blake, support the hospital for the good of the community. As well, Bob feels he is a good symbol for the hospital because his long life has been made possible by 99 years of great Huntsville medical care.
“My family have taken on duties that have arisen from just living here,” explains Bob. “I approached Jack Cockwell about giving a donation to Raise Muskoka, and he came back with this absolutely incredible gift. Huntsville is my roots, my place of belonging and my place of participating. Jack said that’s why he gave a special gift in my name to support the new hospital.”
Unlike those who seek opportunity by leaving home, Bob built his successful entrepreneurial career by investing where he began.
After attending the University of Toronto, where he studied business, engineering, forestry, math and physics at Trinity College, Bob returned to work at Muskoka Wood Products. The company, originally known as Muskoka Wood Manufacturing Company, was founded by his grandfather, R.J. Hutcheson, in 1901.
Afterwards, Bob diversified his path, owning and operating real estate, fuel, Christmas tree farming and aggregate businesses.
When Hutcheson Christmas Trees bought a Christmas tree farm with a gravel pit, Bob was approached by a man who wanted to change his tennis courts into beach volleyball courts. Could Bob help with the sand?
Always ready for a challenge, Bob created a specialized sand that wouldn’t stick to skin, was hard enough to stand on, but soft enough to flow into holes made by players’ feet so they wouldn’t trip on the holes. Word spread, and the volleyball sand had orders from around the world, including for the summer Olympics.
As a former President of the Huntsville Ski Club and, until two years ago, an avid skier with 40 heli-skiing adventures, Bob was thrilled to be appointed a technical delegate at the Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, Sarajevo and Calgary.
“That was great fun and very exciting,” he recalls. “I’ve been part of one of the skiing families in Canada since I was a kid. I was a racer and got to know other racers who became parents of the Crazy Canucks Olympics ski team. My son Scott was on the national ski team at the time. He was a Giant Slalom skier and the best in Canada, but he quit to get an education at the University of Utah. He coached the university’s ski team.”
Scott is now Executive Chair of Aspen Properties in Calgary. Brother Blake is President and CEO of OMERS, one of Canada’s largest defined benefit pension plans; Drew is an entrepreneur and educator, and Ann was an exceptional model and interior decorator.
Bob partly attributes their successful career to being brought to work by their Dad from a young age. He showed them what he did and taught them how to do it, giving them a business background early in life.
“My kids are amazing, absolutely unbelievable,” says Bob, who has 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren with one more on the way. “They are successful and they give back. I’m very fortunate. My family has been on university boards, national associations, the ski business and business organizations. In other words, we have participated in life, that’s all. We’ve listened to the task of our age and did what was needed.”
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Bob Hutcheson played an important part in my teenage years back in the 1960’s. My parents and I emigrated to Canada from “War torn Austria” in the 1950’s, had to learn a new language and struggled to make a new life. Getting hired during the summer months and then also on weekends allowed me an outlet that not only helped me to save money for College but also the Comradery I so badly needed. (Both my parents suffered from PTSD on account of the War in Europe). I really needed those “jobs” after school and summers and Bob’s “Christmas Tree Business” kept me employed. Bob also involved me in his “Road Building” Contracts. I often compare those days in small town Huntsville in the 1950’s and 60’s to what it’s like now in a place like Vancouver where I live now and it’s like “day and night”, especially for the young teenager wanting to find work. Anyway, as an immigrant back then I needed the right people to converse with and become accustomed to “Canadian Ways”. It was a privilege and an honor to have gotten to know Bob at a critical time in my life. He truly is an exceptional individual!
I worked for Bob Hutcheson in my youth and always found it a pleasure to work for him. Congratulations Bob!
So very fortunate. A long life. Successful kids!
Congratulations Bob. Looking at the Doppler report, there is nothing more that can be said. The word Amazing does come to mind however.
Bob Hutcheson, what a great fellow and gentleman you are, still participating and giving back to your Community in your 100th year.
Your family has done so for centuries.
. The Town of Huntsville is truly blessed to have your enthusiasm and vision for so many entities you have been involved in.
Bob, thanks… I consider you a hero and mentor.
Let’s all help Bob, family and friend with this hospital fund raise for the Bob Hutcheson Hospital.
“ Big or small …Bob will love all our donations.”
Bob you are a special fellow.
Thanks for being who you are.
Always true to yourself and many. .
We are all so honored to have Bob in our life’s. Bob picked me up hitchhiking 60 years ago & has been my mentor, friend & business partner ever since. His lessons of hard work, ethics, helping others and the environment are ever lasting. He has this art of making everyone one feel that they are his best friend….and you are. He has this ability to attract youth and truly listen and inspire them. And he is actually listening, because months later he will ask “how was that visit with your mother”. I saw this so often as I worked so closely for many years with this wonderful man. He never had a bad bone in his body. Even when someone impacted him negatively, he would try to understand their troubles and then do something to help them with their troubles…..something we all should consider. It is amazing to consider the number of people that believe that Bob is a major reason for their success or happiness. Thank You Bob Hutcheson.
Bob, you are without a doubt a hero in our community and continue to be into your 100th year. You and your family are truly inspirational. We are blessed to know you. Thank you from the bottom of our heart.❤️
A life well lived and living to give back is no small thing. Congratulations on both Mr. Hutcheson! I look forward to reading about your 100th birthday celebration…I have a feeling you’re not finished with contributing your innovative ideas for our fair town.