Obituary of Alan Douglas Horn

ALAN DOUGLAS HORN

(BSc Hons., CA)

After a determined and remarkable fight against cancer, Alan passed peacefully, on January 16, 2023, in Toronto, with his family by his side.  He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Ruth (nee Brown), and their daughter, Susan.  He will be greatly missed as a brother to Irene (Sandy) and Iain (Liz) as well as Uncle Alan to Iain, Mhairi, Christopher and Lucy. 

Born in Kintore, Scotland on July 30, 1951, to Douglas and Agnes (nee Tawse) Horn, Alan graduated with a first class honours degree in Mathematics from the University of Aberdeen before obtaining his CA certification.  It was his love of football (soccer) that took him to Canada in 1978 as a member of the touring Queen’s Park Football Club.  In 1979, Alan joined Canadian accountancy firm Thorne Riddell where he would first meet Ted Rogers, serving as his tax consultant for over ten years.

Alan joined the Rogers group of companies in 1990, undertaking a variety of roles including Chief Financial Officer (1996-2006) and Chair of the Board (2006-2017) as well as serving as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer from October, 2008 to March, 2009 and October, 2016 to April, 2017. Side by side, Alan and Ted established a solid financial footing that facilitated the transformation of Rogers into one of Canada’s most formidable companies.  Alan also served on the Board and as President and Chief Executive Officer of Rogers Telecommunications Limited.  A highly respected figure in the Canadian business community, he was also a Director on the boards of a number of prominent Canadian companies outside of Rogers.

Outside of the office, Alan dedicated his time to his family and friends.  He was the greatest supporter and fan of Susan’s many equestrian pursuits, enjoyed following Toronto’s sports teams and supported the growth of rugby in Canada, all while continuing to play soccer.  Travel was another cherished activity and he explored much of the world with Ruth by his side, although he derived most joy from returning to Scotland.

Alan will be fondly remembered for his incredible intelligence, wit (including corny one-liners), humility and ethic.  The funeral will be held at St. Paul’s Bloor Street, 227 Bloor Street East, Toronto, on Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 11:00 a.m.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a cancer charity or related cause that holds personal significance.

For those unable to attend in person, the service will be livestreamed via www.humphreymiles.com, where condolences may also be forwarded.

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