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Wallace McCain Institute

About Us

Our History

Thanks to a very generous founding gift from Wallace and Margaret McCain, the Wallace McCain Institute was founded in 2006 to build & nurture the most inter-connected community of entrepreneurial business leaders in North America for the betterment of themselves, their companies & their region.

By early 2008, the WMI programs were launched to target specific ingredients of a better region to accomplish the vision of making the Greater Atlantic Area the best place in Canada to start and grow a company.

WMI was founded in New Brunswick, but our regional expansion has resulted in a growing membership base outside of New Brunswick. Family businesses represent the largest category of WMI members.

Today, WMI offers three significant programs for entrepreneurial leaders across Atlantic Canada to advance the economic prosperity of our communities.

As co-founder of McCain Foods, Wallace McCain was a model of the energy, acumen, determination and leadership required for a successful business. The family envisioned an organization that gives entrepreneurs in our region what they need to succeed.

Our Journey

Building leaders, one milestone at a time

From a generous founding gift to a thriving community of 645+ business leaders across Atlantic Canada.

  • 2006

    Founded

    Wallace and Margaret McCain establish the Wallace McCain Institute at the University of New Brunswick with a generous founding gift.

  • 2008

    Programs Launched

    First peer-based programs launched targeting entrepreneurial leaders across Atlantic Canada.

  • 2012

    Regional Expansion

    Expanded membership beyond New Brunswick to include leaders from all four Atlantic provinces.

  • 2016

    ECHO Program

    Launched the Family Business (ECHO) Program for next-generation leaders of multi-generational family businesses.

  • 2020

    Virtual Adaptation

    Successfully adapted programming to virtual and hybrid formats, maintaining peer connections throughout the pandemic.

  • 2026Current

    645+ Members Strong

    Grew to over 645 Atlantic business leaders representing 18,000+ employees and $2.6 billion in annual revenue.

  • Beyond

    The Future

    Continuing to grow our community and expand our impact across Atlantic Canada and beyond.