Honorary Lieutenant Colonel Bruce W. Burnham was born in Chatham, Ontario; the son of David Earl Burnham, a veteran who fought from the beaches of Sicily to the gates of Apeldoorn with The Royal Canadian Regiment in the Second World War. LCol Burnham’s connection to the Regiment is therefore strong and comes in addition to his 45-year membership with the Royal Canadian Legion.

Mr. Burnham grew up in Ridgetown, Ontario; a small town about 60 miles west of London. He attended the University of Western Ontario’s Ivy Business School and has maintained a long-standing connection to the University and the local business community ever since. After graduating, he returned to Ridgetown and opened a Sporting Goods Store as well as an H&R Block Franchise. He became the founding President of the Ridgetown Kinsmen Club and in 1971 joined the London Branch of the Sun Life Financial Insurance.

In 1980, LCol Burnham proposed a joint insurance venture with Home Hardware Stores Ltd, forming a company called Programmed Insurance Brokers Inc. The company grew rapidly and was split into 2 separate companies. Today, his company has close to 300 employees with offices in Halifax, Edmonton, Montreal, Chatham, and London with a headquarters in Elmira, Ontario.

Currently, he is the CEO of Programmed Insurance and the Chairman of the RwAM Insurance with Home Hardware Financial. He is also the Insurance Broker of choice for the Royal Canadian Legion and has accepted a position on the board of directors with the Legion Poppy Fund.

Mr. Burnham is an honorary member of the London Police Association and a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. Hon LCol Burnham has resided in Ilderton, Ontario for the past 40 years and lives with his wife Bernie. They have 5 children with 7 grandchildren. HonLCol Burnham, despite his busy life, is an avid sportsman, an exceptional curler and enjoys travelling with his family.

LGen Devlin (Ret’d) deployed on numerous tours in several capacities throughout his career. These include UN tours to Cyprus (84-85), the former Yugoslavia (92), Bosnia (96-97) and a tour as the Commanding Officer of the Canadian Battle Group in Bosnia(98). Lgen (Ret’d) Devlin went on to command the Kabul Multinational Brigade as part of ISAF in Afghanistan (03-04) and was the Deputy Commanding General of the Multi-National Corps in Iraq (06-08).

Upon retirement in 2013, LGen (Ret’d) Devlin was appointed the President of Fanshawe College and still serves in that capacity. LGen (Ret’d) Devlin also serves on numerous provincial and national college committees, the London Economic Development Corporation’s Board of Directors and the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries.

LGen (Ret’d) Devlin has been married to his wife, Judy, for over 40 years, and they have four children.