Samuel James Hungerford

Samuel James Hungerford

Samuel James Hungerford, railway executive (b near Bedford, Qué 16 July 1872; d at Farnham, Qué 7 Oct 1955). After beginning as an apprentice machinist for the Southeastern Ry in 1886 and holding various positions in the operating departments of the CPR, Hungerford joined the Canadian Northern Ry as superintendent of rolling stock in 1910. During the 1920s, as a VP of operation, maintenance and construction, he played an important role in the integration and expansion of the CNR. Appointed president of the CNR in 1934, Hungerford reduced operating expenditures and defended the company's autonomy amid demands for amalgamation with the CPR. He retired from the presidency in 1941. First president of TRANS-CANADA AIRLINES and president of National Ry Munitions Ltd, a crown corporation that produced guns and gun carriages in WWII, he was created CMG for his wartime services.