What is Jim Treliving's net worth?
Jim Treliving is a Canadian businessman and television personality who has a net worth of $700 million. Jim Treliving earned wider fame when he became one of the "dragon" investors on the Canadian reality series "Dragon's Den," which is the precursor show to the American version, "Shark Tank." Jim Treliving has been a dragon on the show since 2006, and has been called, the Nice Dragon, the Quiet Dragon, and the Loving Dragon, because of his kindness and the fact that he has total respect for those looking to forge ahead with their business ideas. He is careful not to criticize the entrepreneurs, even when their ideas or products are beyond reasonable.
Jim Treliving earned his net worth as the Chairman and owner of Boston Pizza, one of the largest pizza chains in Canada. Boston Pizza currently has 350 restaurants in Canada.
Jim and his business partner also own a collective investment portfolio called T&M Group of Companies. Through TM they acquired ownership of Mr. Lube, Dermal Laser Centres, a real estate company called White Rock Commercial and more. They are also the owners of Kitchen Partners Limited (a custom food manufacturer) and the Stonebrook Benchlands development. The Global Entertainment Company, of which Jim Treliving is the chairman of the board, owns the Central Hockey League as well.
Early Life
James Treliving was born on May 12, 1941, in Virden, Manitoba, Canada. His early career saw him serving as a constable with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. However, his life took a drastic turn when he came across a Boston Pizza restaurant in Edmonton, Alberta in 1966. Intrigued by the business, Treliving left the police force and opened a Boston Pizza franchise in Penticton, British Columbia, with his business partner, George Melville.
Boston Pizza Empire
Treliving and Melville's Boston Pizza franchise quickly became successful, prompting them to open additional locations. In 1973, they became the franchisors for British Columbia. By 1983, the duo bought out the Boston Pizza chain from then-owner Ron Coyle, setting them up to steer the company to greater heights. Under Treliving's leadership, Boston Pizza expanded from 44 restaurants in 1983 to over 400 locations across North America, making it one of the largest pizza chains in Canada.
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Other Ventures
Treliving's business acumen extends beyond the restaurant industry. Alongside Melville, he founded T&M Group of Companies, which oversees a diverse portfolio of international businesses in sectors such as real estate, sports entertainment, and automotive repair. This includes the ownership of Mr. Lube, a Canadian chain of automotive service centers. Treliving's success in these ventures further cemented his reputation as an astute entrepreneur and business mogul.
Television Career
Treliving stepped into the limelight as a cast member of the Canadian reality TV show "Dragon's Den" in 2006. The show features aspiring entrepreneurs pitching their business ideas to a panel of venture capitalists (the 'dragons') in hopes of securing investment. Treliving's business acumen, coupled with his compassionate yet firm demeanor, quickly made him a fan favorite. His appearance on the show not only increased his public visibility but also allowed him to diversify his portfolio with investments in various start-ups across Canada.
Philanthropy
Despite his immense success, Treliving remains committed to giving back to the community. He and his wife, Sandi, founded the Treliving Charitable Foundation, which supports numerous charities, including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Rick Hansen Foundation.
Jim Treliving lives in West Vancouver with his wife Sandi and his two stepchildren, Daniel and Katie. They also have homes in Dallas and Palm Springs. Jim Treliving has two children from a previous marriage, Cheryl and Brad. Cheryl, is the executive director of the Boston Pizza Foundation and son, Brad, is the Assistant General Manager of the professional hockey team, Phoenix Coyotes, as well as a franchise owner of Boston Pizza.
Jim Treliving has won awards that include distinctions like Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies, as well as, Pacific Canada's Ernest and Youngs Entrepreneur of the Year for Hospitality and Tourism.
