Calgary entrepreneur Jim Button’s final blog: I Died Today

Calgary recently lost one of the pillars of the community – Jim Button, an extraordinary entrepreneur and community builder.

For the past few years, Button has been dealing with his diagnosis of Stage Four Terminal Renal Cell Carcinoma.

As he traveled on this journey he wrote a blog to help those following in his cancer path with ideas, stories and inspiration.

The blog is titled https://www.gatherwithjim.com/. His last post is here. The post has been shared and viewed by thousands of Calgarians and Canadians for its message: Live. Love. Laugh. Repeat. Family first. Collect and nurture deep friendships. Build community.

Here is his bio from his LinkedIn page:

“For over 30 years Jim has been a leader in experiential marketing with an emphasis on events, public relations, promotions and community building. At Evans Hunt Group, a digital marketing firm, Jim gets to focus that experiential background on a one-to-one relationship – helping customers participate in the brands they engage with online.

“As a co-founder of Village Brewery, Jim is working hard to gather people around community. Using beer as a social lubricant he is leveraging his many experiences in marketing and building communities to create a more connected Calgary.

Prior to Evans Hunt and Village Brewery Jim was Vice President, Corporate and Community Affairs at Big Rock Brewery, he co-founded The Event Group and also worked at agencies such as Venture Communications, MacLaren:Lintas, Cossette Communications and JWR Advertising.

“In the last five years Jim has also co-founded two successful community based events. Best of Calgary was conceived as a reaction to the downturn in oil prices in which Calgarians were losing their positive perspective. Best of Calgary celebrates all the great things we should be proud of, as well as hosting a day for everyone to discuss topics that make for a better city. Jim also co-founded Circle Carnival a 5,000 person festival that moves around the city with hopes of introducing Calgarians to their neighbours and new neighbourhoods.

“His passion for community investment has been a common thread through his career and has earned him a philanthropy award from the Canadian Association of Fundraising Professionals, two “40 Under 40” awards with Avenue Magazine, an e-Award for Community Service from Alberta Venture Magazine, the Sherrold Moore Community Award thru the Calgary Chamber, a Calgary Leader by Business in Calgary Magazine and most recently the Community Builder of the Year from the Alberta Small Brewers Association.”

(Mario Toneguzzi is Managing Editor of Canada’s Podcast. He has more than 40 years of experience as a daily newspaper writer, columnist, and editor. He worked for 35 years at the Calgary Herald, covering sports, crime, politics, health, faith, city and breaking news, and business. He works as well as a freelance writer for several national publications and as a consultant in communications and media relations/training. Mario was named in 2021 as one of the Top 10 Business Journalists in the World by PR News – the only Canadian to make the list)