Paul McLean
MBA '81
MBA '81
MBA
1981
2022
Raised in a six-generation family dairy business in Peel County, Paul McLean’s parents instilled in him the importance of education and relationship building. McLean went on to graduate with an Honours Bachelor of science degree from McMaster and complete an MBA from the DeGroote School of Business. McLean applies both his personal and educational learning into his business decisions, where he is currently the CEO for Care Lending Group, a finance company that he launched in 2021.
Upon graduation, McLean began his career at Xerox Canada, where he then moved on to become the President of Triathlon Equipment Leasing, while serving on the Board of the Canadian Finance & Leasing Association. He later co-founded Maxium Financial Services, which quickly became an industry leader among private financing companies, boasting a financial portfolio of more than 35,000 customers with an investment balance of over $1 billion. Maxium was awarded the distinction of being one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies for five years in a row. McLean later sold Maxium to Canadian Western Bank Group, where he became the CEO of CWB Maxium Financial.
It was while at Maxium that McLean was able to break into the golf industry through golf course and equipment financing. These relationships led him to becoming the President of Golf Canada in 2015, where he was later named one of the Top 25 most influential people in Canadian golf. His golf connections gave him the opportunity to purchase and become the CEO of Turf Care Products Canada, which later become one of Canada’s Best Managed Companies.
Despite McLean’s tremendous business acumen, arguably his biggest success is his philanthropic work. In addition to his family providing DeGroote with a $15 million gift to construct the new McLean Centre for Collaborative Discovery – a state-of-the-art collaboration, networking, and study space – he has provided McMaster University with student bursaries, supported the Muskoka Food Bank, has helped contribute to player development at Golf Canada, all while serving on the board for the Golf Canada Foundation.
McLean continues to serve on the boards of several organizations, including: Öviinbyrd, CLG, CABOT, Turf Care, and Aquimo. In addition, he supports the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada and Southlake Hospital.
[ The information in this profile was accurate at the time the award was presented.]
