The Saskatchewan Roughriders are slightly more than nine years removed from the final day of Jim Hopson’s transformative tenure as the community-owned team’s President-CEO.
During that time, there has been a turnover in staff — an inevitability in any organization over the span of a near-decade — but many of his colleagues are still employed by the team he impacted so greatly, on personal and professional levels.
“He meant so much to everyone who worked here,” Equipment Manager Gordon Gilroy says. “I loved the guy.
“Losing Jim, that was a tough one.”
Hopson, the President-CEO from 2005 to 2015, passed away on Tuesday after a three-year battle with colon cancer. He was 73.
“He lived a full life and it was pretty cool to have been around him,” says Bill Wright, who has been a key part of the game-day production team since the SaskTel MaxTron was unveiled at Taylor Field on June 25, 2005.
“This is really an opportunity to remember all the good times and a celebration of some really amazing accomplishments.”
Celebrate we shall, with the invaluable assistance and in-sights of Hopson’s co-workers and, most importantly, friends.
“PEOPLE MATTERED TO JIM”
Roughriders Vice-President of Football Operations and General Manager Jeremy O’Day will always be indebted to Hopson for an unexpected offer that was extended early in 2011.
A member of the Roughriders’ offensive line from 1999 to 2010, O’Day had decided to conclude his playing career at age 35, even though he was comng off his sixth All-Star season.
As much as he enjoyed the game and his long-standing role as the Green and White’s starting centre, there was an enticing opportunity outside of football and the best interests of his family to consider.
With all that in mind, O’Day sat down with Hopson and outlined the career decision.
Unbeknownst to O’Day, Hopson had already consulted with Brendan Taman — who was then the GM/Vice-President of Football Operations — about a front-office addition of note.
“They had the conversation prior to me retiring about offering me an opportunity in football operations,” O’Day recalls. “I wasn’t walking around advertising that I wanted to be in football operations. I did mention it to Coach (Ken) Miller and to (GM) Eric (Tillman) at one time, but then there was no talk of it.”
Not until Hopson talked with O’Day and convinced him to remain with the organization instead of accepting the other job.
“It’s a dream come true when you’re retiring from football,” O’Day says. “For him to offer me an opportunity in football operations, right on the spot, is something I’ll always appreciate.”
There was, of course, so much to appreciate.
“He was a people person,” O’Day says. “People mattered to Jim.
“He wanted to have a family atmosphere and he wanted to turn the organization into something special. He didn’t want it to be Mom and Pop anymore. He wanted it to be the staple franchise of the CFL.
“A lot of what we have now has a great deal to do with what Jim Hopson did for our organization.”
“HE CARED ABOUT ALL OF US”
Next to O’Day, Senior Sales and Partner Relations Executive Kevin Clive is the longest-serving current Roughrider employee.
He joined the organization on Feb. 25, 2002, as the first editor of Riderville.com.
In addition to writing for the website, he highlighted former players for a “where are they now?” feature that appeared in each game-day program.
Hopson was the subject of one of the first alumni profiles. At the time of the interview, Clive had no idea that the Roughriders alum and Special Advisor to the Club’s volunteer Management Committee would become the team’s first President-CEO just two years later.
“Jim was always so easy to talk to and everyone mattered,” Clive says. “He cared about all of us as a staff. That might have come from his time in education and the way he cared about the teachers and all the students.”
Hopson kept teaching lessons when he joined the Roughriders’ business side.
“He taught us to look at everything — all aspects of whatever assignment, challenge or task we had in front of us,” Clive says. “He was a mentor to many and there are still important lessons I follow from him to this day.”
But nothing was more important than family.
“He loved to ask about Kerri and the kids,” says the proud father of Kaydin, 19, and Kai-Lynn, 16. “He always wanted to know how they were doing in school and in their sports.
“He just had a way of making you feel like whatever was happening in your world at that moment was also the most important thing for him, too.”
Hopson was a Roughriders offensive lineman from 1973 to 1976 before retiring as a player to concentrate on an educational career that would last for 30 years. In 2005, he returned to the organization full-time and, in the capacity of President-CEO, guided the organization to unprecedented heights while relishing every interaction with the fans.
“I remember we were at one community event and Jim was the last guy to leave the signature table because he kept signing autographs for everyone,” Clive says with a smile.
“He said, ‘K.C., nobody wanted my autograph when I played, so I’m staying till the end!’ ”
“HEY, JIM!!!”
Mark Habicht remembers one instance of Hopson turning a spur-of-the-moment visit to a modestly sized bar/restaurant into a community event.
Habicht — the Roughriders’ Director, Retail Operations since 2008 — made a trip to Saskatoon with Hopson and Steve Mazurak, the latter of whom was the Vice-President, Marketing and Sales.
The trio spent most of the day scouting out prospective sites for a Rider Store.
“We went to six or seven locations,” Habicht says. “Near the last place we went to, there was a pub, so Jim suggested we pop in for a quick drink. It was then that I really got an insight into Jim’s presence.
“The moment he walked in, everyone’s head snapped. There were three guys sitting at a table and they said, ‘Hey, Jim!!!’ He went over to them, took off his Grey Cup ring, and they passed it around and took pictures. Meanwhile, Steve and I got a table.
“Jim must have been talking with those three guys for 10 or 15 minutes. That was how much he enjoyed connecting with people. That was a big part of his role and he was so comfortable being that guy.”
Hopson and Mazurak both played key roles in Habicht joining the organization.
“First and foremost, I’m grateful to Jim and Steve for giving me a chance to come in here and do this,” Habicht says.
“Jim wanted our merchandise to be Professional Grade, like those GMC commercials. It might sound too simplistic, but I liked it because it felt like the North Star — a goal to aspire to.
“Jim always had the attitude that we had to do everything as well as we can, while also being budget-conscious. That’s no disrespect to the people who came before him, because they didn’t always have the tools or resources to focus on it day-to-day.”
And there wasn’t a President-CEO to ensure that there was such a focus until Hopson arrived.
“It was a perfect storm,” Habicht says. “People had money in their pockets. The economy was doing well and the team was doing well. Jim was able to capitalize on that and everything clicked.
“Like I mentioned, he had such a presence. Win or lose, I always wanted to go into work on Monday morning to hear what Jim had to say, because it was always a barometer of where the team was going.
“He was really interested in the merchandise side of it. To him, it was about fanning the flames of Rider Nation. The merchandise was a touchpoint, where people could live and feel the brand.
“It wasn’t just about money. It was about people being able to connect with the team and the brand in a very real way.”
“THE PERSON NEXT DOOR”
Kevin Flood has been a valued colleague of Habicht’s on the merchandising side since 2009.
Flood, like everyone, speaks appreciatively of the degree to which Hopson, Mazurak and other high-ranking decision-makers were accessible.
“Jim and Steve were pretty open and the Club has always been like that,” says Flood, the Retail Store Manager at Mosaic Stadium. “At a lot of places, you’d never talk to the CEO or a Vice-President.
“Jim fit in with everyone. It wasn’t like he was The Boss and you’d have to tip-toe around him. It has never been like that here, especially compared to a corporate setting or a big outfit.”
Flood recalls many occasions when Hopson visited the Rider Store and his wife, Brenda, would mingle and shop. It was the same way when Miller was the Head Coach and his wife, Maureen, was also embedded in the community.
“They’re super-nice people, like Jim and Brenda,” Flood says.
“Jim was always so easygoing. He was a businessperson with a school background and he had also played for the team, so I think that made it easier for him from the start.
“He was very much like the person next door. You knew him. Everybody knew him. He was super-outgoing and great at what he did.”
“JIM WAS THE STANDARD”
At the start, Hopson played high school football for Thom Trojans — as did Gordon Gilroy.
“I think the Thom Trojans connection is what ultimately allowed me to get the job,” jokes the Roughriders’ Equipment Manager, who was hired full-time in 2009 after assisting Norm Fong for four years.
“Jim and I talked about Thom football all the time. I used to wear my Trom Trojans leather jacket all the time and Jim used to get a big kick out of that.”
So much so that, after the Roughriders won the CFL championship in 2007, Gilroy was invited to Thom Collegiate to share the Grey Cup with the students — along with Hopson and two fellow members of the Trojans alumni, running back Neal Hughes and assistant coach Alex Smith.
“To Jim, everyone was equal,” Gilroy says. “He just loved sitting down and talking to everybody.
“I still remember him sitting down in Norm’s office and eating KFC chicken on Toonie Tuesdays.
“Jim was the standard of what you wanted to be. He made the team more of a family than it had been before. I remember the get-togethers at Jim and Brenda’s place and all the food they would have for us.
“At Christmas time, he would bring us all Black Forest hams.”
Hopson helped to elevate the standards across the board, an example a locker-room renovation that took place early in his tenure.
“If there was ever anything you needed for the players, you never had to ask,” Gilroy says.
“And he would listen to everybody. If you had an idea, you could take to him and tell him why you thought it was worthwhile.
“He would never take credit for anybody else’s idea. In fact, he would brag about it being your idea, and we’re fortunate that it’s still the same way today.”
“HIS STAMP WILL ALWAYS BE HERE”
Jenn Senger treasures the final text message she received from Hopson.
“Lov ya,” it begins, followed by four emojis — two hearts, one symbol of prayer, and a thumbs-up sign.
Senger — the Roughriders’ Director, Ticket Operations and Sales — responded to the news of Hopson’s passing by revisiting that text message.
“I find comfort in it,” she says, “but also sadness.”
Senger revisited that text message upon hearing the sad news that Hopson had passed away.
“I had the privilege of working with him for 10 years,” says Senger, who joined the team in 2003. “He was a mentor and a great leader.
“We had the kind of relationship where we could be honest with each other, but he was also a friend.”
At the outset of the Hopson administration, the Roughriders still printed up all their tickets. That was even the case when they handled pre-sales for the two Rolling Stones concerts in 2006.
Today’s intricate computerized systems and networks were unimaginable at the time.
OK, maybe not to Hopson. He was a strong and influential proponent of the organization advancing technologically, to the extent that the ticketing mechanisms are now cutting-edge.
It was all part of his vision of making the Roughriders a championship-calibre operation on the field and throughout the business office at Mosaic Stadium.
“When he came to the Club, he made us a strong business and a strong organization and he made us accountable for what we did,” Senger says. “He helped to build our brand and he helped to build this facility.
“He was the first President-CEO. He has that legacy and he turned us into what we are. His stamp will always be here.”
“I LOVED EVERY SECOND I WORKED WITH JIM”
Craig Reynolds was, and still is, the second President-CEO.
He joined the organization in 2009 and succeeded Hopson six years later.
“I met Jim for the first time when I interviewed for the Chief Financial Officer position with the Club,” recalls Reynolds, who is from Foam Lake.
“Right from the moment I met him, I thought, ‘This is somebody I want to work with and work for,’ and I was extremely excited and grateful when he gave me that opportunity to come home to Saskatchewan.
“I was working in Alberta and I had always thought about coming home. I love this team so much and, obviously, Jim loved this team so much.
“I just thought he was someone I could learn a great deal from and someone I would enjoy coming to work with every single day. I can honestly say that was the case.
“I loved every second I worked with Jim. He was an incredible mentor. I learned so much from him and cherish every moment I spent with the man.”
What was it that instantly told Reynolds that he wanted to work for, and with, Hopson?
“The first time I met Jim, he was with a couple of Board members as well,” Reynolds responds. “He didn’t say a ton, but there were the questions he asked, and the odd time he’d have a comment and it was just really insightful.
“He had a presence and a warmth about him. I just looked at him and thought, ‘He’s a leader … a really good leader.’
“That was early in ’09 and, by that time, the team had already had a ton of success and was doing a lot of really positive things. The organization, under his leadership, was growing and had a ton of great things ahead for it, I believed.
“It was just his presence and his warmth. You could tell that he cared about people and that’s the type of person you want to work for.”
“WE NEED TO BE MAJOR LEAGUE”
Bill Wright didn’t anticipate that he would be working for the Roughriders when he sat down with Hopson and Mazurak at a Regina restaurant — The Chimney — leading up to the 2005 CFL season.
Wright, who was then employed by the Leader-Post and Global Regina, had heard that the Roughriders were making plans to install a video board at Taylor Field for the first time.
As a veteran of the broadcast industry, Wright was intrigued. Hence the meeting with Hopson and Mazurak.
It was one thing to purchase what turned out to be the SaskTel MaxTron, but that landmark transaction would not complete the picture.
Who would operate it? Who would run the cameras? The graphics? The replays? What about the personnel in general?
When the meeting adjourned, Wright’s task was to touch base with his wealth of contacts in the TV production industry and see who might be interested in serving on the inaugural MaxTron crew.
Before too long, Wright had lined up a staff. He was soon hired on a freelance basis to spend roughly 50 days that year co-ordinating the video equipment rentals and 20-person crew responsible for operating the gear and to produce the scripting, on-screen content, live shots, replays and graphics required to launch the initial Roughriders game-day video production.
That arrangement stood until 2010, when Wright was hired full-time as the Roughriders’ Director, Partnerships and Game Day Operations.
Over the next nine seasons, Wright helped the Roughriders enhance and expand the game-day presentation with upgraded LED screens, ribbon boards, production equipment and crew.
In 2019, Wright moved back to a freelance, game-days-only mode — an arrangement that endures.
To this day, Wright appreciates the vision demonstrated by Hopson and Mazurak, both of whom wanted to provide the best possible game-day experience for the fans.
“Jim’s whole thing from the outset was, ‘We need to be major league,’ ” Wright says.
“He was also really good about finding talent and finding people who were passionate about what they were doing — and then he let them do it.
“Part of the genius of Jim, and of a lot of good leaders, is that he knew where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do. Then he would find the people who knew the bite-sized details.”
“YOU WANTED TO MAKE HIM PROUD”
Kim Gallagher joined the Roughriders when Hopson was near the midpoint of his term as President-CEO.
“From the professional side, I look at him as a mentor,” says the team’s Director, Talent Management and People Operations. “He helped you to find your voice and almost challenged you to find your voice — and then he backed you.
“He was really, really impactful.”
Once the voices were found, they were heard.
“Jim knew what his strengths and weaknesses were,” Gallagher says. “He taught us the importance of building a strong team, consisting of people of different talents, around himself. He knew he needed other people, other specialties, if the organization was to be constructed to his satisfaction and to achieve success.
“Ego was never a part of it. He put the people together and let the people do their jobs.”
At the same time, everyone knew exactly what was expected of them, and the standards were high.
“I learned so many life lessons from Jim,” Gallagher says. “He was someone you wanted to work for. You wanted to make him proud.
“You also knew that you were going to get an honest evaluation, whether you liked it or not. You just knew where you stood with him and there was that trust.”
Gallagher also remembers how proud she felt when she introduced her daughter to Hopson — who simply beamed in the presence of Aubrey.
“Jim was a great man and we are extremely grateful for the time we had with him,” Gallagher concludes.
“I’m really thankful to his entire family — and, in particular, his wife Brenda — for allowing us to have so much of Jim.”
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Jim’s family, friends and colleagues want to share that those inclined may wish to support these organizations, which Jim loved, in lieu of flowers.
