Bernard Willock is a Canadian businessman and former cyclist. Willock has worked as the President and
CEO
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especiall ...
of
Food for the Hungry Canada, and owned
La-Z-Boy
La-Z-Boy Inc. (pronounced "lazy boy") is an American furniture manufacturer based in Monroe, Michigan, United States, that makes home furniture, including upholstered recliners, sofas, stationary chairs, lift chairs and sleeper sofas. The com ...
licensed furniture stores. As a cyclist, Willock won the 1980
Canadian National Road Race Championships
Governed by Cycling Canada, the Canadian National Road Race Championships is a road bicycle race that takes place as part of the Canadian National Cycling Championships, and decides the best cyclist in this type of race.
The first edition took p ...
, and was part of the Canadian team that came third in the
team time trial event at the
1979 Pan American Games
The 1979 Pan American Games (Spanish: ''Juegos Panamericanos de 1979''), officially the VIII Pan American Games were a multi-sport event governed by the Panam Sports Organization, and were held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from July 1 to July 15 ...
. He was scheduled to compete at the
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics (russian: Летние Олимпийские игры 1980, Letniye Olimpiyskiye igry 1980), officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad (russian: Игры XXII Олимпиады, Igry XXII Olimpiady) and commo ...
, until Canada joined the
boycott of the event, and competed at the
1982 Commonwealth Games
The 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane, Australia, from 30 September to 9 October 1982. The Opening Ceremony was held at the QEII Stadium (named after Elizabeth II), in the Brisbane suburb of Nathan. The QEII Stadium was also the ...
.
Cycling career
Willock was a member of Victoria Wheelers cycling club.
[ Willock was part of the Canadian team, alongside Eon D'Ornellas, ]Pierre Harvey
Pierre Harvey, (born March 24, 1957) is a Canadian sports athlete. He was the first Canadian male athlete to compete in both the 1984 Summer Olympics (road cycling) and 1984 Winter Olympics (cross-country skiing).
Early life and career
Born ...
and Normand St-Aubin, that came third in the team time trial event at the 1979 Pan American Games
The 1979 Pan American Games (Spanish: ''Juegos Panamericanos de 1979''), officially the VIII Pan American Games were a multi-sport event governed by the Panam Sports Organization, and were held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from July 1 to July 15 ...
. In 1980, Willock won the Canadian National Road Race Championships
Governed by Cycling Canada, the Canadian National Road Race Championships is a road bicycle race that takes place as part of the Canadian National Cycling Championships, and decides the best cyclist in this type of race.
The first edition took p ...
. He was in the British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include ...
n team that came second in the Canadian Provincial 100 km team time trial
A team time trial (TTT) is a road bicycle race in which teams of cyclists race against the clock (see individual time trial for a more detailed description of ITT events).
The winning team in a TTT is determined by the comparing the times of ...
. British Columbia lost the race's lead to Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Government of Canada, Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is ...
after being incorrectly directed by the course motorbikes, which led to a diversion.
Willock qualified to compete in the road race
Road racing, road race of road racer may refer to:
* Road racing in motorsport
* Road running on foot
* Road bicycle racing
* ''Road Race'', initial name of 1976 arcade game ''Fonz'' (video game)
* Roadracers (1994 film)
* Roadracers (1959 fi ...
and team time trial events at the 1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics (russian: Летние Олимпийские игры 1980, Letniye Olimpiyskiye igry 1980), officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad (russian: Игры XXII Олимпиады, Igry XXII Olimpiady) and commo ...
in Moscow, USSR.[ In June 1980, Canada joined the ]1980 Summer Olympics boycott
The 1980 Summer Olympics boycott was one part of a number of actions initiated by the United States to protest against the Soviet–Afghan War, Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The Soviet Union, which hosted the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, a ...
, and so Willock was unable to attend the Games. Willock was critical of the boycott, saying that the only outcome of it was the retaliatory 1984 Summer Olympics boycott
The boycott of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles followed four years after the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow. The boycott involved 14 Eastern Bloc countries and allies, led by the Soviet Union, which initia ...
.[ In 1981, Willock won the Whistler two-day 220 km cycle race, finishing ahead of his brother ]Martin Martin may refer to:
Places
* Martin City (disambiguation)
* Martin County (disambiguation)
* Martin Township (disambiguation)
Antarctica
* Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land
* Port Martin, Adelie Land
* Point Martin, South Orkney Islands
Aus ...
. He was also part of the British Columbian team that won the 1981 Canadian Provincial 100 km team time trial,[ and also came fifth at that year's Gastown Grand Prix.
Willock was part of the Canadian team that came seventh in the team event at the 1982 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Leicester, England, and eleventh at the team time trial event at the ]1982 UCI Road World Championships
The 1982 UCI Road World Championships took place between 4-5 September 1982 in Goodwood, Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the l ...
. He competed in the team time trial event at the 1982 Commonwealth Games
The 1982 Commonwealth Games were held in Brisbane, Australia, from 30 September to 9 October 1982. The Opening Ceremony was held at the QEII Stadium (named after Elizabeth II), in the Brisbane suburb of Nathan. The QEII Stadium was also the ...
, Australia, where Canada finished sixth.
Willock retired from cycling after the 1982 Commonwealth Games.[ He later coached his brother Martin,] and was also a coach at the Victoria Wheelers club.[ In 1988, he returned to cycling on a casual basis.][
]
Business career
In 1999, Willock and a friend set up a La-Z-Boy
La-Z-Boy Inc. (pronounced "lazy boy") is an American furniture manufacturer based in Monroe, Michigan, United States, that makes home furniture, including upholstered recliners, sofas, stationary chairs, lift chairs and sleeper sofas. The com ...
licensed furniture store in Victoria. They later opened another store in Nanaimo
Nanaimo ( ) is a city on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. As of the 2021 census, it had a population of 99,863, and it is known as "The Harbour City." The city was previously known as the "Hub City," which was ...
in 2003. In 2011, Willock retired from the furniture business and sold his shares in the stores. In 2014, Willock became the President and CEO
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especiall ...
of Food for the Hungry Canada.
Personal life
Willock is from Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of the Canadian province of British Columbia, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of 91,867, and the Greater Victoria area has a population of 397,237. T ...
, Canada.[ He is the brother of Martin Willock who competed for Canada in the ]team time trial
A team time trial (TTT) is a road bicycle race in which teams of cyclists race against the clock (see individual time trial for a more detailed description of ITT events).
The winning team in a TTT is determined by the comparing the times of ...
event at the 1984 Summer Olympics.[ His niece ]Erinne Willock
Erinne Willock (born October 16, 1981 in Saanich, British Columbia) is a Canadian professional road cyclist. She represented Canada at the 2008 Summer Olympics, and also claimed a silver medal in the women's time trial at the 2006 Pan American ...
competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics.[
]
References
External links
Pro Cycling Stats
{{DEFAULTSORT:Willock, Bernie
Living people
Date of birth missing (living people)
Canadian male cyclists
Sportspeople from Victoria, British Columbia
Pan American Games bronze medalists for Canada
Medalists at the 1979 Pan American Games
Cyclists at the 1979 Pan American Games
Year of birth missing (living people)
Canadian chief executives
21st-century Canadian businesspeople
20th-century Canadian businesspeople
Cyclists at the 1982 Commonwealth Games
Pan American Games medalists in cycling