Tippet-Richardson (T-R) is celebrating its 95th anniversary this year! T-R began life from humble beginnings in 1927 - the year of Canada’s Diamond Anniversary - when Basil Tippet and C A Richardson rented a warehouse and a moving van, to start their operation in Toronto. This was before there was even a highway into Western Canada.

During its 95 years, T-R has survived the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression that followed in the ‘dirty thirties’; the global devastation of World War II, not to mention the recent COVID pandemic.  It was even here when the maple leaf was raised for the very first time on the Canadian flag we know today.

Over the years, Tippet-Richardson has been evolving. Russell Naylor - originally operations manager - became vice-president in 1944. He took the company through the 1950s, while Canada became as affected by pop culture as the rest of the world, and shows like Ed Sullivan and I Love Lucy brightened the nation’s screens.  It was during this era that Tippet-Richardson expanded into Hamilton, Ottawa, Stratford and Waterloo, and the Naylor brothers took full control of the company.

Keeping it in the family, Russell Naylor's sons, Peter and Bruce, joined T-R in the late ‘50s and the early 1960s respectively.

In the ‘80s the company grew and established offices in Vancouver and Calgary, whilst also expanding into business records, special products and overseas moving, not to mention purchasing The Windsor Truck & Storage Company (established in 1880).

In 1995, Brenda Naylor was asked to join T-R and moved from Toronto to Vancouver, tackling the role of operations manager. From there she went into sales, both private and corporate, before shattering the glass ceiling and becoming the first female general manager and later, president and CEO.

In 2004, Peter sold Tippet-Richardson (TR Westcan Inc) to Brenda. Wasting no time, she started a real estate arm, purchased 3.5 acres of land and built a 45,000 sq ft storage facility, which opened in 2007.

With a clearance height of 36’, this became the first storage facility to go four pallets high in western Canada. Two years later, Brenda purchased A1 Moving & Storage, an Agent for North American Van Lines, making one of the oldest and most trusted companies in Canada a dual Agent. Brenda currently owns and operates Vancouver, Calgary and Ottawa and is a 25% owner along with her other siblings in the stand-alone Toronto office and the real estate arm - Warehouse Properties Limited.

With over 95 years of experience, Tippet-Richardson has spent the last century providing top-quality moving services worldwide, as well as retaining its commitment to supporting the local community, via an array of charitable endeavours.  Starting as a small business, T-R’s fleet is now capable of handling any size of move, residential or corporate. 

Today, Tippet-Richardson embraces its history as it meets the challenge of every new move, utilising the latest technologies and its team of dedicated moving experts. In this 95^th year, T-R would like to thank its Agent and industry partners worldwide for contributing to its success.

Photos (top to bottom):
Tippet-Richardson at work in the 1950s.
(Left to right) Calgary General Manager Brenda Bressler with members of the crew.
(Left to right) Ottawa General Manager Jeff Brannan, CEO Brenda Naylor and Vice President Sales and Corporate Affairs, Ray Abbot.

Click here to read the full story in The Mover magazine.

Click here to read the next editor's pick.