Robert Brawn was an oil executive, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who dedicated his life to the development of Edmonton and Alberta. He was the owner of several enterprises, including Turbo Resources, Merland Exploration, and Danoil Energy. Learn more about his life and business success at edmonton1.one.
Childhood and Early Years
Robert Brawn was born in Calgary on September 24, 1936. His father, Jerry, was a respected newspaper editor, while his mother, Daisy, focused on raising their children. Jerry served as a role model for young Robert, teaching him the value of hard work and community involvement. Despite working six days a week, Jerry was also a volunteer reservist in the Boy Scouts and diligently documented historical events in The Herald newspaper.
As he grew up, Robert became involved in scouting and later played football in high school while working as a courier for The Herald and as a laborer in construction. In 1954, he graduated from Central High School. Fascinated by science, he moved to Edmonton to enroll in the mechanical engineering program at the University of Alberta. After completing his degree, he joined Mobil Oil Canada, a young and growing company at the time. Later, he transitioned to International Drilling Fluids, where he gained invaluable experience in research and development.
First Steps in Business
In 1956, Robert decided to start his own business by borrowing $40,000 to purchase a non-operational oil processing plant in Edmonton. His plan was to use recycled oil as a base for drilling fluids. Long before recycling became mainstream, Robert collected used motor oil from service stations and chemically processed it for reuse as a lubricant.
By 1970, recognizing the limited number of waste-processing enterprises, he merged his plant with a network of discount service stations and founded Turbo Resources. At its peak, the red-and-black Turbo brand expanded to hundreds of stations across Western Canada. Brawn’s success was driven by his ability to purchase surplus gasoline at discounted rates from refineries.
Using his education and extensive experience, Robert transformed Turbo into a diversified business spanning the entire energy industry. The company sold gasoline, recycled used oil, produced drilling chemicals, and developed petroleum-based products. In the early 1970s, he partnered with an investor from IDF and became president of Turbo Resources. During this period, he focused on acquisitions, expanding into oil transportation, drilling, and exploration. Under his leadership, Turbo’s revenue skyrocketed from $1 million to $500 million annually.
Advancing Alberta’s Energy Sector and Supporting the Community
Throughout the 1970s, Turbo Resources continued to thrive, expanding into geological exploration and oil drilling. Wanting to free the company from dependence on external oil suppliers, Robert fulfilled his long-time ambition in 1980—he opened an oil refinery. The provincial government quickly approved his plans for a 30,000-barrel-per-day refinery near Calgary. Turbo became Canada’s first fully integrated, independent oil and gas company, handling everything from wellhead extraction to gas station sales.
However, the introduction of the National Energy Program put Turbo’s future at risk, leading Brawn to leave the company. He then took over leadership of its subsidiaries, Merland and Bankeno Mines.
A vocal advocate for Alberta’s business community and energy sector, Robert also took on leadership roles in professional organizations. In 1981, he was elected president of the Independent Petroleum Association. In 1984, he became president of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, where he led efforts to revitalize the city’s economy.
When Calgary secured the bid to host the 1988 Winter Olympics, Robert took charge of the organizing committee’s budget oversight. Given Canada’s lingering $1.1 billion deficit from the 1976 Montreal Olympics, he was determined to avoid another financial disaster.
In the late 1980s, Brawn returned to executive roles in the energy sector, becoming president of OMV, the Canadian branch of Austria’s state oil company. He also founded the private holding company Danoil Energy, which invested in underperforming resource companies and transformed them into profitable enterprises. Over time, he turned Danoil into one of Canada’s largest energy trusts. In the early 2000s, he helped rescue the bankrupt Smoky River Coal company, leading to the establishment of Grande Cache Coal, which successfully reopened the Grande Cache mine.
For six years, Brawn served as honorary lieutenant colonel of the 746th Calgary Communication Squadron and volunteered with the Calgary Airport Authority. He also played an active role in the Calgary and Alberta Economic Development Boards, promoting the province as an attractive destination for investment. In 2009, he was appointed chair of the Alberta Economic Development Board. Throughout his career, he served on the boards of several major corporations, including Forzani Group, ATB Financial, Black Diamond Group, and Penn West Energy Trust.
Establishing and Supporting the Brawn Family Foundation
In 1980, Robert and his wife, Carol, founded the Brawn Family Foundation. Together with their children, they dedicated themselves to community service, funding institutions, sports facilities, healthcare initiatives, and education programs.
The foundation had a profound impact on the lives of many Albertans. It helped oil and gas workers acquire new skills at the Leduc #1 Energy Discovery Centre in Devon. It also supported numerous medical research projects, provided scholarships to students at Olds College, and funded the Semester at Sea program at the University of Calgary. The foundation’s generosity also ensured that the Calgary Zoo remained a world-class institution.
Achievements and Awards
Over his career, Robert Brawn received numerous accolades, including the APEGA Community Service Award, the University of Calgary Distinguished Business Achievement Award, the Kay Pringle Memorial Award from the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, and the Canadian Government Commemorative Medal.
In 2008, he was inducted into the Canadian Petroleum Hall of Fame. In 2013, he joined the Calgary Business Hall of Fame. In 2022, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal.
Brawn’s enterprises remain key players in Canada’s energy sector, committed to improving the lives of Alberta’s communities for generations to come.