A Gift Rooted in Parry Sound - Ian Kerr
Recently, on April 24th, 2026, something meaningful happened in Parry Sound.
The Ian Kerr Young Entrepreneurs Fund made the decision to donate $7,000 to the Parry Sound Area Founders Circle. It is a simple statement, but it carries a deeper story about where that support came from and why it matters.
Ian Kerr grew up in Parry Sound. His parents ran Kerr’s Red and White on James Street, along with a fruit and vegetable stand where he first learned what it meant to work for himself. He did not follow a formal path into business. In his early twenties, after working locally in construction, he started a roofing and siding business when an opportunity opened up. There was no business plan, no advisors, just a willingness to work hard and do right by customers.
He eventually left Parry Sound and built a life in southern Ontario. In 1998, he co founded Bavarian Window Works in the Kitchener Waterloo area. Over the next twenty five years, he helped grow it into a respected company known for quality work and strong relationships. That reputation was built the same way his first business was, through consistency, effort, and taking care of people.
Ian passed away in March of 2025. In response, his wife Sherry, and their two boys, Jacob and Jordan, created the Ian Kerr Young Entrepreneurs Fund. The goal is straightforward. Help young people get started in business and give them access to support that many do not have early on. The fund is held through the Brant Community Foundation and is already supporting new entrepreneurs through the Start Up Lab at Wilfrid Laurier University.
Even with those roots in Brant, Ian’s connection to Parry Sound never left. That showed clearly in the decision to direct part of the fund back to this community. A $5,000 gift was made directly to the Parry Sound Area Founders Circle, along with $2,000 raised through a local fundraiser held at the Parry Sound Legion.
That fundraiser brought together about 130 family members and friends. It was a local night, built by people who knew Ian and people who understood what he valued. Music, community support, and a long list of local businesses contributing raffle items all came together to create something that felt personal rather than formal. It was not just about raising money. It was about people showing up.
Many local businesses contributed to that effort, and it is worth naming them. Support came from Parry Sound Insurance, Parry Sound Marine, Legends, White Squall, Harold’s and Connell, Craic Clover, Boston Pizza, Orrs Meat, Parry Sound Golf and Country Club, Brian Miner Georgian Bay Water Taxi, Zone Bowling, Ford’s, Huckleberry’s, Water Depot, Nails by Siri, Don Cherry’s, and Gibson’s of Muskoka. Each contribution helped shape the night and the result.
The Parry Sound Area Founders Circle exists to support local entrepreneurs in much the same spirit. The alignment between the fund and the Founders Circle is clear. Both are built on the idea that early support matters, and that small moments of backing at the right time can change the direction of a business.
What stands out here is not just the amount of money. It is where it came from and how it was given. This is a case of someone who built something over time, stayed connected to where they started, and whose family chose to reflect that connection in a practical way.
The businesses that will benefit from this support in the future will unfortunately not be able to meet Ian. But they will feel the effect of that decision. And in a town like Parry Sound, that kind of connection tends to carry forward.
