Bob Disbrow & Kim Kawaguchi

Bob Disbrow, a B.C. born business titan and his equally accomplished wife, Kim Kawaguchi, have been involved in supporting Canadian cross-country skiing for over 30 years. Their career in this field began in the early 1990s when they drove the Marathon Brokerage sponsorship for Cross Country Canada. In 2001, they launched a significant fundraiser for the National Team, which had a substantial impact on preparations for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Throughout their career, they organized personal donors and drove successful fundraisers for Nordiq Canada, resulting in millions of dollars of support over many years.

In addition to their fund raising efforts and personal philanthropy, in 2008 Bob and Kim established the National Winter Sports Development Association, a foundation that makes annual grants to clubs across Canada to assist in developing competitive athletes and full-time coaching. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded just over 3 million dollars to nationally ranked clubs. Their financial support has significantly contributed to Winter Olympic success stories as well as top results and podiums at the World Junior and World U23 Championships.

Bob and Kim’s legacy in Canadian cross-country skiing is multifaceted. Their ongoing financial commitment has helped transform the Canadian team into a consistent contender for World Championship and Olympic medals. Beyond the generosity of their time and their financial contribution, they have been great motivators for the Canadian team, visiting training camps, attending competitions and helping athletes and coaches feel valued. Their belief in the potential of success for Canadian athletes in international competition has led them to expand their support. Recently, their National Winter Sports Development Association has provided support to Biathlon Canada, extending the couple’s already enormous impact on winter sports in Canada from Coast to Coast to Coast.