Fredel Charles Young, co-founder of Luminance, passed away after fighting cancer to a draw. This intellect, visionary, and all-around mensch will be fondly remembered and sorely missed. Charles helped create our firm in 2003, and came up with our name, our branding, and much of our organization’s DNA.

 

The son of shop-owners, Charles left Jamaica to study at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. After a return to Jamaica, he married, came to Canada, and had a family. He rose in the financial industry before being downsized, leading to a revelation: As he put it, “That's it for jobs!”. Charles taught all of us how to be an entrepreneur, and how having a business does not have to be incompatible with being a really good human.

 

Often the brains of the operation, Charles led with charm and grace; he had vision without arrogance; he championed rigour without pedantry; he boosted others without flattery; he was deeply faithful but never sermonising. Charles was involved with numerous good works here in Toronto and with his native Hakka community—always to help, and never to hoard credit. Many people in many places will miss him as well.