D. B. (David Blyth) Hanna

Born in 1858 in Dufferin County, Ontario, he was the son of Scottish immigrants and was educated locally before beginning work in the grain and milling trade in Manitoba. Over time, he moved into railway administration and became one of the best-known railway managers in Canada.

He held senior roles with the Canadian Northern system, including leadership positions with the Canadian Northern Quebec Railway and the Lake St. John Railway. In 1918, when Canadian National Railways was formed, he became its first president, placing him at the center of a major moment in Canadian transportation history.

Remembered as a practical builder and organizer, he spent much of his working life helping shape the railway network that connected growing communities and industries across Canada. He died in 1938.