The magnanimous Dan Ferrone’s life has been anything but ordinary. From his incredible accomplishments in the CFL to his creation of highly successful business ventures, this Oakville native has found major victories both on and off the field. Ferrone graduated from T.A. Blakelock High School, where he was a touted football and basketball player.
From there, he attended Simon Fraser University on a football scholarship, where he joined the NAIA Division One All-Star team. In 1981, he was and selected as one of two territorial protections of the Toronto Argonauts, an accomplishment that undeniably shaped his future. After signing with the Argonauts, Ferrone began what would become one of the most awarded careers in the league’s history.
Throughout his 12 years and 209 games in the CFL, the lineman received nine Divisional All Star selections, five All Canadian wins, ten Team Outstanding Lineman nominations, and two Leo Dandurand awards for Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, making him the all-time awards winner for the Argonauts. Additionally, he saw two Grey Cup championship wins, taking home the celebrated trophy in both 1983 and 1991. While Ferrone retired from the CFL in 1991, his accomplishments were anything but over.
He established his own business, Ferrone Ventures Inc., opened Ferrone Fitness Centre with his childhood sweetheart, and became president of Sportfund. He also had a brief flirtation with TSN, which aired his show, “Ferrone File,” In 1997, the Globe & Mail newspaper named Ferrone 13th on its list of the 25 most powerful and influential people in Canadian sport, placing him ahead of greats Don Cherry, Sheila Copps, and Jacques Villeneuve. He was also inducted to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2013 for his outstanding contribution to the sport. Today, Ferrone remains heavily involved in the greater Oakville community.
He has acted as co-chair of Big Brothers, an honourary chair of the Kidney Foundation, and a co-chair of the Great Dream Home Lottery, and has supported the Cancer Society’s Rizutti Dinner, the Halton Family Trauma Centre, the Special Olympics, and the Community Foundation of Oakville. He also became president of the CFL Players’ Association for eight years.
