Well-known Canadian duty free executive and professional singer-songwriter Jeff Orson retired last week after nearly 29 years at PMA Agencies, where he was the long-time National Director – Duty Free.
Under his leadership, PMA won ten Supplier of the Year Awards at Frontier Duty Free Association events, with major agency brand, William Grant & Sons-owned Glenfiddich, also winning Product of the Year.
PMA said in an internal statement: “Jeff has developed incredibly strong relationships at the FDFA and with GTR customers across Canada and within the international duty free community. He has established PMA as one of the leading duty free companies in Canada. He is highly respected in the duty free business and among his peers at PMA. His knowledge, experience and level of influence will be missed.”
Jeff Orson is also an acclaimed singer-songwriter. In March 2020, The Moodie Davitt Report in association with Orson released a fund-raising song, titled ‘Pray’, themed around the global COVID-19 pandemic.
All funds raised were donated to the UN COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie personally funded the recording costs.
The song came about after Moodie tried to write an appropriate song and have his long-time industry friend (and fellow cancer survivor) Jeff Orson record it. Instead, Orson put his mind to creating a powerful original tune that starkly portrays the threat facing humanity but builds to an ultimately uplifting finish.
Click here for our story about how the song came about. ✈
