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INTERESTS:
Napoleonic History
Archaeology
Music
Reading
Bodybuilding and Fitness

Since 1945, Ben Weider and his brother Joe have operated Weider Sports Equipment Limited and Weider Health and Fitness in Canada and the United States. These two companies manufacture and sell their products throughout the world.

The Weider organization has fostered the development of a strong and still-growing fitness and strength-conditioning industry which has provided employment for thousands, as well as a refreshing new approach to health and physical well-being.

In addition, Ben and Joe Weider were instrumental in developing the vitamin, mineral, protein and sports nutrition industry.

Ben Weider is the Founder and Honorary Life President of the International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness (IFBB), which he started in Montreal in 1946. The IFBB currently has 179 National Affiliates making it one of the world’s largest sport organizations. Bodybuilding and fitness are considered an important factor in the collective health of citizens.

On January 30, 1998, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) granted official provisional recognition to the IFBB. This recognition is probably the most important of Ben Weider’s accomplishments after 52 years of determination and persistence.

The IFBB is a member of the General Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF), the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE), and the International Pierre de Coubertin Committee; is recognized by the International Sports Press Association (AIPS); and is a founding member of the International World Games Association (IWGA).

The IFBB is recognized by the Olympic Council of Asia and the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa. The IFBB is also recognized and participates in the following IOC supported Regional Games: the Southeast Asia Games, the Asian Games, the South American Games, the Central American Games, the Caribbean Games, the Arab Games, the South Pacific Games, the African Games and the World Games.

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In June 2008, Colonel Ben Weider was appointed a member of the Consulting Committee of the 22nd Regiment of Quebec.

In March 2008, Ben Weider receives "Lifetime Achievement Award" from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in front of an enthusiastic and cheering crowd of 5,000 bodybuilding fans, at Ohio, USA.

In June 2007, Mr. Christophe Eoche-Duval, Master of the requests to the Council of State, and President of La Route de Napoléon en Occitanie, has nominated Ben Weider member of the Honorary Committee of the Association.

In May 2007, Mr. Weider was upgrated from "Member" to "Officer" of the Order of Canada.(*)

In February 2007, Ben Weider was nominated Honorary President for Life of the "Groupement Européen de Gendarmerie Impériale" of Belgium.

In January 2007, Ben Weider was named a Fellow of the Masséna Society in recognition of his life-long interest and contributions to the study of Napoleon and his period.

In December 2006, His Honor the Mayor of Jefferson Country (Tennessee, U.S.A.), proclaimed the 8th of January 2007 as “Ben Weider Day" in recognition of his promotion of fitness, health, and the sport of bodybuilding, not only throughout the United States of America, but throughout the world.

Commander of the Order of St. John

In June 2006, Ben Weider was awarded the "Commander of the Order of St. John (C.St.J)". The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, or the "Order of St. John", is a British-based order of chivalry found throughout the Commonwealth Nations and the United States; a working order of charitably minded men and women whose philanthropy is expressed principally through its two foundations, the St. John Eye Hospital in Jerusalem and the St. John Ambulance. The Sovereign of the Order is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II; the Canadian Prior and Chief Officer is Governor-General of Canada, the Right Honorable Michaelle Jean. Ben Weider was previously a Serving Brother of the Order (S.B.St.J).

In May 2006, the Jewish Community Center of the City of Montreal named Ben Weider a member of the Canadian Hall of Fame.

In March 2006, Ben Weider was inducted into the National Fitness Hall of Fame
and Museum which is situated in Minooka, Illinois, U.S.A.

In February 2006, Ben Weider was named a "Lifetime Member" of the World Leisure Association, which promotes leisure throughout the world and publishes its own magazine entitled World Leisure Journal.

In September 2005, Lieutenant Colonel Ben Weider was promoted to Honorary Colonel of the 62nd Field Artillery Regiment of Shawinigan, Quebec. The promotion was approved by the Honorable William Graham, Minister of National Defense.

In November 2004, the 62nd Field Artillery Regiment of Shawinigan, Quebec, and Lieutenant-General (Ret.) Romeo A. Dallaire, Former Commander of the United Nations Forces in Rwanda, hosted a special dinner in honor of Lieutenant Colonel Ben Weider. By order of the Regiment's Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Jacques Pellan, a new Military March, entitled the «Ben Weider March» was created and played in honor of Ben Weider.

In September 2004, the Senate of Quebec, Canada, presented to Ben Weider the "Medal of Honor" in recognition of his services to Quebec. It was presented by the President of the National Assembly, Mr. Michel Bissonnet, in the presence of numerous elected Deputies. The Senate was founded in 1792. To date, only a limited amount of medals have been presented. It was a great honor for Ben Weider to receive this award.

In July 2004, in Washington, DC, the Imperial Order of the Dragon of Annam, His Imperial Highness, Prince Nguyen Phuc Buu Chanh of Vietnam, selected Ben Weider to receive the knighthood in recognition of the many years he has been actively involved in charity work, his efforts in educating people world wide on the positive benefits of physical fitness and the promotion of peace and unity through sports.

In February 2004, Ben Weider was made an Honorary Member of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Bodybuilding Team, colloquially known as “Dog Team Development”.

In January 2003, Ben Weider was made Chevalier of the Sovereign Military and Hospitaler Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta Ecumenical. Baron Vladimirovith Kondratovitch, Grand Prior of the Order, officiated at the ceremony.

In June 2002, Ben Weider was elected Member of the Administration Council of the St. John Ambulance.

In May 2000, by decree of the Government of France, Ben Weider was awarded the Legion of Honor. The Legion d'Honneur, which was created by the Emperor Napoleon in 1802, is considered the premier order of France and its award is therefore considered a great distinction The President of France is the Grand Master of the Order and approves all appointments. Prince Charles Napoleon, a direct descendant of Prince Jérome, the Emperor's youngest brother, and the French Ambassador to Canada presided over the ceremony, which was held on Ile Ste-Helene in Montreal, Canada.

By coincidence, Saint Helena, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the South Atlantic Ocean, is famous for being the place of exile of Napoleon Bonaparte between 1815 and his death in 1821.

In March 2000, Ben Weider received the highest award that can be bestowed upon a resident of the province of Quebec, Knight of the National Order of Quebec, in a ceremony presided over by the right honorable Lucien Bouchard, Premier of Quebec.

Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel, 62nd Field Artillery Regiment, Shawinigan Falls, Quebec, Canada.
Gold Medal, Palestine (presented by Chairman Yasser Arafat)
Most Influential Sports Personalities, placed 48th out of 125 (Sport Intern)
Honorary President, History on the Net
Officer, 78th Fraser Highlanders of the Fort St. Helen Garrison
Honorable Academician, International Academy of Sciences, Education, Industry and Arts

International Patron, Norfolk Island Museum (South Pacific)
Honorary Colonel, Garde Imperiale of England
Honorary Member, International Academy of Sciences, Education, Industry and Arts

Chairman, Programs Committee, United States Sports Academy
Honorary President, Arab Physical Culture Federation (Lebanon )
Inductee, Quebec Sports Hall of Fame
Honorary Commander, Montreal Swat Team
Honorary Degree, National Academy of Sport and Physical Education, Romania
Founding Member, Council on Fitness and Sports Health Science, International Chiropractors Association
Member, Institute on Napoleon and the French Revolution, Florida State University

Honorary Ambassador at Large, Guam
Distinguished Medal of Achievement, Florida State University
Distinguished Service Award, Napoleonic Institute, Florida State University
Lifetime Achievement Award of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sport (presented by Arnold Schwarzenegger)
Pioneer Award, American Academy of Anti-Aging

Baden Powell Companion, International Scout Foundation
Danny Thomas Founder Award, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital (New England Branch)
Joe and Ben Weider Day, declared by Mayor Bradley of Los Angeles, California, USA

Polish Government Order of Merit (signed by Lech Walesa)
Honor Medal, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Certificate of Merit, Syrian Olympic Committee
Distinguished Knight’s Cross, Graz, Austria
Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce
Highest Sports Award, Ministry of Sport for Russia
Highest Sports Medal, Republic of Lithuania

Silver Medal of Paris
Honorary Professorship, Shanghai Institute of Physical Education, People’s Republic of China
Cultural Medal from the Minister of Sports, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)

Mr. Zhang Xueshu, Vice-President of the University of Peking, the People’s Republic of China, granted Ben Weider, through the University Academic Board, the position of “Guest Professor of Peking University”, an honor rarely bestowed to foreigners.

Lifetime Member, Canadian Bodybuilding Federation
Appointed to serve on the International Advisory Board of the International Police and Fire
Athletic Association of Chevy Chase MD, USA

In June 1975, Ben Weider was presented with Canada's highest honor, the Order of Canada, by Governor-General the Right Honorable Jules Leger. The Order of Canada is Canada's highest civilian honour, with membership awarded to those who exemplify the Order's Latin motto Desiderantes meliorem patriam, which means "Desiring a better country." Created in 1967, the Order was established to recognize the lifetime contributions made by Canadians who made a major difference to Canada. The Order also recognizes efforts made by non-Canadians who have made the world better by their actions. Musicians, politicians, artists, television and film stars, benefactors, and many more have been accepted into the Order. The Queen of Canada, Queen Elizabeth II, is Sovereign of the Order and the serving Governor General of Canada is its Chancellor and Principal Companion.

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United States Sports Academy, Member of Teaching Faculty and Member of the Board of Trustees, USA
American Policy Academy, Washington, D.C., member of the International Advisory Board
Los Angeles Police Department, Honorary Officer and Fitness Instructor, USA
Athletes Against Drug Abuse, Chicago, (member), USA
American Longevity Institute for Stress and Aging Control: member of Advisory Board, Chicago, USA
Canadian Government National Advisory Board on Fitness and Amateur Sport, former member
Canadian Implant Association, member
Philanthropic Athletes Medical Research Foundation, member of the Executive Board, USA
Royal Air Force Escaping Society (Canadian Branch), member
Anti-Aging Association (Montreal, Canada), Ambassador-at-Large
Les écrivains combattants, Paris, France, member since 1999
Member of the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Escaping Society

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The Murder of Napoléon (Congdon Lattes), translated in: Chinese, Spanish, Korean, Czech, German, Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, French, Hindi, Dutch, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Romanian, Russian (6 editions, more than 500,000 copies) Slovakia, Sweden, Turkish, Urdu (Pakistani).

Louis Cyr, L’homme le Plus Fort du Monde (six editions, Les Editions Québecor)

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Ben Weider is currently President of the International Napoleonic Society, which has branches in 39 countries. His knowledge about the Emperor Napoleon is legendary, and he is a widely sought lecturer on the subject to history students, including those at Moscow University in 1991, and McGill University in 1994. In June 1995, Ben Weider was invited to give a lecture to the officers of SHAPE/NATO at Mons, Belgium. He also lectured at the Sandhurst Military Academy in London, England, and at the Borodino Military Museum in Borodino, Russia.

In 1975, Ben Weider traveled to the island of St. Helena to visit where Napoleon lived the last years of his life.

In 1995, two books by Ben Weider were included in a two-volume set of Napoleonic history published by the Russian Historical Society. These books, The Murder of Napoleon and La Sagesse de Napoleon, were included along with highlights from Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace and a book about Napoleon by Alexandre Dumas. Over 500,000 copies were sold.

In September 1995, the Florida State University created the Ben Weider Eminent Scholar Chair in Napoleonic History. The Florida State University now has the ability to promote Napoleonic history and to encourage students to travel in the context of their Napoleonic research.

In March 1996, Ben Weider was the keynote speaker on “The Assassination of Napoleon at St. Helena during his exile” at the 26th Consortium on Revolutionary Europe, held under the auspices of the Georgia Southern University, in Savannah, Georgia, USA.

In February 1997, Ben Weider was the keynote speaker at the 27th Consortium on Revolutionary Europe, which was organized by the Louisiana State University, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.

In September 1997, Ben Weider was a guest of the Russian Parliament to participate in the 350th Anniversary of the founding of Moscow.

Also in September 1997, Ben Weider was invited by the Director of The State Borodino War and History Museum and Reserve to attend the 185th Anniversary of the 1812 Battle of Borodino. Prior to the re-enactment, Ben Weider addressed 100,000 Russian spectators who witnessed this event of the battle between the French, under the leadership of Napoleon, and the Russians, under the leadership of General Kutusov. Ben Weider also gave a conference to the Russian historians about the poisoning of Napoleon.

In October 1997, Ben Weider gave a lecture and press conference in Paris, France, organized at the Cultural Centre of the Canadian Embassy, on the topic of the poisoning of Napoleon. The French Culture Minister, Mr. Alain Valery Coquerel, was present as well as His Excellency Prince Murat, who gave the opening address.

In September 1999, Ben Weider gave a lecture to over 200 officers at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police headquarters in Montreal, Canada, whereat he explained his research on how he determined that Napoleon was poisoned instead of the official version that he died of cancer.

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In his more than forty years in the field of fitness and sports, Ben Weider has become an international authority figure whose philosophy, books, courses, nutritional findings and reports on athletic performance and general fitness have been recognized throughout the world.

Through his foundation, Ben Weider has made major contributions to international sport and has been a generous contributor and supporter of fitness programs in many countries. He has donated complete training gyms with state-of-the-art equipment to encourage young people and assist institutions involved in sports research and training. Gyms have been donated in the following countries: United States of America, Canada, Germany (namely the University of Cologne), Lebanon, Syria, Israel (namely the Israeli Olympic Committee), the People’s Republic of China, Egypt, Jordan, and Palestine.

In 2008, Ben Weider gave important donations to build Fitness gyms at the Immaculée Conception Center in Montreal, and the Montreal Jewish Community Center. He also made a serious donation to the Mount Sinai Hospital and at the Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte fund to conserve the churches of Montreal.

A complete state-of-the-art Weider gym was donated in August 1994 to the Los Angeles Police Department. Ben and Joe Weider also donated bodybuilding gyms to each of the 18 police stations throughout Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Police Department made Ben and Joe Honorary Physical Education Instructors of the Police Department.

Fully-equipped Weider gyms were also donated to the following non-profit organizations: The Canadian Institute for Neuro-Integrative Development (Montreal), Stanstead College (Stanstead, Quebec), Lower Canada College (Montreal), McGill University (Montreal), Allan Memorial Juvenile Division of the Royal Victoria Hospital (Montreal), Portage Foundation Drug Rehabilitation Centre (Montreal), Lower Canada College Selwyn House (Montreal), Centre Immaculee-Conception (Montreal), Youth for Christ (Winnipeg) and CEGEP Edouard Montpetit (Longueuil).

In 1998, Ben Weider donated complete, up-to-date, state-of-the-art physical fitness and bodybuilding gyms to the City Hall in Tel Aviv, Israel; the Israeli Army Fitness Centre; the Shanghai Institute of Physical Education and Sport; the Lebanese Olympic Committee, and the Quebec Police Training School in Nicolet, Quebec, Canada (Ben Weider was the honorary president of the ceremony).

Ben Weider has always been a supporter of the YMHA, having supplied them with equipment for bodybuilding gyms and having supported them financially in all of their campaigns. In order to honor Ben Weider, the Montreal Jewish Community Centre decided to change its name to the “Ben Weider Jewish Community Centre”.

Also, because of Ben Weider’s generous support for the Bais Chaya Mushuka Seminary, their new educational centre is presently called the “Ben Weider Educational Centre”.

Ben Weider supports the “Theatre du Grand Jour”. This is a group of young French- Canadian Artists who create and produce plays throughout the year.

In 1999, Ben Weider helped raise funds and made a personal generous donation to Jean-Claude Cardinal Turcotte of Montreal, when the main Cathedral was being renovated for the first time in over 100 years.