Claude Brochu

Claude Brochu, CM (born October 29, 1944), is a Canadian businessman best known as former president and principal owner of the Montreal Expos.

Brochu was born on October 29, 1944 in Quebec City, Quebec.

He was employed by Adams Distilleries from 1976 to 1978, then by the Seagram distillery from 1978 to 1985, where he served as the executive vice-president from 1982 to 1985.

He was named president of the Montreal Expos baseball club by Charles Bronfman in 1986, replacing John McHale.

On June 14, 1991, he formed a public-private partnership of 13 investors to buy the team and prevent a threatened move to Arizona. He used C$2 million from his own funds to make this purchase. He was the largest shareholder, with 7% of the shares, and became managing general partner.

However, the team's other partners considered their investments to be the equivalent of charitable donations. They let it be known to Brochu that they would not commit any more money beyond their initial investment. As a result, even though Montreal was the fifth-largest market in baseball, Brochu was forced to run the Expos on a shoestring budget. Despite this, the Expos managed to assemble a core of players that included Moises Alou, Marquis Grissom, Larry Walker and John Wetteland. In 1994, those players, led by manager Felipe Alou, had the best record in the majors when the strike cut the season short. They were poised to run away with the National League East, with most projections having them winning as many as 105 games.

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