Larry Clarke

Larry Denman Clarke (June 12, 1925 – October 22, 2015) was a Canadian businessman and the founder, president, CEO, and chairman of SPAR Aerospace Limited. He is best known as the designer of the Canadarm. Clarke was born in London and moved to Canada in 1939. After serving in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II, he earned a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. He worked in the Canadian Department of Defense and at de Havilland Aircraft before founding SPAR Aerospace in 1967. Clarke was honored as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1988 and received the Chapman Award from the Canadian Space Agency in 2004.