Without batting a single inning or throwing a single pitch, Paul Beeston helped shape the Toronto Blue Jays and was instrumental in securing their back-to-back World Series Championships in 1992 and 1993. Beeston was first hired as an accountant by the Jays upon the formation of the club in 1976. He served in a number of capacities through the years before assuming the role of President and Chief Operating Officer in 1989 and President and Chief Executive Officer in 1991. Known for his enthusiasm, charm, and personable manner, Beeston was highly respected by officials, managers, and players alike. It was these qualities in combination with his keen business sense and his love of the game that made him an integral part of the Blue Jays franchise. Beeston completed his degree in Economics and Political Science at the University of Western Ontario in 1967. He was awarded an honourary Doctor of Laws degree in 1994 and, in 2001, also received an honourary Doctor of Social Sciences from Niagara University in Niagara Falls, New York. He began his professional career with the accounting firm Coopers & Lybrand in 1968 and obtained his Chartered Accountant designation in 1971. Beeston remained with the Blue Jays until his appointment as President and Chief Operating Officer of Major League Baseball in 1997. Beeston's loss was greatly felt in Toronto; the day he took the job with MLB was said to be a "great day for baseball and a sad day for the Blue Jays." For his contributions to Canadian baseball, Beeston was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1998. The Toronto and Montreal chapters of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) honoured Beeston as the Canadian Baseball Man of the Year in 1994. He was also inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002.