I was really lucky in March to spend some time with Mark Dobbin, the head of Killick Capital of St. John’s.

The result of that interview – conducted in his open, marble-floored office with a panoramic view of St. John’s Harbour – is an article on the Killick portfolio in this month’s edition of Progress magazine.

What really interested me about Dobbin’s investments was the diversity – both in terms of segments and geography.  There’s a theory in the investment world that you improve your success with a focus on a certain sector, but Dobbin is the exception that proves the rule. Though he hasn’t had an exit yet, he’s had some undeniable success with companies like Verafin, Celtx and Killick Aerospace.

Though his companies stretch as far as Texas and Ottawa, Dobbin is bullish about his home town of St. John’s, and describes Memorial University as a gem. The one thing that he believes  would improve the ecosystem in Newfoundland and Labrador would be for the province to invest in Build Ventures, the new venture capital fund based in the region.

I first became aware of the Dobbin family when I reviewed One Hell of a Ride, the biography of Mark’s father Craig, for the National Post. (A blurb from my review graces the cover of the paperback edition and the online description.) If you want a great read about a real do-it-or-die entrepreneur, read this book. It is marvelous.