April 24 – Brian Maxwell, the founder of the PowerBar and a former member of the Canadian marathon team, died of a heart attack on March 19. He was 51. Maxwell was once ranked as the third best marathoner in the world. He made the 1980 Canadian Olympic team, but did not get to participate in those Games because Canada boycotted the competition held in Moscow. However, Maxwell was chosen to carry the Canadian sign, ahead of flag bearer Catriona Le May Doan, at the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.

Maxwell got the idea to develop an energy food product after he was forced to drop out of a marathon in 1983 due to stomach problems. To develop the PowerBar, Maxwell worked with a nutritionist, Jennifer Biddulph, who later became his wife.

They began selling the bars out of their kitchen in 1986. Sales in the California-based company skyrocketed over the next decade. The couple sold PowerBar to Nestle SA for a reported $375 million in 2000.