Born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Received B.A. from University of Toronto in 1957 and M.B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley in 1959. Married Patricia E. Lee October 1, 1960. They have one son.

Taylor joined the Canadian foreign service in 1959. He served in Guatemala 1960 to 1963, Detroit 1963 to 1966, Karachi 1966 to 1967, London 1967 to 1971 and Ottawa 1971 to 1977. He was the Canadian ambassador to Iran 1977 to 1980. He assisted six Americans to escape after the capture of the American embassy in 1979.

He was assigned to Bermuda 1981 to 1984. In 1984 he took a position as senior vice president of government affairs for Nabisco Brands, Inc. Since 1987 he has been senior vice president for RJR Nabisco, Inc.

Taylor was honored by Congress with a gold medal by act of March 6, 1980, for services connected with the Iran hostage crisis. Taylor appears on the mint medal (USM 672) as one of the national historic series.

He died at Presbyterian Hospital in New York.

bio: Canadian Who's Who 1989; Int WW 92-93