Sauder celebrates 50th anniversary and announces four Honorary Fellows
VANCOUVER, BC – The Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia is celebrating its 50th Anniversary and its community of 28,000 alumni in 70 countries worldwide. The historic milestone underscores the important role the school has played in disseminating business knowledge and education, within Canada and internationally, during the past half-century. Formerly known as the UBC Faculty of Commerce, the institution has established itself as Canada’s leading academic business school.
As part of its 50th anniversary gala held on May 28, four prominent business leaders who personify the highest standards of business leadership in their respective industries will be recognized by the Sauder School of Business and its community as the 2007 Honorary Fellows.
The 2007 Honorary Sauder Fellows are: William Robert Wyman, former chairman of Suncor, Finning and B.C. Hydro; Hassan Khosrowshahi, Chairman of Inwest Group of Companies; Robert Lee, founder and chairman of the Prospero Group; and Donald Rix, chairman and co-founder of MDS Metro Laboratory Services.
“These individuals truly embody the spirit of Sauder,” said Daniel Muzyka, Dean of the Sauder School of Business at UBC. “They are recipients of this award not just because they are successful in business, but also because their ideas and innovative approaches to business have helped shape management and business practices.”
The Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia is recognized as among the best in the world for business and management research -- leading the way in Canada this past decade for both grants from major federal granting agencies, and the number of research articles published in academic journals. Additionally, Sauder plays host to a number of prominent research centres and bureaus in areas ranging from finance to transportation to urban economics, which serve to promote the research environment, and as homes for major research grants and projects.
The school offers a number of leading programs, including undergraduate and graduate business degrees, executive education tailored to industry professionals, diplomas in accounting (DAP) and Real Estate, and the Business Families Centre. Over 2,500 students are enrolled in the school’s degree-granting programs alone.
About the 2007 Honorary Fellows:
William Robert Wyman
Robert Wyman is the former Chairman of Finning International, the largest Caterpillar dealership in the world. From there, he would become Chairman of Suncor Inc., a major oil producer in the Athabasca tar sands in northern Alberta. Prior to his time with Finning and Suncor, he served as Chair and CEO of B.C. Hydro, the third largest public electrical utility in Canada.
In addition to his business career, Bob served as Chancellor of the University of British Columbia, and Chairman of the World of Opportunity campaign at UBC, which raised over $262 million. He was also the Chairman of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and of the Investment Dealers Association of Canada.
Edmonton-born Wyman graduated with a BCom degree from UBC in 1956 and in 1987 received an honorary LL.D. degree. In 2002, he was presented with the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal, and in 2004 was appointed to the Order of Canada. Both awards were made in recognition of the significant contributions he has made to his community and Canada.
Hassan Khosrowshahi
Hassan Khosrowshahi is the Chairman of Inwest Group of Companies. He is a vice chairman of the Fraser Institute and a member of its board of trustees and executive advisory board. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Business Council of British Columbia, the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, the board of directors of Leading Edge Endowment Fund established by the Government of British Columbia, and the Board of the Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.
He is married to Nezhat and they have a son and a daughter and two grandchildren. The family is an active supporter of organizations in the fields of health, education and the arts.
Robert H. Lee
Born and raised in Vancouver, Robert Lee graduated from UBC in 1956 with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. Over the years, he built a formidable real estate business on the west coast with Wall Financial Corporation, eventually forming the highly successful Prospero Group.
An alumnus and long-time supporter of the University of British Columbia, Bob Lee has served as a member of the UBC Board of Governors (1984-90) and as the university’s Chancellor (1993-96). He was a key founder of UBC Properties Trust. He is the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Law from UBC, the Order of British Columbia, and the Order of Canada.
Donald Rix
Donald Rix is one of the owners and founders and currently the Chairman of MDS Metro Laboratory Services, the largest independent community medical laboratory in BC. He is also one of the owners and founders and current Chairman of Cantest Ltd. He serves on the Premier’s Technology Council, is Past Chair of BC Innovation Council, Past Chair of Genome BC and is Chairman of Prionet Canada.
In June 2005 he received the Lifetime Leadership and Achievement Award from the BC Biotechnology Alliance for his contributions to the biotechnology sector. Dr. Rix was granted a Doctorate of Laws from UBC in May 2006. He is also the recipient of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award and the Order of British Columbia.