Donors

UBC alumnus Raymond M.C. Lee, BASc’93, LLD’14, is passionately committed to public service, education and sustainability. After graduating with honours from UBC’s Faculty of Applied Science, Mr. Lee founded Lee & Man Paper Manufacturing Company Limited, which has grown to become one of the world’s top producers and is recognized globally as being one of the most environmentally friendly paper manufacturers.

Mr. Lee and his wife Money have supported numerous health care, education and social service organizations in Hong Kong and elsewhere. In 2013, they made a leadership gift to UBC’s start an evolution campaign that helped build the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre. The university has named the square outside the centre as the Money and Raymond M. C. Lee Square in recognition of their generous support of the University of British Columbia.

Well known throughout Vancouver and beyond as a prominent business leader and builder, an exceptional citizen, an avid sportsman, a passionate philanthropist, and the driving force behind the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, John W. (Jack) Poole, OC, OBC, BSc, forever changed the landscape of the Lower Mainland. UBC is honoured to celebrate Jack’s inspiring story and incredible legacy, and we gratefully acknowledge the Jack and Darlene Poole Foundation for their generous support of the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre.

Born in the small town of Mortlach, Saskatchewan, Jack graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 1954 with a degree in civil engineering. He then moved to Calgary, Alberta, where he began his career with Engineered Homes Ltd. and discovered his passion for real estate development. In 1963, Jack moved to Vancouver and co-founded Daon Development Corporation with partner Graham Dawson. Formed to build housing and provide community amenities in resource towns throughout British Columbia, the company grew to become, at one time, the second-largest real estate development and investment company in North America. In 1989, Jack teamed with David Podmore to form VLC Properties Ltd., the precursor to today’s highly successful Concert Properties Ltd.

In 2001, while enjoying semi-retirement with his wife Darlene, Jack was asked to combine his professional expertise with his love of sports and serve as chair of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), a role he held until his death three months before the Games began.

Jack received many accolades for his lifetime of leadership and service, including the Order of Canada, the Order of British Columbia and Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. In recognition of his leadership in the world of sport, Jack was named Sports Media Canada’s Executive of the Year in 2003 and the Jack Diamond Sports Personality of the Year in 2004, and he was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame as the 2005 W.A.C. Bennett Award winner. He was also honoured with the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Order.

Over the years, Jack was recognized as BC’s Tourism Industry Leader of the Year, and Vancouver Junior Board of Trade Community Service Leader. He was also recognized with the President’s Distinguished Community Leadership Award from Simon Fraser University, and with the VGH & UBC Hospital.

The Wong-Trainor Welcome Centre is named after prominent UBC alumnus Sheldon Trainor-DeGirolamo and his wife Emelda Wong, whose support is fueled by the strong belief in giving back.

Sheldon and Emelda contributed to the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre because UBC alumni have been the key builders of British Columbia. Sheldon’s family, which includes 13 UBC alumni from various faculties including law, medicine, education and commerce, spans three generations, including his parents, Daniel (BEd 1962) and Dawn (Diploma in Public Health 1959), and his sister Bridget (BEd 1995). Sheldon credits the quality of education, encouragement and inspiration he received at UBC for the success he has had with his career in international finance and business.

Sheldon grew up in Vernon, BC. He graduated in 1988 with a Bachelor of Commerce from UBC, and was a brother at the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. Some of his fondest memories are of his time on campus. He also spent a semester abroad at the Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS) in Copenhagen, Denmark. This was a turning point in his life, and it sparked his interest in international finance.

After graduation, Sheldon joined the banking industry, starting his career with Credit Suisse in Australia. He then moved to Asia, where he has worked for over 20 years in various investment banking roles. He has been called one of “Asia’s top deal makers”.

He is the co-founder and managing director of PacBridge Capital Partners, a boutique advisory and principal investment firm. Prior to this, Sheldon was the head of investment banking and vice-chairman at Merrill Lynch Asia Pacific. He was also a managing director at Morgan Stanley and one of the team members who helped establish their business in China in 1994. Sheldon sits on the board of Macau Legend Development, one of the top 10 largest gaming groups globally. He is also the founding donor of the Australian Youth Orchestra International Tour Fund.

Sheldon and Emelda married in 2008. Emelda graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and has been involved in media, production, marketing, and communications for several major global media and entertainment companies, including News Corp, Time Warner and Las Vegas Sands. She co-founded PacBridge Capital Partners and is involved with multiple charities.

Through an organization called Project Hope, which brings elementary schools to poverty-stricken rural areas of China, Emelda and her family have helped to finance multiple schools in China. Emelda also serves on the Board of Governors of the ’Iolani School in Hawaii, of which she is an alumna.

Emelda and Sheldon are also active with other educational charities in Asia and North America. Together, they endowed the Wong and Trainor Centre for International Experience at Capilano University.

Sheldon served on the Campaign Cabinet of UBC’s start an evolution campaign. Sheldon continues to make important contributions to the Sauder School of Business and invaluable advice to the Faculty of Medicine.

UBC would like to recognize the children of Robert (Bob) and Lily Lee- Carol, Derek, Leslie and Graham- for the instrumental role they played in making the Robert H. Lee Alumni Center possible. The Lee Family is one of UBC’s most distinguished alumni families who share a strong belief in giving back.

After graduating from UBC and earning an MBA from Harvard Business School, Carol A. Lee (BCom 1981) began an international career in retail, real estate and venture capital. Carol is president and chief executive officer of Linacare Cosmetherapy Inc., a company she co-founded in 2003. The company is headquartered in Vancouver’s historic Chinatown district. With long-standing family ties to the history of Chinatown, she is strongly committed to the revitalization of the area and is chair of the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation, Chair of the Vancouver Chinatown Revitalization Committee and an honorary patron of the Chinese Canadian Military Museum Society. She also served UBC as a member of the Sauder School of Business Faculty Advisory Board and on the Strategic Advisory Council of two UBC presidents.

Derek R. Lee (BCom 1982) followed in his father’s footsteps after graduation by embarking on a career in real estate. He has served as president of Prospero International Realty since 1999, while selling, managing and acquiring real estate throughout Greater Vancouver and BC. He has served as a director of the Urban Development Institute, SUCCESS, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and Tennis BC and is a member of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver. His wife Carlotta, is also a UBC graduate (BCom 1982) and they have two children, Christie and Rachel.

After graduation Leslie D. Lee (BCom 1984) began a career in retail and real estate marketing with the Prospero Group in marketing and design. She moved to Toronto to pursue a career in the fashion industry- working for retailers, importers and wholesalers- before returning to real estate marketing in Vancouver. Always willing to help, she is very active in the community and has served on various boards, volunteers with many charitable organizations and has been deeply involved in her children’s schools and with the organization of UBC alumni reunions. Leslie is married to John Murphy (BA 1984) and they have two children, Robert (BCom 2019) and Jacqueline.

While working on his UBC degree, Graham S. Lee (BCom 1987) created a business plan in the commerce undergrad entrepreneur program that set the stage for a start-up real estate development company which he founded in 1989. RG Properties Ltd. went on to become one of Canada’s leading commercial/recreational development and operations companies. It is a subsidiary of GSL Holdings Ltd., of which Graham is chief executive officer and the sole shareholder. He has been appointed to the Sauder School of Business Faculty Advisory Board and the UBC Presidents’ Athletics Advisory Council. Graham is a governor of the Western Hockey League and has served as a director of the Vancouver Aquarium, the Royal BC Museum and the 2010 Olympic Bid Committee. Graham is married to Angela (BA 1988) and the couple have four children, Michelle (BCom 2016), Alexander (BCom 2018), Nicole and Ava.

For more than seven decades, UBC has benefited from the tremendous friendship and support of the Walter C. Koerner family.

After immigrating to Canada from Czechoslovakia, Walter Koerner co-founded the Alaska Pine Company in 1939 with brothers Otto and Leon. The company became a major player in Canada’s forestry industry. Following retirement in 1972, Walter devoted himself to public service and philanthropy.

Walter committed fifteen years to UBC’s Board of Governors, five years as Board Chair. UBC also benefited from his appreciation of art, culture and learning. The Museum of Anthropology (MOA) and the Library hold many of their most significant collections thanks to Walter’s generosity. In 1967 Walter was awarded the Companion of the Order of Canada and an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from UBC in 1973.

Walter’s vision and philanthropy continues under the leadership of his son, Michael Koerner, who established the Koerner Foundation in 1983, and which supports many organizations in Ontario and B.C. The foundation’s support of UBC includes the MOA, the Faculty of Medicine, the Library, and the Faculty of Forestry’s research forest at Loon Lake.

Michael and his wife Sonja have made important contributions to Canadian culture including the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Royal Conservatory of Music, Sunnybrook Hospital, and CAMH. Michael, a graduate of MIT in Chemical Engineering and Harvard (MBA), is recognized for his business leadership and served on the boards of several major Canadian companies. He received the Order of Canada in 1984.

The Koerner family’s long tradition of engagement with UBC continues with the third and fourth generations. Michael and Sonja’s daughter, Jacqueline lends her time and expertise to UBC’s start an evolution Campaign Cabinet and the MOA Advisory Board, while completing her PhD in Geography. Walter Koerner’s great grandchildren Julian Yeo, Giuliana and Francesca Bianco are UBC students.

Hari and Madhu Varshney are devoted community leaders whose lives are characterized by generous spirits and dedication to philanthropy. The University is honoured to recognize their leadership and support, which made the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre possible.

A well-known philanthropist and venture capitalist, Hari was born in Kazimabad, a small village in India. He excelled in school and became a lecturer at Agra University, where he also received Bachelor and Master of Commerce degrees. He came to UBC in 1967 on an M.B.A. program scholarship- a move that would prove life changing.

While in the M.B.A. program, Hari was hired by Arthur Andersen, where he earned his Chartered Accountant designation. He worked there until 1982, after which he started his own practice. He subsequently established Varshney Capital Corporation, a merchant banking and venture capital firm, where he serves as President, in partnership with his two sons. Varshney capital has contributed significantly to the economy of, and investment in, British Columbia, particularly in resource and technology. Hari has received many awards, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Order of British Columbia.

Madhu was born in Sarai Tarin, India. She also attended Agra University, completing a Bachelor’s degree in Literature and two Masters’ degrees, one in Economics and the other in Hindi literature. She is an award-winning writer and poet.

Hari and Madhu have contributed their time, talents and financial support to many organizations, including UNICEF, St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation and BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. Over the past 20 years, their community support raised more than $1 million for local children’s charities through the Varshney Capital Corp. Charity Golf Classic.

UBC has also remained close to their hearts. All three of their children graduated from UBC- Praveen (B.Com. 1987), Peeyush (B.Com. 1989, LL.B. 1993), Vandana (B.Com. 1994) – and Hari and Madhu have been leading supporters of the Sauder School of Business, the Centre for India and South Asia Research, and the Hari and Madhu Varshney Lecture Series.

In 2006, UBC established the Hari B. Varshney Business Career Centre in recognition of the family’s leadership support. Hari also served as a cabinet member for UBC’s $1.5 billion start an evolution campaign- the most ambitious fundraising and alumni engagement campaign in Canadian history.

“My education and experiences here have afforded me exceptional opportunities. I’ve had a fantastic career. I feel it is a privilege and an honour to be able to give back to my community and country, and to help future generations of students pursue and embrace new opportunities for their careers in business.” – Hari Varshney

Bill and Risa Levine are among UBC’s most distinguished alumni. The university is privileged to honour them for their leadership gift to the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre and for Bill’s active role in leading the campaign to secure the funds that made the centre possible.

A Vancouver native, Bill graduated from UBC with a BA in 1963, and from Harvard Business School with a MBA in 1965. He had a successful career in real estate development as a senior officer and a director of Daon Development Corporation. He then became a founding shareholder and chair of Western Corporate Enterprises Inc., a private equity investment firm.

Bill married Risa Gropper, a native of Saskatoon, in 1967, and their daughters, Sarah and Anna, were born in 1970 and 1971.

After completing a BA and an MA in sociology at the University of Toronto, Risa enrolled in UBC’s law school where she was awarded the Law Society Gold Medal for the highest scholastic standing in her 1977 graduating class. She practiced taxation law for 17 years before she was appointed to the Supreme Court of British Columbia in 1995. In 2001, she was appointed to the court of appeal for British Columbia where she served until her retirement in 2014.

Bill and Risa are active community leaders who have contributed to the health and prosperity of British Columbia through their service to and support of advanced education, the Jewish community, and many other organizations, including UBC.

Bill served on the Dean’s Advisory Council for the Sauder School of Business and also for the Faculty of Arts. He joined the Board of Governors in 2007 and served as its chair from 2010 to 2013. Risa served as an adjunct professor at UBC’s law school, a member of the Dean’s Advisory Committee for the Centre for Business Law and chair of the successful fundraising campaign to endow a chair in feminist legal studies, the first of its kind in Canada.

The University of British Columbia is honoured to recognize Polygon Homes Ltd, one of British Columbia’s leading home builders, for their leadership gift that made the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre possible.

British Columbia-owned and operated since 1980, the Polygon family of companies has built thousands of homes throughout the Lower Mainland, ranging from concrete high-rises to wood-frame condominiums, townhomes and single-family homes, including many on the UBC campus and University Endowment Lands. With decades of experience in business, Polygon has earned the trust of thousands of families by committing to quality design, sound construction and exceptional customer service.

Driven by a commitment to making valuable and enduring contributions to the communities in which they build and live, polygon prides itself on giving back. From supporting local community and cultural events to sponsoring education and arts initiatives and an annual fundraising campaign for Union Gospel Mission, Polygon is dedicated to providing lasting benefits to the community.

Polygon’s Chairman, Michael Audain, OC, OBC, and many of the company’s top executives are also proud to be members of UBC’s alumni community.

The University of British Columbia is honoured to recognize the generous leadership contribution of WestJet toward building the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre.

Founded in 1996, WestJet is powered by an award-winning culture of care and pioneered low-fare flying in Canada. Canada’s most preferred airline, WestJet offers scheduled service to destinations across North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe, including a large presence in British Columbia. WestJet has a proud record of giving back to the communities it serves. Extending a culture of caring beyond the aircraft, WestJet has four signature community giving programs: WestJet Cares for Kids, WestJetters Caring for Our Community, Airport Giving and WestJet Builds. These programs support many organizations including Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada, The David Foster Foundation, Free The Children, Hope Air, Make-A-Wish Canada, Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada and Missing Children Society of Canada.

Gregg Saretsky, WestJet President and Chief Executive Officer, is a UBC alumnus and at the time of this donation, served on the alumni UBC board of directors and as co-chair of UBC’s Centennial in 2015/16.

Leadership support from The Highbury Foundation helped create the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre. With this gift, the foundation honours Harry King and Judy Allard for their dedicated service to and support of UBC and the Vancouver community.

Harry King was born in Edmonton, Alberta. He graduated from the University of Alberta in 1963 with a Bachelor of Arts in history and economics. Upon receiving a chartered accountant designation in 1967 he moved to Vancouver to work for Arthur Andersen. In the 1970s, he joined the Canada Revenue Agency before working for Steel Brothers of Canada and its subsequent entities until he retired in 1992. Harry served on the boards of several private and public companies, as well as charities such as Big Brothers of BC and Cub Scouts of Canada. He also served as president of the Vancouver chapter of the Tax Executive Institute.

Judy Allard was born in Vancouver. She completed a certificate in early childhood education at UBC in 1976 and subsequently worked at a number of childcare centres in Vancouver. Judy played racquetball competitively and was among the top female players competing in tournaments in Western Canada. She also is very fond of animals and works closely with the BC SPCA.

Harry and Judy married in 1966. They have two children, Robert (BA’89) and Wendy (BA’91, LLB’94), and six grandchildren. Judy serves on the board of directors for The Highbury Foundation. The foundation was established in 1993 by her brother, Peter A. Allard, QC – one of UBC’s most distinguished alumni and benefactors – to honour their mother, Bettie Allard, who was an avid volunteer in the Vancouver community. The foundation has supported medical research, the purchase of equipment, and scholarships for universities and colleges in Western Canada, including UBC’s Peter A. Allard School of Law.

The University of British Columbia is honoured to recognize the generous contribution of TD Insurance toward building the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre.

TD Insurance has a proud history of supporting higher education and continuing professional education through awards, scholarships and event sponsorship.

Since 1949, the year the company was created by Jean Meloche in Montreal, TD Insurance has worked with its university, college and professional association partners across Canada to develop tremendously effective and successful affinity insurance programs nationwide.

After a growth and acquisition period in the 1970s and 80s, TD Insurance, then called “Meloche,” became the sole Canadian brokerage firm to own both brokerage and underwriting entities, and in 1991 the company was renamed Meloche Monnex Inc. In 2000, with offices located across Canada, the company became a member of the TD Bank Group and was renamed TD Insurance.

TD Insurance has become the number one affinity insurer and largest direct-response insurer in Canada, employing over 4,000 individuals and offering insurance programs to close to 900 university and college alumni and associations, as well as councils, orders and professional associations.

Samuel and Frances Belzberg have helped improve the lives of British Columbians and Canadians through their extensive community leadership and philanthropy. UBC is honoured to recognize the Belzbergs’ support of the Alumni Centre, which helped the university pay tribute to the couple’s long-time friend, Robert H. Lee.

A highly successful real estate developer and financier, Samuel Belzberg, OC, OBC, earned a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Alberta. Upon graduating, he founded First City Financial Corporation, a financial holding company that he built into a $7 billion institution. He was the founder and chairman of Gibralt Capital Corporation, a Canadian private investment company.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Frances Belzberg, CM, has had an active career as a public speaker and community leader, with interests in the arts, education and Jewish continuity. She served on the boards of the BC Children’s Hospital, the Vancouver Art Gallery and Action Canada, and was the founding chair of the Simon Wiesenthal Center Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles.

Samuel founded Action Canada, an organization that partners with the federal government to endow fellowships for bright young people who are interested in making a difference in Canada. He also led Simon Fraser University’s first fundraising campaign. Together, Samuel and Frances established the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation, which is dedicated to finding a cure for dystonia and related neurological diseases, and has raised millions of dollars for research and outreach.

UBC alumnus Christopher F. Bendl, BSc’91, has made a generous contribution to the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre in honour of Indonesian Friends and Alumni of UBC. The Indonesian UBC Alumni Network is one of a number of active regional networks within the Asia Pacific region focused on connecting UBC graduates and engaging them in the life of the university. Indonesian-based UBC alumni volunteers support fellow graduates to network and reconnect. Part of the global alumni network, alumni volunteers work to help realize the university’s and its alumni’s ambitions for a better world.

Chris is the CEO and President Director of Manulife Indonesia. He has held various leadership positions in the investment, pension and insurance subsidiaries of Manulife in Canada, Indonesia, Hong Kong and the Philippines. He is the Chairman of the Indonesia Canada Chamber of Commerce.

Chris has been an active volunteer for alumni UBC since May 1994, when he was co-head of the UBC Young Alumni Connections and also a board member of the Alumni Association.

Ever since Martin (Marty) Zlotnik arrived at UBC as a student in 1961 he has been actively engaged in the life of his university and its varsity athletic program. He played for the Thunderbirds football and golf teams in his first year, but for the remainder of his undergraduate years focused his attention on the golf team, including serving as team captain. After his graduation from the Faculty of Commerce in 1966 and the Faculty of Law in 1969, he embarked upon a successful business career, while continuing to actively support the golf team. This commitment ultimately led to him establishing the Thunderbird Golf Society in 1984, which has since raised over $1 million in support of both the men’s and women’s teams.

An influential figure throughout the university and business communities, Marty convinced many friends and colleagues to become similarly involved in raising funds to support full-time coaches and scholarships, thereby contributing significantly to UBC becoming home to Canada’s most successful varsity athletics program, as measured by all-time national championship victories.

In 1998, he became Chair of the UBC Thunderbird Council, an alumni group devoted to developing fundraising strategies for university athletics. At this time he also envisioned and created the Millennium Scholarship Breakfast, which as of 2016 had raised more than $11 million for athletic scholarships, and has been replicated by other Canadian universities. Marty is today recognized and admired throughout the province as a true builder of communities through enhancing opportunities in sport and active living. His leadership has been recognized with numerous awards, including a BC Community Achievement Award in 2009, a Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal, the 2008 NADD Volunteer of the Year Award, and his 2011 induction into the BC Sports Hall of Fame. Marty’s contributions have also been recognized at UBC through the alumni UBC Blythe Eagles Volunteer Leadership award in 2001, a Great Trekker Award from the Alma Mater Society in 2015, and his induction into the UBC Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.

UBC gratefully acknowledges the following donors for their generous contributions in honour of Martin Zlotnik that helped make the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre possible:

David Boyd
Barrie and Helen Burnham
Ian and Billee Davidson
Andrew and Melanie Graham
Connie Graham & Family
Helen Graham
Bob Hindmarch
Bob Philip
Brian and Clare Sullivan
Garry Zlotnik Family
Joanna Zlotnik
Penny Zlotnik

Lindsay Gordon is an experienced business and community leader and proud UBC alumnus. The generosity of Lindsay and his wife, Elizabeth (Liz), helped make the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre possible. The couple met during their undergraduate studies at UBC and remain active alumni on behalf of their alma mater.

Lindsay earned a BA in economics in 1973 and an MBA in 1976, both from UBC. He was appointed UBC Chancellor on July 1, 2014.

Prior to becoming Chancellor, Lindsay enjoyed a long and accomplished career at HSBC Bank Canada and at Export Development Canada. HSBC Bank Canada is the largest international bank in Canada and one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organizations. Lindsay joined HSBC in 1987 and was President and CEO from 2003 until his retirement in 2013. During his tenure, HSBC Bank Canada became a philanthropic leader by increasing access to education through scholarships and supporting the environment and community causes.

In 1995 he co-founded CH.I.L.D. (Children with Intestinal and Liver Disorders Foundation). Since its inception, the foundation has raised over $27 million for research, built a first-of-its-kind lab, and established two endowed chairs at UBC and at BC Children’s Hospital. Lindsay has also served as a board member of the Business Council of BC, governor of Junior Achievement Canada, and director of the C.D. Howe Institute. He is currently a director of HSBC France, Export Development Canada, and Clear Seas Centre for Responsible Marine Shipping, and he serves on the Presidents Group of the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation of British Columbia.

Lindsay is also a past chair of the Campaign Cabinet for the United Way of the Lower Mainland of BC and a past member of the Campaign Cabinet for the United Way of Greater Toronto. In recognition of his leadership, Lindsay received the 2010 B’nai Brith Award of Merit for Outstanding Canadians and a 2012 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Liz is a native of British Columbia and earned her BA in History from UBC in 1976 and BEd from the University of Ottawa. She began her career as a teacher with the Carleton Separate School Board in Ottawa. Liz has been active in the community in both Toronto, where she ran an “Out of the Cold” program serving the homeless, and in Vancouver since 2004  where she  has been an active volunteer in the Downtown Eastside and  served as a board member of the InnerChange Foundation for 8 years. She has also been a long-time supporter of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and chaired or co-chaired its annual fundraiser four times.

From 2008 to 2015, Lindsay served as co-chair of UBC’s start an evolution campaign, the most ambitious fundraising and alumni engagement campaign in Canadian history. Under his leadership, the university raised more than $1.5 billion in support of student learning, research, and community engagement and involved more than 55,000 alumni in the life of the university annually. During the campaign, the Gordons made gifts in support of two priority projects – the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre and the Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health.

Lindsay and Elizabeth have two sons and two daughters: Kate, Ian, Alexandra, and Andrew.

UBC is grateful to honour Ian Robertson (BSc’86, BA’88) and Sian Pitman (BA’86) for their generous support of the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre. As co-chair of the Alumni Centre Committee, Ian played a central role in the development of the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre and has been a tireless advocate for the project.

Ian’s leadership and engagement with UBC began during his time as a student. While studying zoology and English literature, Ian competed as a member of the varsity swim team. He later served as co-manager of the team for two years.

Since graduation, Ian has remained closely connected to his alma mater. He was a founding member of the Varsity Swim Team Alumni Committee, served as chair of both the Thunderbird Alumni Council and the UBC Alumni Association, and was a Campaign Cabinet member of the university’s start an evolution campaign.

Sian spent many hours on campus during her youth, attending University Hill High School, swimming in Empire Pool, and holding part-time jobs at Totem Park and Gage Towers. She enjoyed both classical studies and political studies in the Faculty of Arts, and found them to be an excellent base for her graduate degrees.

Gregg Saretsky became WestJet President and Chief Executive Officer in April 2010. As President and CEO, Gregg is responsible for both the strategic direction of the company and the day-to-day operations of the airline. Gregg was named Alberta’s Business Person of the Year for 2012 by Alberta Venture magazine, an award he accepted on behalf of all 9,000 WestJetters who work hard each and every day to deliver a remarkable guest experience.

Gregg joined WestJet in June 2009 as Vice-President, WestJet Vacations, before being named Executive Vice-President, Operations, in October 2009. In this capacity, Gregg was responsible for flight operations, inflight service, airport guest services, WestJet’s operations control centre, and technical operations (maintenance).

Gregg began his career in aviation with Canadian Airlines in 1985 as a route development planner and rose through the ranks to the position of Vice-President, Airports, and Vice-President, Marketing, before joining Alaska Airlines in 1998 as Senior Vice-President, Marketing & Planning. Gregg also served as Executive Vice-President of Flight Operations and Marketing, responsible for the airline’s flight crews, operations, and consumer programs and activities. Gregg led the development of Alaska Airlines’ alliance strategy and was instrumental in building new airline and tour operator partnerships.

Born and raised in Montreal to a French mother and a German father, Gregg grew up in Quebec and British Columbia, graduating from UBC with a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. An avid globe-trotter, Gregg has visited more than 250 cities in 34 countries and is still working to master French and Spanish language skills! Gregg and his wife, Debb, enjoy skiing and travelling with their children Mark, Jennifer and Bobby.