Ryerson University to honour Peter Gilgan and Howard and Carole Tanenbaum with honorary Doctorate degrees, October 19-20

Peter Gilgan, C.M., O.Ont – As founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mattamy Homes, Peter Gilgan is one of Canada’s most successful entrepreneurs. A respected and dedicated community leader, Gilgan is making groundbreaking impact through his charitable donations (totalling more than $150 million to date). In 2012, he donated $40 million to the Hospital for Sick Children, the largest gift to a pediatric hospital in Canadian history, and followed that in 2015 with a $30 million gift to St. Michael’s Hospital. At Ryerson University, Gilgan made a historic $15 million gift for the redevelopment of the former Maple Leaf Gardens as Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre, an award-winning city-building project helping jumpstart the revitalization of the neighbourhood. Gilgan’s generosity has also had significant impact on the work of a number of other organizations in the city and across the province. He is a member of the Order of Canada, a member of the Order of Ontario, a companion of the Canadian Business Hall of Fame, and a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the 2015 AFP Outstanding Philanthropist Award. Gilgan will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at the Ted Rogers School of Management ceremony on Wednesday, October 19 at 9:30 a.m.

Howard and Carole Tanenbaum – Howard Tanenbaum is a lawyer, financier, real estate developer and art collector. He is involved in domestic and international real estate development and was a director and officer of the Warren Paving and Materials Group Ltd. until it merged with Lafarge Canada Ltd. Carole Tanenbaum is an expert in costume jewelry, having established the Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection at Holt Renfrew on Toronto’s Bloor Street. She has lectured at the Royal Ontario Museum and other public institutions about costume jewelry and is the author of Fabulous Fakes: A Passion for Vintage Costume Jewelry, a guide for collectors, dealers and professionals in the fashion industry. Together, the Tanenbaums direct the Howard and Carole Tanenbaum Family Charitable Foundation, which contributes to many causes, including health-care initiatives, the Jewish community, education and the arts. At Ryerson, Howard and Carole Tanenbaum are strongly committed to the Image Arts program, particularly photography, having contributed more than $500,000 to the strengthening of Ryerson’s offering in this key area. In addition to supporting various photography-related initiatives at Ryerson, they helped the university acquire the Black Star Collection, a major photojournalistic holding of 292,000 black and white photographs from the 20th century. This in turn helped provide the impetus for the creation of the Ryerson Image Centre, now an international cultural and research destination in Toronto. Howard is a board member and Founding Chair of the Ryerson Image Centre Advisory Board. The Tanenbaums will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at the Faculty of Communication and Design ceremony on Thursday, October 20 at 2:30 p.m.

All ceremonies will take place at the Ryerson Theatre, 43 Gerrard St. E., Toronto, Ontario.

Seats are reserved for media. Media wishing to attend should contact Zandra Alexander, below.

WHAT: Honorary degree presentations and Convocation

WHEN: Peter Gilgan - Wednesday, October 19 at 9:30 a.m.
Howard and Carole Tanenbaum – Thursday, October 20 at 2:30 p.m.

WHERE: Ryerson Theatre, 43 Gerrard St. E. Toronto

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Zandra Alexander
Public Affairs, Ryerson University
Office: 416-979-5000 x 4282
zandra.alexander@torontomu.ca

If you require this in another format, please contact Ryerson University Public Affairs at 416-979-5000 x 7134.