By the time I arrived at McGill I had lived in five countries and on four continents. I had gone to seven different schools and spoke three languages. But I had no roots, few friends and, sadly, no hobbies or passions.
My time at McGill changed that. I developed an intense curiosity about consumer-driven businesses (fueled by the Dean of the Faculty of Management, Stanley Shapiro). That sparked an interest in marketing and led to a formative career with Colgate Palmolive, Ogilvy & Mather and Nabisco Brands.
That same career gave me the opportunity to live in the US and Europe for extended periods, and to travel over six million miles. It also led me to a rich and rewarding life as a business leader in the sports and recreation industry.
But it all started at McGill.
The experiences and friendships I developed there – reviving MSEA (the McGill Student Entrepreneurial Agencies) with newfound friends, getting involved in student government, having access to great professors and advisors – opened my eyes to a global perspective, fueled my evolving ambitions and instilled a confidence which enabled me to pursue things I would have never imagined as a 19-year-old entering the Samuel Bronfman Building for the first time in September 1971.
McGill was truly a springboard for my career and my life. I was, and continue to be, proud to have graduated from McGill. It set the bar for academic excellence and inspired me to stretch and grow. And while I may not have been totally “Made” by McGill, I was certainly grounded and launched by this great University.
Onwards and upwards.