THE
ANDREAN Fall 2019: volume 63, number 2
EVOLUTION With the passage of time comes new and exciting opportunities for St. Andrew’s College
INSIDE: 2019 ANNUAL REPORT 10 Years at the Helm
OLD BOYS PROFILES + NEWS
CONTENTS Fall 2019: volume 63, number 2 FEATURES 3 5 24 29 37 38 39 40 41 46 48 53
The ANDREAN Published by St. Andrew’s College for Old Boys, parents, and friends of the School Editor Julie Caspersen
University Destinations The Evolution of St. Andrew’s
Director of Communications Nicolette Fleming
10 Years at the Helm ANNUAL REPORT 2019 Connections: Fathers Figure in Future Friendship Fall Class Reunions Homecoming in Pictures Hough’s Stuff: The Cartoons of John Hough ’57 From the Archives: Now & Then First Impressions from East Africa
Assistant Editor Sean Maillet Contributors Adrian Bradbury Ryan Bryce ’05 Michael Carroll Jim McGillivray Greg Reid Chris Traber Nicholas Weedon ’02 Art Direction, Design, and Photography Paul Mosey
The Stanley Cup at SAC SASSAW Tanzania
Telephone 905-727-3178, ext. 333 Email admission@sac.on.ca oldboys@sac.on.ca theandrean@sac.on.ca
COLUMNS 28 The Head’s Up 50 Community News 44 Sports Roundup 54 Old Boys Profiles 64 Old Boys News 79 Obituaries Welcome to The Andrean, your alumni magazine since 1956. During my research for the Evolution feature that starts on page 5, a cliché played over and over in the back of my head: the more things change, the more they stay the same. The faces and places from every decade seem familiar, even those tinged with the sepia tones of the past. The people are Andreans and the buildings are like old friends – always here to welcome you back. We would love to hear your memories of your time at St. Andrew’s, so please share your stories with us at theandrean@sac.on.ca
Julie Caspersen, Editor
Website www.sac.on.ca Front Cover
The photo collage of the campus in all seasons represents the continuous cycle of each school year and our evolution from 1899 to today and beyond.
We belong to the following associations:
The Andrean magazine supports the St. Andrew’s College mission to “…develop the complete man, the well-rounded citizen,” connects Old Boys and parents to the School, and is a reflection of St. Andrew’s College’s enduring value to the constituents it serves.
off the top
THE SHADOW PIPER: Grade 10 Pipe Major Henry Paluch ’22 is silhouetted by the morning sun outside the La Brier Family Arena. Henry was on duty piping in the First Soccer team during the CAIS Sr. Boys Soccer Tournament hosted at St. Andrew’s in October.
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
1
Caleb Veisman ’20 in the fall play, School of Rock.
SAC parent, and member of the Board of Governors, Geewadin Elliott at the inaugural Pow Wow.
TTL
Listing to the port side - Middle School students at Camp Winnebagoe.
Through The Lens
Ronan Woodroffe ’22, First Soccer
A selection of favourites from school photographer, Paul Mosey
Exploding pumpkins with dry ice.
DCO Andrew O’Hare ’20 standing beside a Vimy Oak tree holding a photo of Fallen Andrean, Freeman Munro ’11, who was killed at Vimy Ridge in 1917.
2 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
Ethan Landry ’20 and Santi Marina Koudek ’23 taking on water in the annual Shad Creek race.
OUR 2019 GRADUATES’ UNIVERSITY DESTINATIONS Arizona State University Willem Grier
McGill University Eugene Lee, Chris Roy
The University of Edinburgh Osher Lee, Evgeny Makeshin
Chris Liu, Wei Luo, Ahmed Shaikh, Eric Wei, Terry Wu, Ted Zhu
Babson College Michael Wu
McMaster University Caden Markle, Jake Morgan
Universal Technical Institute Marc Nelson
Bishop’s University Noah Hulton, Kyle MacFarland
Nazareth College Owen Laffey
Brock University Nathaniel McDonnell
New York University Justin Liu, Kevin Tang, Ryan Xu
University of British Columbia Alastair Binnendyk, Eamonn Gaunt, James Ross, Ryan Sutherland-Pace
University of Waterloo Matvei Beliaev, Jacob Crocker, Ethan Kalra, William Le Boeuf, Evan Lee, Andy Li
Carleton University Alex Ross, Martin Skachkov, Dylan Tabone
Purdue University Hyunwoo Park
Cornell University Matthew Stienburg
Queen’s University Adam Boston, Ben Coates, Ryder Germain, Massimo Giarrusso, Jacky Guo, Trevor Kirton, Arya Mizrahi, Graham Stanley-Paul, Ben van Eeden
Dalhousie University Dillon Appelbe, Mikey Bahen, Alex Bordage, Sterling Cochran, Sean Denton, Hayden Reinemo, Bill Starke Dickinson College Isaac Bradbury Emily Carr University of Art + Design Mason Sorbara Humber College Brock Walters Huron at Western Jake Allen, Isaac Boer-Hersh, Evan Brisley, Scott Hood, Jack Kensit, Bilal Mahmood, J.D. McDaniel, Joshua Osborne, Jeffrey Sun, Zamaan Tejpar
Quest University Canada Sam Crowder Royal Military College of Canada Thomas Childerhose, Axel Ravera Ryerson University Spence Berman, Sacha Murphy Ives, Amr Shaikh
University of California, Berkeley Jake Kim, Yi Yuan Sun, Peter Zhang University of California, San Diego JunKyo Kim, Thomas Lu University of Guelph Austin Nirenberski University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign Eddie Hao University of Michigan Jalen Gu, Ziyu Han, David Paylan University of Notre Dame Zachary Chua University of Ottawa Chinurum Omenuko
Saint Mary’s University Grant Campbell
University of South Florida, Tampa Luke Coombes
St. Francis Xavier University Eric Baker
University of Toronto Graham Cassar, Nathaniel Chan, Aidan Chen, Samir Khaki, Minchan Kim,
Western University Andrew Boland, Mitchell Bruce, Justin Cheung, Shawn Chung, Nick Cruickshanks, Dante Fernandes, Tiger Jiang, Ryan Lindsay, Nova Schmidt, Daniel Soetikno, Connor Thomas, Joe Walker Wilfrid Laurier University Marshall Moore, Kiran Shah, Alexander Smith York University Frank Yang Gap Year Will Abbott Jack Agnew, Boston College Grayson Arnott, Huron at Western Sam Ashton Brendan Bowie, St. Lawrence University Xavier Henry, University of Maine Coulson Link, Huron at Western Christian MacDougall, Canisius College Thomas Munro, Huron at Western Alex Schaefer
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
3
ROBERT THOMAS ’17 BRINGS THE CUP TO SAC
GET THIS YEAR’S SEASON GUIDE: READ IT ONLINE AT SAC.ON.CA/ATHLETICS/MACPHERSON
4 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
PLAYER PROFILES 2019-2020 BOARD WRAP: 120 YEARS OF FIRST HOCKEY
THE EVOLUTION OF ST. ANDREW’S COLLEGE St. Andrew’s College opened its doors before the First World War, prior to automobiles being a common sight on our roads, and at a time when pneumonia and influenza were potentially fatal.
always included a focus on the complete person, not just grades and athleticism.
It has witnessed the invention of television, withstood the invasion of rock ’n’ roll, adapted to (even thrived because of) the influence of the internet. But flipping through decades worth of The Review and peering at the thousands of photos in our Archives, it is evident our core mission has stood the test of time.
As time passes and the world evolves, St. Andrew’s welcomes change, embraces progress, all the while remaining true to its roots. The following is an overview of life on campus. Some stories are fun and frivolous and reflect the daily life of a young person (see the one about the frozen alligator). Others are poignant and show how global influences, such as war, made their mark on the Andrean community.
The adage, the more things change, the more they stay the same, rings true. What has stayed the same since 1899 is our faithfulness to the fundamentals of education, which have
But in its entirety, this look back highlights the richness of life on campus, decade by decade, and our continuing quest to develop well-rounded citizens.
By Julie Caspersen Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
5
Third Rugby team, 1900
1899 1900
Fifty boys, 15 of them boarders, made up the first classes of St. Andrew’s College when the doors opened on Sept. 10, 1899, in Chestnut Park, Toronto. H. Gordon Langlois ’01, assistant editor of The Review, Volume I, Number I, published in 1901, wrote about the beauty of the campus: “The grounds are beautified on every hand by scores of large chestnut trees, interspersed with maples, pines, firs, and beeches, and also some trees of rarer variety seldom seen in this country.” He mentioned the apple orchard on the property, which supplied the School with applesauce for the winter, and which was beside a garden overflowing with rows of beans, peas, carrots, potatoes, and a large heap of rhubarb. “Every day sees the orchard invaded by hungry boys at the risk of punishment, but, of course, this does not deter them.”
Five teachers (called “masters”) taught under Dr. George Bruce, the first Principal. Another 50 boys were added in the winter term along with one master. Dr. Bruce retired and Rev. D. Bruce Macdonald filled the principal’s position. The school year was capped off with a garden party.
“THE SPIRIT IN OUR SCHOOL, AT THE PRESENT, COULD NOT BE IMPROVED; AND MAY IT ALWAYS BE AS IT IS NOW—ALL WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF THE SCHOOL.” (QUOTE FROM A 1902 STORY ON SCHOOL SPIRIT) 6 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
THE COLLEGE CALL:
BY G. BARTLETT FROST ’08
HOOT, HOOT, MON, HOOT, HOO, RAH, REE, PROTOI, AEI, S. A. C. S. T. A. N. D. R. U. COLLEGE, COLLEGE, ST. ANDREW! SAC’s new colours of crimson and white were used to decorate the dining room tables for the Football Supper in November 1902. Here, toasts were made to the King and to Canada, and The Maple Leaf Forever (Canada’s unofficial anthem at the time) was sung before a toast was made to the School. During this toast, it was mentioned that the School had grown to 200 students. It was also noted that the toasts were drunk in nothing stronger than ginger-ale!
Football in 1908
The first sports team to represent SAC was football, with Bruce Gordon, Class of 1900, as captain. Unfortunately, the team didn’t do well. Its first victory was in its second season, in fall 1900, with Reg MacIntyre ’01, as captain. The win was against Upper Canada College’s third team. They then won against Harbord Collegiate, then Jarvis Collegiate. The First Hockey team was formed in 1899 and described as “weak” but turned it around the following year: “The boys succeeded in winning their first victory without a practice and so were encouraged to stick right at it. Success followed success and it was not long before St. Andrew’s College began to be known in the hockey world.” The team played 10 games: they won eight, tied one, and lost one. “We all hope the College may steadily progress in hockey and that before many years SAC will stand second to none among the colleges.”
The hockey team seems to have been at a disadvantage due to lack of ice time: only two hours a week was available for practice at a rink in the neighbourhood.
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
7
St. Andrew’s had a friendly rivalry with Bishop Ridley College and the annual cricket match was highly anticipated. To travel to the June 4, 1902 games, 150 boys boarded the Steamer Lakeside at Geddes’ Warf in Toronto at 8 a.m. for a twoand-a-half hour ride on the “boisterous” Lake Ontario to Port Dalhousie. Ridley won the game against our First team by 23 runs but our Second and Third teams were victorious. The boat ride back home was “rendered delightful” by music and refreshments.
The Easter 1903 Review offered a few details of the new college being built on 24 acres in Rosedale with accommodations for 120 boarders and classrooms for 300.
In 1903, piano players in the School were given a great advantage over those of former years, as they not only had a good piano to practice on but also a comfortable little room to themselves. In addition, there was the mandolin, guitar, and banjo. The musical talent at the College was, however, not confined to the boys as among the masters quite an army of musicians could be formed. “One has only to take a walk along Roxborough St. East on a quiet winter evening to find this out, as he will first be startled by the pathetic wail of the bagpipe followed by the soothing notes of a certain violin.”
The College was expanded to accommodate 120 boarders, 300 day boys, and 9 masters.
THE OLD BOYS GAME: Before a crowd of enthusiastic spectators, a game of football, full of lofty punts, brilliant runs, low hard tackles, and rough play, was played at Rosedale between the previous season’s team and representatives of the Old Boys. The result was a surprise to all: “To think that fourteen stiff old fossils...could defeat the St. Andrew’s College team, fresh from a victorious season, by a score of 17-5 was never dreamed of.” After the game, coffee was served in the club house and a speech was not made by Captain Guy Wallace ’04. On Friday, Nov. 13, 1903, the first Cross-Country Run took place. The race, with 42 competitors, started at 2:56 p.m. sharp. Fred Chesnut ’04 completed the route in 32 minutes, winning the race and becoming the first to have his name inscribed on the Wallace Cup, named for Mr. A. E. Wallace (father of Guy ’04).
BOXING AND FENCING ARE INTRODUCED.
The Old Boys’ Association was formed during a meeting at the School on February 11, 1904, when 30 to 40 Old Boys unanimously approved the formation of the group. James Leslie Fergusson ’02 was elected president. He was born in Toronto and entered St. Andrew’s on the day it opened. In his first year, he played and helped organize teams in football, hockey, and cricket. He rose to the rank of Prefect. He left SAC at Easter in his second year at the School, intending to pursue a career in business. The first Old Boys’ Dinner was held on March 4, again attended by about 40 boys.
“After a hearty college yell, which must have alarmed the whole neighbourhood, the guests departed in happy mode to sleep off the effects of the first dinner of the St. Andrew’s College Old Boys’ Association.”
8 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
OUR ‘OLD BOYS’ ARE AS YET YOUNG IN YEARS, BUT ‘THE HEINOUS CRIME OF BEING A YOUNG MAN’ IS ONE WHICH FATHER TIME BLOTS OUT ALL TOO SOON. A horse-drawn carriage, pulled by four prancing white horses, transported 19 members of the SAC Rugby team to Upper Canada College for a game on November 11, 1905. When they entered the UCC gates, they were greeted by the rest of the School decked out in crimson and white. The SAC team was victorious and the players were carried off the field by loyal supporters. It was a great victory as it was the first time we had beaten UCC and the first time UCC had been beaten on home grounds.
1905
A 1904 report on the sod -turning of the new building menti oned that it is brains not bricks, me n not morter, that make a sch ool great. “The success with which the College has met, and the honorable place it holds among the preparatory schools of the Dominion must be attributed, we tak e it, to efficient management , fidelity to high ideals, and painst aking, sympathetic teaching.”
An explanation of the Sch ool motto: Quit ye like men, be strong, May all your deeds be don e with love. A stirring battle-cry, an inspiring counsel from the lips of the great apostle, Paul, it is indeed a magnificent motto for a schoolboy. For it is a call to participat e in a good fight; a call to arm for the great conflict that must be waged by all in every-day life.
The Cadet Corps was established in the fall of 1905 under the captaincy of staff member, Grant Cooper, and 70 boys signed the roll (this number was capped due to the availability of uniforms). Rifles and sidearms were provided by the government. The company was equipped with the Highland uniform worn by the Imperial Highland regiments and the Gordon tartan was used. According to Vincent Massey ’06, the Corps’ first Lieutenant: “The military side of life may seem unimportant in times like the present, but the unexpected sometimes happens, and then the men who have been trained as boys in cadet companies will justify all the pains taken in their early military education.” Massey, 35 years later, during the Second World War, was known as the Rt. Hon. Vincent Massey, P.C., High Commissioner for Canada in London, and a member of His Majesty’s Privy Council for Canada.
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
9
An open letter from Headmaster D. Bruce Macdonald to Old Boys made a request for updates on their careers, their prospects, their ideals, their difficulties. He also thanked the Association for the placing of a tangible mark of their regard for the old school through the erection of a statue of St. Andrew over the main doorway of the new building.
A piece of writing by Vincent Massey ’06 on the move from Chestnut Park to North Rosedale: “Traditions will be needed at the new College, and to commence a little legendary lore some adventurous spirit should start the yearly custom of painting the stone nose of the St. Andrew’s statue a bright vermillion. This tradition would soon become historical, and the paint could be removed from his revered countenance by the combined efforts of the chemical class, which would be instructive.”
VINCENT MASSEY (LEFT) WOULD GO ON TO BECOME THE 18TH GOVERNORGENERAL OF CANADA.
The first Cadet Inspection was held on May 14, 1906,
under the Command of Captain Grant Cooper, a teacher at the School. The senior student rank was held by First Lieutenant Vincent Massey ’06, student number 221. “With the roll of drums, the flash of arms, and the swinging of the kilts, the Cadet Company, prophesied from time immemorial, has made its formal bow to the world in general.” This first public appearance of the company was on April 24 at Queen’s Park in Toronto where it was reviewed by HRH Prince Arthur of Connaught. On May 14, the Cadets were inspected by Col. Denison and on May 18, the company took part for the first time in one of the regimental drills of the 48th Highlanders.
10 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
THE FIFTH ANNUAL GAMES WERE ATTENDED BY 2,500 PEOPLE WHO ENJOYED THE 48TH HIGHLANDERS BAND.
Rudyard Kipling, author of The Jungle Book, dropped by the School unexpectedly one Saturday morning in 1907, took a quick tour, and spoke to a few students, who gave him three good cheers.
A description of the new Rosedale building: The property consists of 24 acres and is situated in the choicest and healthiest residential district in Toronto. The new buildings present a very handsome and imposing appearance. Architecturally, they are an adaptation of the Tudor style. It will accommodate 300 boys in class and 150 boarders and nine masters in residence.
The school in Rosedale officially opened on Valentine’s Day, 1906: A school should be a home as well as a place of instruction where not only the sciences should have full play, but where, also, the gentler arts should have a foremost place—those varied branches of true culture which go so far toward making the true man or woman.
Sunday afternoon Bible classes were discontinued in favour of evening services, led by the principal. However, boys were encouraged to take an active part and to feel as if the service belonged to them.
On March 27, 1907, the first Assault-at-Arms took place, witnessed by nearly 400 people. One part of the program was devoted to calisthenics, apparatus, and mat work; the second part to “antagonistic engagements” such as boxing, fencing, and wrestling.
The Isthmian Club was formed in 1906 for boys interested in boxing, wrestling, and fencing. Isthmian is the place where ancient Greeks held their tournaments.
A tuck shop opened in January 1908. It was owned and operated by the students and built with loaned funds, and profits were used to benefit the School.
A message from the physical director about the dangers of smoking advised boys to quit the habit, at least until they are fully grown.
In 1910, the title of Principal was changed to Headmaster. This was changed in 2019 to Head of School.
New iron-work gates, courtesy of A. M. Campbell, were erected at the School entrance along with red brick pillars thanks to Chester D. Massey.
The Athletic Association fitted the gymnasium with all the apparatus required for playing basketball, which was gaining popularity, despite being considered a rough sport.
First Rugby, 1909
1910 Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
11
The formation of the Board of Governors was
The summer 1913 Review published a directory of Old Boys that listed their occupations and addresses. This took up six pages, followed by seven pages of Old Boys Notes.
announced in 1911 as St. Andrew’s was conducted as a trust under the authority of a special Act of the Ontario Legislature. “We are no longer a proprietary institution but have become a ‘public school’ founded as an Educational Trust by private endowment.”
Rosedale, circa 1910
The Hockey team in 1914
The opening of the 1914 school year found the Empire at war. Initially, at least 60 Old Boys offered their services to their country. The Christmas 1914 Review published a list of Old Boys and masters who went to war. A poem was written about this that started: “When our great Empire called for men, Old Andy sent six times ten.” This number had to be amended as the war continued and more Andreans joined the effort. By Christmas 1915, it was estimated one-third of Old Boys were serving in the Empire’s forces. By 1918, more than 600 Old Boys were thought to be overseas. In subsequent editions, the editors published the names and photos of Andreans involved in the war effort, eventually including excerpts of letters. Soon, current students left school for active service. 12 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
1914
WHEN OUR GREAT EMPIRE CALLED FOR MEN, OLD ANDY SENT SIX TIMES TEN. A gathering of visiting Old Boys.
Returning soldiers in 1917.
The first casualty of the war was Fred C. Andrews ’06, who died March 16, 1915. He had travelled to England on his own expense and obtained a commission in the Royal Leinsters.
The Pipes & Drums became part of the Cadet program in 1915. The School sojourned briefly at Knox College from 1918 to 1920, when Rosedale was used as a military hospital. The Union Jack flag was raised at the temporary school at 11 a.m. on Dec. 4, 1918. During these two years, the Cross-Country Run was not held. Six hundred Andreans served during the First World War and 104 Old Boys and two masters died before the war ended in November 1918.
Warren Dunfield ’30 is the first secondgeneration Andrean to attend. He entered in 1919, leaving in 1926 after completing Grade 9. He was the son of Radford Dunfield ’06.
After the war ended, students proposed taking up a collection in order to have a monument dedicated to the Andreans who lost their lives during the war and were resting in France or Flanders.
The Duke of Connaught visited with Headmaster Macdonald in 1914.
A BRONZE TABLET WAS UNVEILED ON ST. ANDREW’S DAY, 1921, IN MEMORY OF THE OLD BOYS KILLED IN THE WAR.
1920
Yonge and Wellington streets, circa 1928.
In 1922, the St. Andrew’s Old Boys’ Association published its first magazine, The Bulletin, with the aim of raising funds to move the School from Rosedale. In June 1923, it was announced that a new school site had been purchased on Yonge Street in Aurora. Five Old Boy architects vied for the honour of designing the buildings. The chosen architects were E. H. Paisely ’10 and Ferdinand Marani. “It is our ideal to have the new school home-like in character and, separated from the outside interests and distractions of the city, we confidently look forward to a development of community spirit which, coupled with the best in St. Andrew’s College tradition, will prove of the greatest possible value to all future Andreans.”
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
13
On January 30, 1925, students, staff, and a few Old Boys celebrated the 25-year anniversary of Dr. Macdonald as Headmaster in an informal gathering at the conclusion of morning chapel. He was presented with a portrait painted by Lawren Harris ’03, one of Canada’s foremost painters and a founder of the Group of Seven.
1926
Dedicating the Dunlap Hall cornerstone in 1926.
In 1926, Dunlap Hall opened as a classroom and administration building and also housed a swimming pool and gymnasium. It was named to honour the contributions of the Dunlap family that helped fund the move from Toronto to Aurora. The primary benefactor was the grandfather of David Dunlap ’56. Flavelle House (named for Sir Joseph Flavelle) and Memorial House (in honour of Andreans killed in the First World War) are the boarders’ residences. Between the houses is the dining hall/infirmary (which became Sifton House).
Sir Joseph Flavelle announced he would provide funding to construct a Lower School building, a surprise since he had already financed what is known as Flavelle House.
George McLean ’27, captain of First Cricket, 1926.
1929 school champions.
A championship football team in the 1920s.
14 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
AN OLD FRIEND WAS INTRODUCED IN A NEW SETTING WHEN THE STATUE OF ANDY WAS PLACED ON A CAIRN AT THE BEND IN THE DRIVEWAY IN 1929. In 1926, before the gates and the chapel were built.
Memorial Gateway was presented to the School by the Headmaster and his brother, Charles Macdonald, in memory of their father, John Kay Macdonald, who served as chairman of the Board of Governors from 1899 to 1922. The Quad, 1926
The boarding houses, 1926
The Chapel was consecrated on Sunday, May 10, 1931 as a memorial to those who died during the Great War, as it was called at the time. It was constructed to “sing the praises of the noble Old Boys who laid down their lives for us in the cataclysm of 1914-1918.” The names of the 104 Old Boys who died in the war were read out. The foundation was laid in August 1930 and the spire erected by the following March. “Finally, when the great voice of the organ pealed out, the School knew that the memory of its past had been enshrined, and that there stood embodied within the four walls of this place of worship the promise and the aspirations of the future.” The architect was E. H. Paisley, Class of 1910, and at the time, the name of the donor who financed the construction, Sir Joseph Flavelle, was not publicly revealed.
IT WAS CONSTRUCTED TO SING THE PRAISES OF THE NOBLE OLD BOYS WHO LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES FOR US IN THE CATACLYSM OF 1914-1918.
1930 Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
15
The first wedding at the chapel took place June 25, 1932 when Harold Davison ’09 married Marjorie Stern. Students practiced for three weeks for the Carol Service in December 1934, where they performed 10 songs. Portions of Scripture related to the Nativity were also read. The Ladies’ Guild was formed in 1934 with Mrs. Nellie Rowell, mother of Fred ’34, as the first president.
Dr. D. Bruce Macdonald retired as Headmaster in 1935 and his successor was Ken Ketchum, the School’s French teacher and former Head of Memorial House.
The very first Old Boys Golf Tournament was held in 1935.
Sports day, 1931
SIR JOSEPH FLAVELLE PASSED AWAY ON MARCH 5, 1939. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS FROM ITS FORMATION IN 1911 UNTIL HE RETIRED IN 1938. HE WAS THE BACKER RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BUILDING OF FLAVELLE HOUSE, MACDONALD HOUSE, AND MEMORIAL CHAPEL.
On May 15, 1937, the Ladies’ Guild presented the School with new honour boards, which to this day, record the names of Head Prefects along with winners of special medals. Bruce Wright ’16, an architect, was thanked for his artistic involvement in the project. The Campbell Houses were built and opened in 1940, thanks to the generosity of C. Graham Campbell, a friend of the Headmaster. They were designed by Bruce Wright ’16 and provided homes to two masters. Flooded fields in 1935
16 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
The Second World War (1939-1945) had a tragic
impact on St. Andrew’s. The Reviews of the time again published excerpts of letters from Andreans serving, pages devoted to listing Old Boys serving overseas, and eventually naming those who had perished. Also, in 1942, Headmaster Ketchum was appointed director of studies at the Royal Canadian Naval College in British Columbia and took a three-year leave of absence from his school duties. J. C. Garret served as Acting Headmaster during this time. When news of Germany’s surrender arrived in May 1945, students were let loose until the chapel bell rang at 11 a.m. and all boys and staff gathered for prayers of thanksgiving. The Cadet Corps formed up and marched into Aurora where a Victory in Europe (VE) Day service was held in the park, conducted by the mayor and ministers of various churches. That evening, some boys hitchhiked to Toronto and the remaining students went to the celebrations in Aurora. As for the casualties, 43 Andreans fell in battle or died as a result of injuries. In all, 594 Old Boys served in the Second World War.
In March 1943, a ski platoon was formed with about 30 boys who, four days after they volunteered, left the College at 10 a.m. (during a blizzard), skied to Bradford, had lunch, then returned to the School at 7:30 p.m., thus qualifying for the Canadian Army ski troops. Wearing white parkas and trousers, they practiced the art of camouflage. This ski platoon was the first of its kind in Canada.
1940
Top left: Bill Lovering ’52 and Woody Fisher ’52 with the hockey trophy; left: hockey, circa 1945; above, the senior 100-yard dash in 1949; right, ‘big and little’ in 1949.
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
17
The Committee of the 50th Anniversary Campaign sought donations to secure the future of St. Andrew’s starting in 1949. By the end of 1952, contributions had exceeded $213,000. Don Shaw ’47 submitted a class note in 1950 detailing his visit to Mexico, alongside classmate Derek Chase, with a couple of Mexican Old Boys, Eduardo and Pedro Martin ’47, and Jaime ’50 and Gustavo de la Macorra ’49. They golfed with the Martin brothers and chatted with Pedro Martin Sr. from the Class of 1910. They also toured the Macorra family’s paper mill, one of the largest in the world at the time. The trip was capped off with an encounter with a mule, which kicked their car so hard they were stranded in the city of Chihuahua for 12 days until it was repaired. Thomas Barnston Daubney “Tuddie” Tudball spent 42 years of service at St. Andrew’s starting in 1908. He became master of the Lower School in 1919, then was appointed master in charge of Flavelle House in 1938, a position he held until his retirement in 1950. He passed away in June 1953. A gold-headed cane was donated to the Cadet Corps for use by the drum major by former Headmaster, Dr. Macdonald. It had belonged to his father, J. K. Macdonald, the first chairman of the SAC Board of Governors. The death of Wagon Wheels, a mutt known for “lying around Dunlap Hall on rainy days, waiting for someone to pick the burrs out of his coat,” was reported. He apparently died in the summer of 1951 of poisoning. On November 8, 1951, five flags were presented to the School during morning chapel services to represent countries students come from. It started with the gift of the Colombian flag two years earlier from Helmut Bickenbach ’53. It was hung, along with the flags of Peru, the British Commonwealth, the United States, and St. Andrew’s, in a group on the back wall, symbolizing the brotherhood of nations. They were joined a couple of years later by the Dominican Republic flag, presented by Tony Guzman ’54.
18 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
THE FIRST ISSUE OF THE ANDREAN WAS PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER 1956. IT WAS FOUR PAGES INITIALLY, EXPANDING TO EIGHT THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
Roberson Laidlaw, who had been teaching at SAC since 1909, won the Queen’s Coronation Medal for long and faithful service in education in 1953. He is the namesake of Laidlaw House for day boys established in the early 1980s. The Laidlaw Trophy was established in his honour. The trophy, presented by the Old Boys’ Association, is given to a boy in the Upper Sixth who won the most points for his clan.
1950
Bilingualism was becoming more popular and St. Andrew’s opened the school year in 1953 with a stronger emphasis on spoken French. The premise behind the French Plan was that fluency in both English and French was necessary, especially for boys wanting to pursue political careers. The tradition of holding a Ceilidh for Old Boys was started in 1953. This gathering of the clans was a popular party.
St. Andrew’s got a new school car, a red and white Ford Station Wagon, in 1955. This replaced the “solemn” black limousine. Hurricane Hazel swept through Ontario in October 1954, turning the campus’s lower fields into a 10-foot-deep lake. Each boy donated a week’s pocket money to the hurricane relief fund.
In 1955, the School hired a staff barber, who set up shop in the basement of Memorial House where boys could get a “gentleman’s cut” by appointment.
On Feb. 24, 1956, the School celebrated the first Founders Day, anticipating this would be an annual event. It coincided with Dr. Macdonald’s 84th birthday. A third-generation Andrean was created with the enrolment of Geoffrey Gooderham ’60, son of Dr. M. E. W. Gooderham ’24 and grandson of Melville Gooderham ’10, who was the 110th boy to enrol at St. Andrew’s in 1901. Geoffrey’s great-grandfather, Sir Albert Gooderham, was a member of the Board of Governors and became chairman in 1923.
Clockwise from top left: Cadets at the 1951 Canadian National Exhibition; the 1950-51 track team; Cadet Inspection in the 1960s; Cadet dance, 1960.
1960 DR. MACDONALD DIED AT THE AGE OF 90 IN 1962.
Ken Ketchum retired as Headmaster in 1958 and was replaced by Joseph Robert Coulter. Mr. Ketchum passed away in 1960. Fourth House, renamed Sifton House in 1984, was created in 1962. The same year, a new classroom wing, later named Coulter Hall in honour of the School’s fourth Headmaster, is complete.
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
19
A successful campaign was launched to fund an expansion
of the School and build the Great Hall dining room as well as a classroom and auditorium building. On October 5, 1961, the sod was turned using the 1904 spade used in the sod-turning for the Rosedale school. In May 1962, the Great Hall, new classroom building, and Ketchum Auditorium were dedicated. The Great Hall was opened in honour of the Macdonald family. Within the cornerstone is a metal container holding souvenirs for future Andreans: stamps, coins, school badges, and daily publications.
On May 2, 1965, at 8:40 a.m., the new Canadian flag was raised for the first time on campus. It was adopted as Canada’s flag on February 15 that year. In the 1960s, quite a few new clubs were formed as boys developed special interests outside the classroom and beyond sports. These clubs met Tuesday evenings and were considered important to school life as well as the education system. The clubs included rocketry, science, skiing, the Penguin Club (studying Scotland), forestry, v.t.r. (using a video-tape machine), stereo tape, radio, carpentry, pottery, chapel singing, math, and art.
The School’s first full-time chaplain, Dr. John Wilkie, was appointed in 1966. The first Winter Carnival was held on February 8, 1969 and was an all-day event with games, booths, demonstrations by the ski team and the pipe band, a midway and “anything that would create fun and excitement.” The carnival generated $2,000, which was used to educate four orphans in India, aid indigenous people in Canada, and start a school project.
Top to bottom: The Great Hall; the Art Club, 1968; the 1961-62 Tennis team; playing basketball in 1961; the swimming pool in the early 1960s.
20 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
1969 saw the launch of NEWSAC, a newsletter with seven monthly issues featuring sports prospects, lost and found, Cadets, “Ann Slanders,” crosswords, letters, and much more. This failed attempt was followed by Andy and The Saint, but none managed to establish a lasting presence.
The new science building was given an $800,000 boost by Col. R. Samuel McLaughlin and was named McLaughlin Hall in his honour. It was officially opened September 15, 1971. The School grew again in the early 1970s with the addition of a library, completed in March 1971. The first computer science course was offered in 1971. Students wrote all their programs using key punch cards, entering data using a rented key punch machine. Every day, the data cards were couriered to the North York Board of Education (in Toronto) and the print-outs returned. The following year, a computer was purchased, a Data General Nova mini-computer, making SAC one of the first secondary schools in Canada to dedicate a computer to student use.
The 75th anniversary of St. Andrew’s was celebrated in 1974, the year Robert Coulter retired. He was succeeded by the fifth Headmaster in SAC’s history, Dr. Thomas A. Hockin.
J.K. MacDonald, Mrs. C.C. Mann (daughter of Col. McLaughlin), and Headmaster Coulter at the opening of McLaughlin Hall. The football team heading out for a game in the fall of 1975.
In mid-1972, the boys in the Upper Sixth biology class each chipped in $4.50 to buy an alligator, measuring more than 13 feet long, that had died of pneumonia. Its owner wanted to sell it for $100 but they talked him down to $80. The boys carted the reptile to the science building roof and buried it in snow that they carried up in garbage cans to keep it frozen. In class, they proceeded to dissect the beast, exploring it from the skin down through the organs.
1970
Review Staff, 1978
Mayfest got its start in 1975. There was food, souvenirs,
a midway, carnival games, a dunk tank, and sports booths. Great pleasure was taken in destroying a couple of cars painted with SAC slogans! A hot air balloon gave rides, there was an auction, you could browse a history wall, and music was provided by a student rock band.
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
21
November 5, 1974 was the first casual dress day for St. Andrew’s students. They called it Grub Day, a short day of freedom to wear what one wished to wear, for the mere price of “50 shinin’ coppers.”
The Bridge Club, 1971
1980s
1990s
With 90 per cent participation, the boys went on a 24-hour fast in December 1974 and raised $610 (mostly because the School contributed the money saved by not feeding them) to help feed people in need in underdeveloped countries.
2000s Rapid Fire
The first St. Andrew’s College Invitational Debating Tournament took place in April 1975. The home team placed second.
Tom Hockin retired in 1981 and Robert Bedard was appointed SAC’s sixth Headmaster.
The School’s mascot was a polar bear, Andy, an actual bear that lived at the Toronto Zoo. He became the official mascot after St. Andrew’s made a donation to the zoo.
Laidlaw House came into existence in 1982 and two years later, Fourth House got a new name: Sifton, a tribute to the Sifton family’s many contributions to the College.
St. Andrew’s hosted the 1977 North American Interscholastic Polo Championship. SAC won all three of their games against Robert Louis Stevenson, Culver Military Academy, and Valley Forge Military Academy. The 1976 Carol Service was moved to St. James Cathedral in Toronto due to the number of guests wanting to attend the popular event. The year before, three services at Memorial Chapel were not enough to meet demand. However, more people showed up than expected so the service was relocated to St. Paul’s Anglican Church on Bloor Street in Toronto.
MARGARET LAURENCE, AUTHOR OF THE BESTSELLER, THE STONE ANGEL, WAS A GUEST AT SAC IN 1979. HER FATHER, ROBERT WEMYSS, WAS AN OLD BOY FROM THE CLASS OF 1913. THE YEAR BEFORE, THE CELEBRITY GUEST WAS ACCLAIMED CANADIAN AUTHOR, ROBERTSON DAVIES; THE YEAR AFTER, IT WAS DISTINGUISHED NOVELIST, MORLEY CALLAGHAN.
The MacPherson Hockey Tournament was held for the first time in 1984, named after Lloyd MacPherson who was Assistant to the Headmaster from 1957 to 1982. Project ’85 provided an addition to McLaughlin Hall for a new maths and arts building between Coulter Hall and the science building. The new wing added six classrooms, including a computer room with stations for 22 microcomputers. The Dunlap Hall renovations gave staff more room. Laidlaw House boys got their own common room. New House was established in 1988 for day boys.
The Athletic Centre was added to the campus in 1979, containing a double gym, three squash courts, change rooms, and an administration office.
The Yuill Hockey Award was presented in 1988 for the first time to First Hockey captain, Mike Brewer ’88, by Bill Yuill ’57, captain of the Saints in 1956. Bill’s father, Hop Yuill, was captain the year he graduated in 1917.
Memorial Chapel was renovated in the late 1970s after it was discovered the extensive root system of the trees planted in the 1930s were threatening the structure. The trees were removed, allowing the building to be revealed once again. As well, the interior was refurbished with new lighting, refinished walls, new parquet flooring, and a crimson rug.
In 1989, the School broke ground for the addition of a swimming pool to replace the one built in 1926. The official opening of the $3.2-million project (that included change rooms, a weight training room, and three additional squash courts) was held at Homecoming on Sept. 29, 1990. John Ellis ’32 and Anthony Fell ’59 did the honours.
22 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
The Film Society, 1972
Focus Festival of the Arts launched in 1990.
The Class of 2003 gave SAC the gift of Braveheart, the new school mascot. He made his debut at Prize Day.
In 1993, the library was renamed in honour of Graham F. Towers ’13, the first governor of the Bank of Canada. He also served on the Board of Governors from 1932 to 1959. When his wife died in 1993, she bequeathed the majority of her estate to the School. Bob Bedard retired in 1997 after serving for 25 years. Ted Staunton became the seventh Headmaster. SAC sent its first team to the 1997 DECA Ontario Provincial Competition to compete against 49 other schools. SAC walked away with nine ribbons, five medals, and one trophy. Chris Fusco ’98 won the right to represent Ontario at the Nationals. A School video is produced by Gord Henderson ’69 in 1991. A Day at St. Andrew’s won a gold medal at the New York Film and Television Festival. In 1998, SAC saw these changes: The Athletic Centre was named after former Headmaster, Bob Bedard; the School adopted the mission statement, Dedicating ourselves to the development of the complete man, the well-rounded citizen; New House is dedicated as Smith House to honour Geoffrey R. Smith, who taught at the School from 1964 to 1999. St. Andrew’s celebrated its centennial in style with a Ceilidh gala at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on November 28, 1998. Special guest was piper Jim McGillivray, who had just joined the staff to teach piping as part of the Music program. William Scoular, English and drama teacher, tackled 100 years of documents when writing a history of the School, Not An Ordinary Place.
What was initially going to be a cosmetic cleanup evolved into an architectural and academic project and the Andrean community rallied behind the “Building Towers” project. The result is the library that stands today, complete with a clock that contains the names of the project benefactors. The 20-year Campus Master Plan was an ambitious endeavour launched in 2001. It created outdoor spaces linked to a network of paths; built a Middle School wing, Rogers Hall (named for Dem Rogers ’59), complete with a double gym; enclosed a courtyard to create a spacious atrium, now known as Staunton Gallery in honour of then-Headmaster, Ted Staunton; converted the gym in Dunlap Hall into a light-filled, threestorey art facility named after Alf Wirth ’59; and restored and renovated Ketchum Auditorium. The Tuck Shop was demolished in July 2002 to make way for the construction of Rogers Hall. It had been built shortly after the move to Aurora, using salvaged material and patterned after the tuck shop that existed at the Rosedale site nearly 100 years before.
SAC went wireless in 2003 when students and faculty started using laptops.
The Archives room opened in 2004, a gift from the Class of 1954, whose members wanted to ensure the history of SAC is not only preserved, but celebrated. Dileas Gu Brath! The Cadet Corps celebrated 100 years in 2005. The 22-calibre rifles had been replaced with air rifles years before, but the program remained centred on teamwork, leadership, and camaraderie. The strength of the program is based on respect for tradition. The Ladies’ Guild commissioned a bronze “Andrew” statue that was presented to the School at the 100th anniversary Cadet Inspection. It stands near Cole Hall. In 2001, piping was incorporated into the Music program as a credit course. Starting in 2004, students could earn academic credits for their achievement in the Corps. These credits fall under the leadership umbrella. In 2008, the Donald Davis Theatre, named after Donald Davis ’46, officially opened with a performance of Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story. The McEwen Leadership program was created, named after Rob McEwen ’69.
The Ladies’ Guild is re-named The Parents Guild in 2009. Ted Staunton retired in 2009 after 12 years at the helm and Kevin McHenry became the eighth Headmaster of St. Andrew’s College. X
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
23
at the helm
The McHenry family: Caden, Karan, Will, Kevin, and Hadley. 24 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
A retrospective of achievements under the leadership of
Kevin McHenry By Nicolette Fleming
I
t wasn’t long after the economic downturn of 2008 when sitting Headmaster, Ted Staunton, handed over the reins to Kevin McHenry. “There are difficult times ahead, but St. Andrew’s could have selected no better captain to steer it through the possibly choppy seas ahead,” he said at the time. “The College, I know, will flourish under his leadership.” And that statement is as true today as it was in the spring of 2009.
member a Fujitsu T5010. Technology was integrated into the classroom and the need for pen and paper hit an alltime low as students could use their tablets for nearly everything. The need for full-sized textbooks dwindled and backpacks became lighter as students
Kevin first sat behind the stately cherrywood desk in the head’s office 10 years ago. His vision for the future was clear: Work with all SAC constituent groups to take an already outstanding school to the next level of innovation and excellence in academics, technology, athletics, the arts, and student leadership. A tall order, for sure, but Kevin knew he had a leadership team open to the challenge and a dedicated group of faculty and staff willing to design and enact change. The last decade has arguably been the largest period of growth in the School’s history, a testament to Kevin’s desire to support the development of St. Andrew’s and its staff. In his first year as Head, the School made the move from laptops to tablets, issuing every student and faculty
The fall 2009 Andrean cover featuring a young McHenry family.
took notes “by hand” using the tablet with a stylus, accessed course materials, organized their work, and completed
assignments in OneNote. This change led the way to launching our Environmental Plan 2009-2014 to make SAC a greener school. During the 2010-2011 academic year, Kevin’s second year as Head, the School launched an exceptional promotional video produced by William Scoular, Head of Drama. The five-minute advertisement became the basis of many school ads as well as the centrepiece of the newly designed SAC website, which also launched in 2010. After months of contemplation, a new strategic plan was released during Kevin’s third year. Shaping our Future 2011-2016 was full of aspirational goals, the biggest being the announcement of the Not An Ordinary Place (NAOP) Campaign, which looked to erect a centre for the performing arts, music, engineering and robotics, and business and leadership studies, revitalize the upper fields, upgrade the dining hall facilities and Ketchum Auditorium, and introduce an amphitheatre. The upper fields opened for the 2012 Cadet Inspection as the Yuill Family Athletic Complex in honour of lead donor, Bill Yuill ’57. The new facility included an all-weather synthetic turf field, outdoor rubber running track, and baseball diamond. >> Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
25
Rolling into Kevin’s fourth year saw the introduction of Grade 5, keeping with the School’s mission of growth and expansion. Fourteen students filled those seats and this year they will graduate into the Old Boy community. The Extended French program distributed its first set of certificates to accomplished language learners. And the plan to build the La Brier Family Arena was announced, thanks to a lead gift from Wendy and Michael La Brier, further expanding the NAOP Campaign. A successful CAIS accreditation started Kevin’s fifth year when the visiting committee gave the School a glowing report, which concluded with the question, “What’s next?” as SAC was already positioned among the top echelon of independent schools. The five-year environmental strategy wrapped up having achieved its goals, including a 25 per cent reduction in energy consumption, a 45 per cent increase in recycling rate, a 30 per cent reduction in paper consumption, and lowering our carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions by 15 per cent. In support of the La Brier Family Arena and the School’s Hockey program, the Hockey Booster Club was initiated with 90 members signing on the first year – covering the costs for
26 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
the First team dressing room, as well as starting an endowed scholarship. As the First Football team started its warmup at Homecoming 2014, members of the Andrean community gathered for the official opening of the La Brier Family Arena, which houses an NHL-sized ice pad, the Yuill Andrean Room, the Rowntree Weight Training Room, and the Beswick Training Platform. The addition of the arena has been a boon to the SAC Hockey program but has also benefitted outside organizations such as the York-Simcoe Express, the Gary Roberts High Performance Training program, and the Canadian National Sledge Hockey team. The arena wasn’t the only new building to open during Kevin’s sixth year. The final piece of the NAOP Campaign, the Centre for Leadership, Innovation & Performance, opened to great fanfare. The 40,000-square-feet, three-storey building offers state-of-the-art facilities for robotics and engineering (named the Dunin Engineering Centre for its lead donor, Andrew Dunin) and business and leadership studies. It also houses the Wirth Theatre – a replica straight out of Stratford, Ont. – and the Robert & Jilla Williams Band
Room, acoustically perfect for budding musicians. Plus, Cole Hall underwent a facelift with the addition of a servery and improved kitchen and prep facilities. The Andrean Residential Experience program also launched, allowing day families the opportunity to save for their son’s Grade 11 and/or 12 boarding years, drastically reducing the barrier to residential living. We also began awarding the Andrean Diploma with Honours recognizing students who exceed the mission of “the complete man, the well-rounded citizen.” Fortyeight were handed out that first year to more than one-third of graduating students. Following that, the rigorous AP Capstone program was introduced with 16 Grade 11 students vying for an AP Capstone diploma. The Jack project (Jack@SAC) was founded with the goal of raising awareness and eliminating the stigma of mental illness. The Middle School Community Giving Project started with boys giving their time to 20 community organizations one Tuesday afternoon every month. The program has grown to include more than 25 local charities, animal sanctuaries, assisted-living facilities, and grassroots
organizations. And a new scholarship – the D. Bruce Macdonald – was announced for students living in York Region. This merit award is given to one boy in each grade from 5 through 9 every year. The Pipes & Drums program turned 100 in 2015 and with it came the refurbishment of the West Annex, now named the Petrachek McGillivray Pipes & Drums Centre, thanks to Zachary Petrachek ’14 as a tribute to his piping teacher, Jim McGillivray. The NAOP Campaign wrapped up in December 2015 with a celebration at the annual Carol Service, which made its debut as An Andrean Christmas at Roy Thomson Hall. This year, we delight in the fifth anniversary of this brilliant show featuring our talented students. After exceeding the goals in Shaping our Future 2011-2016, 18 months were dedicated to developing the School’s 2017-2022 strategic plan, founded on innovation, creativity, and forwardthinking. With the building projects now complete and specialized programs positioned within inspirational workspaces, the challenge was to determine next steps. While the process seemed long, the completed plan was an amalgamation of the wishes of the entire
SAC community: Old Boys, faculty, staff, current and alumni parents, and students. The purchase of Willow Farm began Kevin’s eighth year, which was a dream unrealized for many decades. The 15-acre property has been a benefit to our Outdoor Education program for all grades as well as our Cadet and Leadership programs. And the land acquisition didn’t stop there. In 2017, nine years into Kevin’s tenure, SAC grew to 126 acres with the purchase of a plot of land on the north side of the gates at the bottom of the driveway, termed the Gatehouse. The same year also saw students in the Computer Science program build a prosthetic hand, which they took to Ecuador and donated. And once again, the campus was overtaken by William Scoular and his film crew as Boys Into Men was filmed and later released as a 20-minute short film about St. Andrew’s College. In 2018, elements of the strategic plan started to take shape. The Andrean Wellness program keeps all students, faculty, and staff healthy and happy with a variety of daily fitness options from yoga and mindfulness to spin and ab ripper. To balance the physical,
the Arts/Co-Curricular Plus (ACPlus) program introduced students to areas undiscovered: culinary arts, graffiti, and guitar club are just three of more than 20 options offered on Thursday afternoons. Enabling boys to find and follow their passions without restriction was the modus operandi of the development of this program and in its first year, more than 90 per cent of Upper School students took advantage. The Cadet program was reimagined to offer students more breadth in programming. Cadets remained a threeterm option, but boys could choose leadership training, outdoor education, music, study hall, or community service in the first two terms with a commitment to Cadet Parade preparations in Term 3. And last, but certainly not least, the Appeal for Science and Technology was announced last winter to renovate McLaughlin Hall into a state-of-theart science and technology facility including a two-storey makerspace. And that is where our story ends...for now! X
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
27
COMING ATTRACTIONS… By Kevin R. McHenry, Head of School
T
he pages of this magazine are filled with historical tales, snippets of funny, cheerful, and sobering milestones, and pictures that tell a thousand words – a chronology of St. Andrew’s College. When moments are laid out like they are here, it is amazing to see how much things have changed, and yet, stayed the same. We remain true to our traditions and maintain pride in character development and active lifestyles. We continue to deliver enriched academics from compassionate and understanding faculty. Our ideals regarding innovation, leadership, and community service have not faltered. And our motto has stood the test of time. Hence, our focus this issue on how St. Andrew’s has evolved since its founding in 1899. As I mulled over the moments mentioned in the previous pages, especially those in the last decade, I had not previously reviewed our accomplishments in one long list. I can see that we have celebrated an abundance of achievements, not taking much time before diving into the next agenda item. It has made the School better and we can all relish in that prosperity. Instead of reflecting on my tenure, I will instead share with you what I’m most looking forward to over the next 10 years. You can probably imagine my delight in the launch of our Legacy Campaign in support of the School’s Endowment Fund. We made the public announcement in November during our annual appeal. Gifts to our endowment have a ripple effect throughout our community. Deserving, mission-appropriate students are an incredible asset to the College and the world. Giving a student an exceptional education has the potential to not only change one life, but the lives of many for generations to come. What a significant gift that is.
28 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
I’m eager to open the doors to the renovated McLaughlin Hall. This technology and science wing is going to change the way we deliver curriculum in those important subject areas. We have already made great strides in our latest strategic plan, and I continue to be amazed at the implementation of each area of focus. I can only imagine where we will venture next. I am hoping to make other big announcements in the near future, so stay tuned. I must admit, though, that my first thoughts on the next decade were not about work but of family. My children are growing up too quickly. I look back on that first family photo taken on the back steps of the Head’s House and compare it to the photo taken this summer and realize just how much time has gone by. In 2009, my eldest didn’t yet reach my shoulders and my youngest, not even waist high. Now Will is in second year at Queen’s University, Caden in Grade 11 here at SAC, and Hadley in Grade 9 at Country Day School. I couldn’t be prouder of them. They are kind, caring, thoughtful, intelligent human beings and I cherish the moments I get to see them develop. My wife, Karan, and I are looking forward to celebrating a quarter-century of marriage in July 2021. I am grateful to her every single day as she has helped me to fulfill my dream of being Head of School. In my first View from the Top in the fall of 2009 I thanked everyone for their tremendous support, and it is only fitting that I continue to thank those around me. The School is not built through the efforts of one person alone; it takes 250 staff and faculty to keep the train steaming ahead. X
ST. ANDREW’S COLLEGE
2019 ANNUAL REPORT
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
29
A LETTER FROM THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
I
n June, I reached my one-year milestone as Executive Director of Advancement and it happened to coincide with our end-of-year Prize Day ceremonies. As I sat on the dais in a different role than in the 18 years previously spent as a teacher and Assistant Head at St. Andrew’s College, I looked upon the proceedings with a new perspective. I was moved when an emotional Ann Bease presented the Justin Ross Scott Memorial Dramatic Arts Prize to graduating student, Nova Schmidt. Ann, the mother of Justin ’98, who passed away in 2003, provides this annual prize in recognition of her son’s love for the dramatic arts while attending St. Andrew’s. As she handed the award to Nova, her passion for the School and what it did for her son in his short life was evident. It got me thinking about all the awards handed out – 54 in total – and how each of those came to be, all starting with a donation from someone: a parent, a faculty or staff member, an Old Boy, a community member. Each one has its own important story of dedication to this school. There is motivation behind each gift and every one of them makes St. Andrew’s a better place for learning, teaching, living, and making memories. It takes the heart and soul of a community to realize our dreams and it is with great excitement that I announce our new Legacy Campaign in support of the School’s Endowment Fund. All of our prizes, scholarships and bursaries, and many academic and co-curricular programs are supported through endowment initiatives. 30 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
Our endowment has grown to more than $34 million, contributing to approximately $2.7 million in scholarship and bursary assistance this year, but that is not enough to sustain our mission to ensure affordability is not a barrier to attaining a St. Andrew’s education. Donations to our Legacy Campaign will touch countless lives and allow boys of limitless potential who aspire to change the world, an opportunity to realize their dreams. I hope you will join me as we build our endowment assets to $100 million.
Greg Reid Executive Director of Advancement
NEW GOVERNORS & TRUSTEES GOVERNOR Michael Chadsey
is head of the Mathematics Department and director of Summer School at St. Andrew’s College. In his 12 years at the School, he has coached soccer, lacrosse, and basketball. He has also been the faculty advisor for several clubs, is a duty teacher in Flavelle House, and was the founding chair of the Standing Committee for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.
GOVERNOR Geewadin Elliott
is the business development manager and elected leader with his First Nation. He was previously a detective constable with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), the OPP’s First Nations community safety initiative coordinator, and head councilor and director of the recreation, culture, and tourism department for the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation. He also holds a position on the dynaCERT Inc. advisory board. Geewadin, father of Neebeesh and Neebin, who are in the Class of 2020, is the executive lead consultant with Sigma Energy Storage and Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation, coordinating a large-scale energy storage project in Northern Ontario. Additionally, he is the founder of the Potawatomi Migration and Recognition Initiative and a member of the Aboriginal Professional Association of Canada.
GOVERNOR Whitney Elliott
joined St. Andrew’s in 2006 as a French teacher. She helped introduce the Extended French program and French exchange in 2009, participated in the development of the Core French program in 2012, and was a member of the Middle School Leadership Team as the core
team leader until 2018. She led the inaugural SAC IT conference, has been an IBSC action research participant, and helped many new faculty members in her role as induction co-chair. This year, she assumed the role of integrated wellbeing coordinator, with a focus on integrating mindfulness into the daily lives of students and staff. Whitney coaches volleyball and track and field, and is a duty teacher in Macdonald House. She sits on the School’s MEDIC (Masculinities: Equity, Diversity & Inclusivity Committee) and wellness committees.
GOVERNOR John Rook ’64
is a litigation partner at Bennett Jones in Toronto. In his more than 40-year career as a commercial litigator, John has helped clients develop practical and innovative strategies for prosecuting and defending civil, criminal, and administrative proceedings, and respond to regulatory investigations. He was previously the chair of the St. Andrew’s College Foundation and a board member of the St. George’s Golf Club, the Stratford Festival, and the Stratford Foundation.
GOVERNOR Bill Yuill ’57
is chairman and CEO of Canadian private equity company, The Monarch Corporation, a company dedicated to enriching the social, cultural, and economic fabric of the communities it serves in Alberta. Since 2007, Bill has chaired the Yuill Family Foundation, which supports charities and non-profits. He was given the Alberta Order of Excellence in 2016, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2013, and the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2003. Bill’s love of sports and helping young athletes led him to found Consolidated Sports Holding Ltd., which owns seven minor league baseball teams in Canada and the United States, a professional basketball franchise in Las Vegas in the World Basketball League, and the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League.
TRUSTEE Sean Etherington ’94
is president of Assante Wealth Management and a member of the executive management team of CI Financial Corp. As well, he is a director of the Mutual Fund Dealers Association Investor Protection Fund and a board member and co-founder of motionball for the Special Olympics, along with his brothers Mark ’92 and Paul ’95. motionball is a not-for-profit organization that aims to raise national awareness and funding for the Special Olympics. Sean is a past board member of Special Olympics Ontario.
TRUSTEE Chris Hind ’88
is senior principal of the CPP IB infrastructure investment department. Prior to joining CPP IB, Chris was managing director and head of energy M&A at CIBC Capital Markets where he spent 18 years in various roles within the investment banking and merchant banking divisions. Chris represents CPP IB as a director on the boards of Transportadora de Gas del Peru S.A. and Puget Sound Energy. He has previously held non-profit board positions with Boost and Wellspring on the finance, budget, and investment committees.
TRUSTEE Dr. Rick Mangat
co-invented the SPY Imaging System, a product that can be used in surgeries to assess blood flow and perfusion, thereby improving the outcomes for patients and assisting doctors across the world. Through this, Rick, father of Brennan ’24, co-founded NOVADAQ Technologies Inc., in 2000 and has held numerous positions within the company including the role of CEO from 2000 to 2003 and from 2016 until the company was sold in 2017 to Stryker Corporation.
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
31
THE
FACTOR
T
he future is looking bright for Xavier Henry ’19. The stellar hockey player stood out on defence at the 2019 MacPherson Tournament and was named MVP, winning the J.P. McClocklin Award. He graduated an Ontario Scholar in June and earned a full scholarship to the University of Maine. He is spending this year working on his game playing for the Chilliwack Chiefs of the British Columbia Hockey League. He can thank St. Andrew’s College and his teachers. He can be grateful to his mentor, Jeremy McIntosh ’92. He can extend his gratitude to Andrew Dalton ’78 and his wife, Julie, who provided a crucial scholarship for his two years as a boarding student in Sifton House.
But Xavier’s mother, Jennifer Oberding, gives credit to the network of Andreans that encouraged her son, supported him, and nurtured him. She also commends Xavier, the youngest of five children, who is enthusiastic, polite, and hard-working; he’s basically a great guy who has a talent on the ice and was given the opportunity to thrive as part of the SAC family. It all came down to connections. Xavier used to play hockey against Jeremy’s son at the AA level. Jeremy took a liking to Xavier and recognized his on-ice talent. When, at the age of 11, he got called up to AAA, “Jeremy became our cheerleader. Xavier was like a son to him,” Jennifer said. Jeremy contributed to Xavier’s hockey costs so he could continue playing and improving. At 16, Xavier was drafted to the Ontario Hockey League’s Hamilton Bulldogs, based 90 minutes from his home in Scarborough in the east end of Toronto, but he was hesitant to join as he’d have to move from home, plus it would deem him ineligible to play U.S. college hockey. Jeremy and Wade Arnott (Xavier’s agent, whose oldest son is a classmate of Xavier’s and younger son is in the Class of 2022) sat with Jennifer at a coffee shop near her apartment a couple of years ago and introduced the idea of a St. Andrew’s education for her son.
How did Xavier Henry ’19, who has four older siblings and is being raised by a single mom who works two jobs in the east end of Toronto, find his way to a prestigious independent school for boys in Aurora? It all comes down to connections. By Julie Caspersen
“Jeremy said, ‘If he’s going to leave home, he might as well leave home and get an amazing education,’” Jennifer recalled during a chat at the same coffee shop. She was sold on the fact that St. Andrew’s also offers an exceptional hockey development program. “It all happened very organically. I recognized that Xavier had all the academic potential, athletic drive, and talent but just needed the right platform to find his success. It didn’t take me long to realize that SAC and Xavier would be a perfect fit,” Jeremy said. So, Xavier, Jennifer, and Jeremy made the trek from Scarborough to Aurora for a tour of the campus and a meeting with Michael Roy ’85, Director of Admission, to discuss finances. Michael said Xavier was eligible for a bursary to support his Grade 11 and 12 education but cautioned that the School doesn’t offer full scholarships. Jeremy was quick to respond that he’d be responsible for the rest. Xavier was enrolled as both a recipient of the Dalton Family Bursary, supporting boys “of academic strength and athletic ability” since it was established in 1995, and
32 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
through the generosity of Jeremy, an engaged Old Boy. “Attending St. Andrew’s opened his eyes to things he didn’t think were doable,” Jennifer said. “He’s seen the magnitude of life as a successful person.” Xavier, too, recognizes the advantages he has been given: “Having the opportunity to board at the School provided me with the luxury of having everything I need to develop as a student, a hockey player, and a gentleman.” He and his mother used to travel five hours a day by bus, to and from rinks during the hockey season. As a St. Andrew’s student, the six-foot-five teen practiced his skills at the La Brier Family Arena on campus, giving him the time to keep up with his academic commitments, participate in the Focus Festival for the Arts, and earn his 100hour volunteer pin.
His athletic pursuits didn’t end at the rink, either. Xavier was named MVP of First Volleyball and, according to his coach, Claudio Numa, was very athletic and charismatic. “He turned out to be a feared and admired opponent. He was such a captivating and powerful hitter that at tournaments, he had teams staying behind cheering for him.” As well, Xavier made the First Lacrosse team, became a starter, and was a key contributor on defence despite having never picked up a lacrosse stick prior to attending St Andrew’s. “I couldn’t be prouder of the young man Xavier has become. I know SAC has been a huge part of that. Xavier is proof that the system at SAC is thriving,” Jeremy said. But things might have been different if Jennifer hadn’t wanted more for her family than what she had growing up, having only known life inside the boundaries of social housing. She made
it her mission to break the generational cycle of poverty, both financial and educational, for her five children and did what she could to expand their horizons. “I can open doors for my children and keep them believing that anything in life is achievable,” she said. Those doors to a bright future were held open by both Jeremy McIntosh and Andrew Dalton, and Xavier bounded through, willing to learn and play hard. “It is not lost on me how fortunate I am to have had this incredible, life-changing experience,” he wrote in a letter to the Daltons. “Hopefully, directly because of your good deed, I, too, will one day have the chance to give back in such a meaningful and compassionate way.” X
X
XAVIER IN ACTION
Left to right: Xavier playing First Volleyball; receiving the MacPherson Tournament MVP award from Jim McClocklin Jr. ’96; Xavier between his mother, Jennifer Oberding, and Jeremy McIntosh ’92 at the Grade 12 grad dinner.
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
33
ENDOWMENT VALUE GROWTH
Every 5 years since 1965 2019 $34,500,000 2014 $28,500,000 2009 $20,200,000 2004 $15,700,000 1999 $11,300,000
The first funded prize is established. The Wyld Prize in Latin distributed $25 for the first time in June 1907 and was handed out annually on Prize Day until June 1984.
SAC Board of Governors begins to save and manage a small reserve fund. The Classes of 1920-1922 Fund is founded.
1920
1907
1994 $5,600,000 1989 $1,800,000
Graham Campbell, a friend of Dr. Macdonald, leaves a significant portion of his estate to the College, initiating the first endowed scholarship and bursary. The Campbell Houses were named in his honour.
1984 $1,200,000 1979 $840,000 1974 $685,000 1969 $533,000 1965 $510,000
1955
The St. Andrew’s College Foundation is founded and incorporated, and the initial Board of Trustees is secured. Seven trustees originally sat on the committee with the primary responsibility of managing the investment of the Endowment Fund.
SAC Endowment Fund A brief history
T
he Endowment Fund is a significant pool of money the College draws on each year to support scholarships, bursaries, prizes, awards, and various school programs. The fund is a managed investment that, through donations and earned investment income, continues to grow year-over-year net of its annual disbursement.
1962
In the late 1920s, the SAC Board of Governors began to manage a savings account that would eventually become the endowment. Its value didn’t grow with much vigour until the 1950s when Graham Campbell, a friend of the School, bequeathed his estate to St. Andrew’s, thus spurring the incorporation of the St. Andrew’s College Foundation in 1962 and a new Board of Trustees that has since managed the fund. In actuality, the Endowment Fund is comprised of many smaller, unique endowed funds – 128 of them to be exact. Each one was founded and/or named after a particular donor, family member, or Andrean and has a unique purpose. The SAC endowment has grown to more than $34 million while contributing to an annual disbursement of approximately $2.7 million. As it continues to grow, so, too, does its impact on our students, all the while providing security and structure to the future of St. Andrew’s. 34 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
1907
1920
1955
102050
SAC ENDOWMENT & FUNDRAISING TIMELINE The first tribute fund is instituted for Ian Flemming ’46. In 2009, the Ian Flemming Award, donated by a group of his friends, is renamed the Ian & Michael Flemming Award to include Ian’s late son, Michael ’72, who passed away in 2009.
There have been many important developments in the history of St. Andrew’s College. Here is a snapshot of several marquee moments.
1968
The Ladies’ Guild Endowment Fund is created with its first donation of $14,000.
The Biafran Award is established to recognize a member of the staff or faculty who means the most to the graduating class. It is the only endowed award reserved for faculty/staff and was donated by B.G. Sara, father of Jim Sara ’71. A donation is made to hunger relief in the name of the winner.
The market value of the endowment reaches $20 million.
2007
1992
The School hosts its first Giving Day.
The first disbursement, a $100,000 contribution, from the Endowment Fund to the College takes place.
2016
1996
1971
The School announced the Legacy Campaign to bring the Endowment Fund to $100 million in combined assets.
The Andrean Legacy program is established by then-Director of Advancement, Jim Herder ’64, and Sandy Munro ’70, who was a Foundation Trustee. This life insurance program has grown to include more than 40 policies and now equates to $27 million in future gifts.
The SAC Endowment reaches the $1-million mark.
1983
The Dick Gibb Scholarship Fund is launched in his memory. His dedication and long-standing career with the School saw an outpouring of support for this scholarship, making it the most successful commemorative scholarship on record amassing a principle more than $1 million.
2019
1997
1986
1962
1968
60
1971
1983
7080
1986
1992
90
1996
1997
2007
00
2016
2019
20
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
35
THE WEATHERED STEP OF FLAVELLE HOUSE One of the characteristics of being old is that you can see how the passage of time has left its mark. Scars and wrinkles announce a life well-lived. The doorstep of Flavelle House, one of our original buildings – now 93 years old, has been eroded by the footsteps of boarders crossing its threshold since 1926. The gentle depression in the stone testifies to the comings and goings of thousands of Andreans.
36 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
IT’S
a regular occurrence to hear stories of connection between Old Boys who were not classmates. Whether they have connected through our alumni database, SAC Connect, or at a school event, the stories stretch far and wide. And sometimes, it is just through happenstance, as was the case for Kris Hatashita ’79 and Greg Hiltz ’81.
The pair did not know each other during their time at the College, but Greg’s father, Fred Hiltz, head of physics at the School, was friends with Kris’s father, John Hatashita. Fred was a judo student of John’s during his time studying for his master’s in physics at the University of Waterloo and they remained in touch after Fred completed his degree and joined SAC permanently. It was Fred who convinced John to send Kris to SAC. While Greg and Kris never interacted during their high school years, they ended up in the same class in second year at Waterloo studying physics.
FATHERS FIGURE IN FUTURE FRIENDSHIP By Nicolette Fleming
Fred was a beloved teacher and gifted educator from 1964 until his retirement in 1998. “It was Fred’s teaching and infectious love of physics that led me, and I imagine Greg, to study physics,” said Kris. Kris and Greg’s mutual interest in electromagnetic sciences drew them to be close friends, lab partners, and fellow exam crammers. After graduation, Greg went to Queen’s University to earn his PhD in physics while Kris started his career. A few years later, the friends reconnected when Kris sought out Greg’s many talents to help fulfill the requirements of a government project. Greg moved from Kingston to Ottawa and once the project was completed, they partnered up to form Seth Corporation and ISOTEC Corporation, two engineering companies that operated through the 1990s building software and hardware tools for electromagnetic applications in military and commercial markets.
Photo credit: Jerry Raimey
The two corporations eventually closed, but that did not end the working relationship.
Kris Hatashita ‘79 (far left) with Greg Hiltz ‘81, second from right, with colleagues at the IEEE Symposium in New Orleans, LA.
Through a mutual friend, both landed jobs at the Department of National Defence, Kris in 1999 and Greg in 2006. Kris is a subject matter expert on information security and electromagnetic compatibility and Greg is a technical authority on electromagnetic safety for the Canadian Armed Forces: “All fancysounding tech-speak for the stuff we learned way back as undergrads,” said Kris. Greg now sits on several international technical working groups related to electromagnetic sciences and Kris is on the board of directors for the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Electromagnetic Compatibility Society. Kris says Fred was a huge force in his life. “I can trace every good thing in my life – my marriage, my children, my career – to Fred and St. Andrew’s and the friendships I made there.” Kris is incredibly proud of his daughters: Ashley, 35, lives in Dallas, Texas, and is expecting her second child; Kaylie, 29, lives in Montreal and is a circus performer; Holly, 24, is working toward her second MSc at McMaster University; and Ellie, 18, is in her first year at McMaster and plays varsity volleyball. Greg met his wife, Morag, through a cycling club he used to organize, and they have happily settled in Ottawa where they enjoy an active lifestyle through cycling, cross-county skiing, kayaking, and hiking. Greg credits Kris for the opportunity to relocate to Ottawa, a move that turned out to be both professionally and personally rewarding. Greg and Kris make time to see each other outside of working hours, attending symposiums together on electromagnetic sciences. Kris says Greg and Morag are famous for organizing social functions, including their legendary annual Christmas dessert party, where they all share in a carbohydrate overdose. x Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
37
Class of ’94
Ryan Cole and Grant Nych, Class of ’09
Paul Ashworth, Paul Keating, and Kevin Yearwood, class of ’84 Andy Beckwith and John Mortimer, Class of ’79
Class of ’89
Class of ’14
38 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
Leslie Wong and Michael Choi, Class of ’99
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
39
40 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
For as long as St. Andrew’s has existed, so, too, have its housemasters. These are the people responsible for the mental and physical well-being of our boarding students. However, this school year, St. Andrew’s has opted to discard the reference to “master” and we now use the title “head of house” to refer to these surrogate parents who are leaders, confidants, referees, educators, coaches, and role models. But while the name has changed, how much has the actual job evolved over the decades? We have paired up an anonymous essay published in the 1903 Christmas edition of The Review, with a 2019 submission by Head of Memorial House, Michael Carroll. While you will be able to easily recognize how times have changed, even if just from your years at the School, the underlying theme of the essays is the same: a passion for the health and happiness of the boys in their care.
Head of Memorial House, Michael Carroll, with son, Mackenzie, 6, and dog, Fenway. Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
41
7:15 a.m.
There goes the bell-boy with the awaking bell. Just half an hour to bathe, shave, dress, and get over to the Main House to say grace for the boys, after which I shall have to walk around and see that they do not snatch at the toast, or in any way do any of the dreadful things which one did oneself when one was a healthy boy, and had no thought of ever being an atrabilious schoolmaster. It is one of the greatest trials in the life of every schoolmaster, who retains any trace of the milk of human kindness—and in some of us it is not totally dried up until comparatively late in life—that he almost invariably exhibits himself to the boys in the light of a restrainer of their natural instincts and desires. One comes in moments of depression to look upon one’s self as a sort of walking sign board, with the inscription “Bei Strafe verboten,” like the everlasting notice boards stuck up all over Germany. I suppose that the only true consolation is to go upon the principle of deferred results. Many a boy who looks upon one now as a mere spoil-sport, comes in after days to feel a gratitude for one’s very imperfect efforts, which has often brought the tears to my eyes, and filled my heart with gladness.
7:15 a.m.
Shutting off the alarm on my iPhone, I quickly shower, shave, and dress before heading downstairs to prepare breakfast for my six-yearold son, Mackenzie. After breakfast, Mac slowly dresses for school while I pack his lunch and backpack. As we are walking up the Memorial driveway toward the bus stop, Mac turns to me and says, “When I come to SAC, I will be able to walk to school with you!” Once he is on the school bus, I return to the Memorial residence where I am greeted by our goldendoodle, Fenway. She is lounging on a couch in the common room while several Grade 10 students organize the weekly sleep-in breakfast in the residential kitchen. Our young men will enjoy a late start to classes this Wednesday morning while our faculty attend professional development meetings in Wirth Theatre.
42 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
9 a.m.
Breakfast over, letters given out, warning bells rung, gong sounded, now comes prayers. I wonder whether it is by way of a joke that the Principal gives out as our opening hymn “From Greenland’s Icy Mountains.” If so, the joke is a grim one, for the furnace boy has forgotten to turn on the heat, and the atmosphere is Siberian.
12:30 p.m.
Morning school is over, and I still live. I have taught Latin, history, geography, French, and English grammar, switching from one to the other with an ease which suggests an uneasy fear that my work is growing mechanical. There must be a certain amount of method and mechanism in one’s teaching, or one mires both oneself and the boys in all sorts of morasses, but I dread becoming a mere gerund-grinder.
1:30 p.m.
School begins again. Carving for 14 boys is excellent practice. McA----- wanted to know at dinner if the boys might club together and buy a turkey. I referred him to the housekeeper. S----says that at his home they have ice-cream every day for dessert, and wants to know why he can’t have it here. This a fair sample of the complaints which all healthy boys invariably make. They are meant even by the maker in the Pick-wickian sense, and it is the height of folly for parents to give to such murmurs the exaggerated attention often paid to them. The late Archbishop Temple, when Head Master of Rugby, once said, “Boys are always reasonable, masters often, parents never.” I would like to quote that to the parent who writes that his son’s stomach cannot digest the coarse food given him at school. As for S----, he and I quite understand each other, and I compromise by giving him and W----- leave to the store to buy “Chelseas.”
3 p.m.
Then
& Now
School over for the day. Now comes an hour of detention. The coming of the Sergeant, who drills those who formerly sat in detention and wrote lines, has agreeably lightened our work. Now we only have to see that the “Non-Preps” do a certain quantity of work.
2:45 p.m. 10:30 a.m.
With the conclusion of my Grade 11 chemistry class, I am reminded about how fortunate I am to work with the talented laboratory technician. Despite the ongoing challenges of the science building renovations, we managed to prepare an amazing laboratory activity for the students that focused on critical thinking and inquirybased learning. I am now off to teach a Grade 11 economics class in the Centre for Leadership, Innovation & Performance.
After grabbing a quick lunch in Cole Hall, I walk across campus to Ackerman Field for the U16 Football practice. As I reach the bottom of the staircase, I am extremely pleased to see our amazing coaching staff hard at work with the young men. The defensive coaches are instructing safe-tackling drills in the south endzone while the offensive coaches are working on offensive line techniques and catching drills with receivers at the north end of the field. Our star quarterback is at mid-field working on his exchanges with our centre and running back. I blow my whistle to signal the start of the dynamic warmup routine. I am confident we will be a playoff contender this year.
6:15 p.m.
During the afternoon I superintended detention from 3 till 4 and returned to my room to find a lady who wished me to give a subscription to the Home for Half-Orphans. Next came a “parent,” who could not understand why dear Bertie cannot have a fire in his room at night. I once had a mother send me two safety-pins with the request that I pin in her offspring after he had gone to bed, as he had the habit of kicking off the clothes. Then came G-----, who wants me to use my influence with the Principal to have the College enter the O.H.A. He, being a boy, was reasonable. From then till now I have been correcting history essays. “Luther wanted a new religion, while Henry VIII only wanted a new wife,” says one in explanation of the form taken by the English Reformation as compared with the German. At present I am in the Dining Hall, again superintending their tea.
9:30 p.m.
Evening prayers and study are over; have been so indeed for fifteen minutes. On my return to my house I was met by a deputation who wished to know if they might “Wallapaloose” J----- for having taken all the jam at tea. I turned the matter over to the prefects, who I think can be trusted to combine cold justice with warm sympathy.
9:45 p.m. Lights out.
10 p.m.
On ascending to the top flat, I heard muffled shouts, and on entering the room of the brothers F-----, found Primus sitting astride Secundus, whacking him fiercely with a slipper, and questioning at intervals: “Now, will you say your prayers?” Secundus, tearful but militant, vociferating between strokes, “No, I won’t.”
10:15 p.m.
An unexpected splashing of water in the corner leads to an investigation. I discover C-----, in the room above, has arisen and poured his water-jug down a mouse-hole, with disastrous results to my carpet. A command that tomorrow morning he buy a mouse-trap out of his own pocket-money, seems a suitable and adequate punishment.
11 p.m.
At last my essays are finished. I must now prepare my work for next day, after which I must write some letters, if I can keep awake. What a lot those people know who say that a schoolmaster has short hours! Of course it isn’t every day that one has detention and study, but the strain is never wholly absent. Compare a gathering of teachers at the Ontario Educational Association with a gathering of business men, and see how lacking in vitality and ruddy energy we appear. Still, one has compensations. Long holidays, pleasant comradeship, and a dim feeling that after all, one is treading a higher path than that of the money-spinner, make up for much. If I had to choose over again, I would be a teacher. At least, I think so. Heigh-ho! Every other life has its drawbacks, but we always see most distinctly those of one’s own profession. Heigh-ho! I think that I shall go to bed. Once asleep, I am as good as His gracious Majesty himself.
House Master, 1903
8:30 p.m. 7 p.m.
As part of our evening Residential Life programming, we have interhouse soccer tonight at the Aurora Dome. With Varsity Soccer players away for a game at Appleby College, we filled the team roster with younger boarders and they narrowly lost to a talented senior Flavelle team by a score of 1-0. As we prepare for a second match against Macdonald House, our guys start cheering loudly as six Varsity players sprint across the pitch. I am incredibly proud of the camaraderie, brotherhood, and house spirit I’m witnessing as our guys proceed to win three straight matches and the interhouse championship.
Emilia Macdonald, Assistant Head of Memorial House, has started evening study, and the boys are hard at work in their respective rooms or in supervised study in McLaughlin Hall. Tired and happy, the soccer team and I arrive late to study. Before sending them off to their rooms, I promise them a chicken wing dinner to celebrate their success, which elicits one final exuberant cheer. At 10 p.m., we conclude study and open the residential kitchen for an evening snack of sandwiches, yogurt, and cereal. Our guys have 45 minutes to relax and eat, before locking up their electronics in their individual lockers and preparing for lights out.
11 p.m. Our Grade 11 floor captains have completed their check-in of Grade 9 and 10 boarders. I proceed to walk each floor to verify that their lights remain off and to ensure that Grade 11s and 12s are preparing for bed. I start the lights-out process for senior students at 11:15 p.m., but I decide to grant exceptions to several students who need extra time because they wanted to read. I am very pleased to see a growing number of students detach from the behavioural addiction of cellphones by reading a book before bed. The house is now eerily quiet, so I finally sit at my desk to complete some marking and make final preparations for tomorrow’s classes. I suddenly realize that I need to “practice what I preach,” so I close my laptop, grab the novel I am reading, and head to bed. Michael Carroll, Head of Memorial House, 2019 X
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
43
SPORTS ROUNDUP It was another great spring and fall for athletics at St. Andrew’s, with an assortment of medals earned in the Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association.
44 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
PREVIOUS PAGE, FROM TOP: Bryce Neil ’20, 1st Golf Oruese Erivwo ’20, 1st Rugby Jalen Gu ’19, 1st Badminton Ethan Tavares ’26, U12 Soccer 1st Cricket 1st Volleyball Owen Hollett ’21, 1st Volleyball Andrew boland ’19 1st Lacrosse THIS PAGE, FROM TOP: David Buckley ’22, U16 Volleyball Sebastian Kinsey ’22, U16B Soccer Daniel Iwai ’22, U16 Volleyball Luis Valencia Mondragon ’24 Cross-Country Nathan Falconi ’20, 1st Football Christopher Marton ’20 1st Soccer Anthony Lio ’23, U16 Football Ronan Woodroffe ’22 1st Soccer Neebin Elliott ’20, Triathlon
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
45
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: From East Africa to St. Andrew’s College By Adrian Bradbury
G
eoffrey Ogenrwot ’21 became a soccer scholar pioneer at St. Andrew’s College.
In 2018, the Ugandan native arrived on campus at Canada’s largest all-boys boarding school from East Africa’s only full-time residential soccer academy and scholarship program, Football for Good (FFG). FFG recognizes that talent and desire are equally distributed across the globe, but opportunity is not. SAC was drawn to that truth and FFG’s aim to nurture and inspire talented boys and girls in East Africa to be brave, to lead by example, and to believe in their ability to transform themselves, their communities, and the world. And, from the moment Geoffrey was offered a place at SAC, the endless list of “firsts” kicked off, including his first-ever flight, which finally landed him in Toronto. Geoffrey, a crafty left-footed winger who’s already had a series of training placements with Toronto FC, may have been the first FFG scholar to go abroad, but he wasn’t alone for long. In September, his former teammate and classmate at FFG, Kenyan-born Ali Gharib ’22, arrived at his new home in Canada: on campus as Geoffrey’s roommate in Memorial House. Ali is a determined student with a gift for mathematics while bringing a level of creativity and ingenuity to the soccer field that has already earned him a call up to the Kenyan U20 national team. Both boys are valuable members of SAC’s First Soccer team, which aims to deliver pathways to the best universities in North America through empowering talent in academics, character, and the “beautiful” game. Both boys are still finding their legs in Canada and when you’re 12,000 kilometres from home, there’s no shortage of surprises. So, we asked them what it’s been like to be a world away from East Africa and what their first impressions are of their new home.
46 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
Q&A WITH G&A Q: WHAT SURPRISED YOU MOST WHEN YOU LANDED IN CANADA? GEOFFREY: Right away I noticed there are so many different people from many countries and cultures. That doesn’t exist at home. Being in Canada gives us a great opportunity to better understand and appreciate not just this country, but the world. ALI: I was shocked that there were so many cars on the roads and so few people. Even the high-schoolers are driving, which doesn’t start until age 18 in Kenya. At home, there are so many people walking around and getting to their destination on foot. That’s a big difference with the development in Canada and the poverty that we live through in Kenya and Uganda.
Q: WHAT DID YOU FIND MOST UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR INITIAL DAYS AT ST. ANDREW’S COLLEGE? GEOFFREY: Definitely the teachers. I love the dedication of the staff at SAC and their focus on preparing us to do well and excel at university. In Uganda, your success as a student is left to you alone. Here, everyone is a part of what you achieve in the classroom. ALI: Doing all our work on a laptop has been a big challenge. I’m already improving, but I was so used to doing all my assignments on paper. But I love that we get to sleep in and have shorter days, so we can do better work. In Kenya, we would be in the classroom from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day!
Q: YOU’RE BOTH OFF TO A GREAT START AT SAC, BUT THERE MUST STILL BE A FEW THINGS YOU MISS ABOUT HOME. GEOFFREY: Of course, I miss my family and the boys at Football for Good. They’ve shared my journey and I want to keep them connected every step of the way. And while the food is amazing at SAC, I do miss a taste of home, including local beans and posho. ALI: I really miss my baby sister. I would like to be close to her as she grows up. I left for Canada when she was just one, and I miss her so much when I see pictures and videos. But I also know I can do so much more for her with success here at SAC and beyond. X
GEOFFREY OGENRWOT ’21
ALI GHARIB ’22
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
47
By Sean Maillet
48 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
Clockwise from top left: Robert with SAC campers; rubber chicken fun; a stop at Dairy Queen; Head of School Kevin McHenry’s jersey presentation; Town of Aurora Yonge St. sign.
O
n an otherwise quiet summer day on campus, an apricot-coloured Ford Mustang convertible pulled up beside Memorial Chapel with Robert Thomas ’17 and the Stanley Cup in the backseat.
Robert had just finished an impressive rookie season with the St. Louis Blues, putting up 33 points in 70 games, while playing a prominent role in the Blues’ historic midseason turnaround. In the playoffs, he suited up for another 21 games and signs of the long battle were visible when Robert walked across the Quad on July 29 with a big toothless grin, carrying the Cup with a cast on his left wrist. Despite the battle wounds, there was certainly no pain felt. Instead, it was all smiles with plenty to be happy about. Robert had returned to the school he grew up at, the school from which his younger brother, Connor ’19, just graduated, to spend a significant portion of his day with the Cup, celebrating with faculty, staff, and the entire SAC summer camp.
The Quad was Robert’s first stop for some photos around Lord Stanley with family and friends—highlighted, of course, when he lifted the Cup high above his head in the place that, come wintertime, turns into an outdoor rink where he surely spent time as a student. “A lot of my close friends to this day come from St. Andrew’s so this is a really special place for me and my family,” Robert said, reflecting on his time at SAC. From there, Robert hopped on a golf cart with the Cup and made his way to the Yuill Family Athletic Complex, where 300 young campers, along with SAC faculty and staff, anxiously awaited his arrival. Chants of “Ro-bert! Robert!” echoed from the bleachers as he pulled up to mid-field. Group by group, the children and their camp counsellors took turns getting photos with Robert and the Stanley Cup. It was obvious how much this meant to Robert. “I grew up in these kids’ camps, and it’s great that I
am going to be able to share this day with you guys,” he said to the crowd. After what was likely a record-setting number of high-fives, Robert and his family took the stage for a special gift from Head of School, Kevin McHenry. “I think it is safe to say that the name on the back of the jersey deserves special and unique recognition,” Kevin said as he presented Robert a St. Andrew’s Varsity Hockey jersey with “Thomas” stitched on the back. “Robby, congratulations on bringing the Stanley Cup home to Aurora, and sharing it with your St. Andrew’s family.” Following the stop at SAC, Robert and his family celebrated all over Aurora and everything from infants and small dogs to rubber chickens and ice cream found their way into the bowl of the Stanley Cup. The day wrapped up at the Thomas home as the family hosted a street party complete with food trucks, his mom’s homemade cookies, and—you guessed it—more photos with the Stanley Cup. X Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
49
COMMUNITY NEWS Patricia Broughton
and her husband, Wayne, dropped by the campus in June while visiting Canada from their home in Florida. Patricia worked at SAC for five years in the 1970s as secretary to the former Executive Director of the SAC Foundation, Jim Hamilton ’33. The Advancement/Administration Office was in the basement in those days and Patricia remembers sharing the hallway with Toronto Argonauts players who used the campus for training. Patricia said she thinks fondly about her time at SAC and was pleased to see some familiar areas of the School and amazed at the new facilities added to the campus since she was last here more than 40 years ago.
Jon Butcher
and Melissa Mancini had a spectacular beach wedding on August 22 in Mexico on the Yucatan Peninsula. Jon pulled out an acoustic 12-string Fender guitar and sang his vows to his surprised bride. Jon, who joined St. Andrew’s as a physics teacher in 1999, is currently the School’s Coordinator of Data Innovation and Administration. Jon and Melissa, a physical education and health educator at Hillfield Strathallan College in Hamilton, Ont., coach senior rugby teams at their respective schools.
Colby Dockerty
married Kate Nosad on March 15 in the Riveria Maya, Mexico, with 70 friends and family in attendance. Colby joined St. Andrew’s in 2015 and teaches in the Middle School.
Deanna Harris
returns to the College as a permanent teacher in the Math Department. She received a bachelor of science (hons.) and a bachelor of education from Brock University.
Claudio Numa
married Yalina Espinosa Abreu on July 29 in Varadero, Cuba. Claudio is Head of Ramsey House, a Spanish and French teacher, and Head Coach of Varsity Volleyball.
Marke Jones
married Juliet Bell Kennedy on July 27 at Sturgeon Point Union Church in the Village of Sturgeon Point, Ont. The SAC connections ran deep: the Zadra brothers, Luca ’17 (far right) and Davide ’20 (far left), piped and drummed, and Marke and Juliet learned that Mrs. J.W. Flavelle commissioned the construction of the unique octagonal-shaped church in 1915. Lady Flavelle is the wife of Sir Joseph Flavelle, a benefactor to the School; a boarding house built in 1926 was named after him. Both Marke and Juliet bring a son named Oliver to the family of five children. Marke is Head of Science at St. Andrew’s and Juliet is a primary-junior French teacher at Holy Trinity School in Richmond Hill. The couple lives in Newmarket.
Natalie McNair
and her husband, Jeff, welcomed a son, Joshua, on August 30, a brother for Jack, 2, and Charlotte, 5. Natalie has taught French in the Middle School since 2010.
SAC was represented at the wedding by, from left, Tanya Weedon, Associate Head of University Counselling, Claudia Rose-Donahoe, Middle School faculty, CC Chang, IT Services Coordinator, and Terry Prezens, Course Director of Computer Science and Engineering.
Melissa Ramon
completed the Mont-Tremblant Ironman triathlon in the summer along with her husband, Keith Ramon, an Upper School English teacher. Melissa completed the 3.8-kilometre swim, 180-km bike, and 42-km run in 15:54.51. She is the School’s teacher-librarian. The couple’s oldest son, Owen ’27, started Grade 5 in September and the family lives in Sifton House where Keith is Head of House. They have a younger son, Duncan, 8.
Samantha Scheepers
has taken on the position of Head of Smith House and is the new Course Director of the AP Capstone program. She joined St. Andrew’s in 2012 as an English teacher in the Upper School.
Jessica Zhou
Jamie Murrellhe
Kevin Gate
will continue his role on a permanent basis in the Science Department, and as Assistant Head of Memorial House.
50 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
and his partner welcomed a daughter, Emma Marie, on July 14. Jamie is an attendant in the La Brier Family Arena.
married Chester Yang on August 9 in a small civil ceremony in Richmond Hill. Chester is a teacher with the Durham District School Board and Jessica teaches in the Science Department. Before arriving at St. Andrew’s in 2018, Jessica taught math and science in China for four years. X
SAC ON INSTAGRAM
There’s always so much going on around campus, and SAC’s Instagram account captures it all. Here are some of the top-performing posts from the last few months. Follow along @standrewscollege1899 for more!
Congratulations to Devlin O’Brien ’20 and Mark Hillier ’20 for signing their National Letter of Intent to play hockey at Merrimack College. #boysofSAC
Grade 7s at the Aurora Innovation Fair presented their concept, “Recycle Bot” to a panel of judges, as well as Mayor Tom Mrakas! #boysofSAC
Staff and students wearing orange shirts today to recognize the devastating impact residential schools had on First Nations communities and to honour the survivors. #EveryChildMatters #OrangeShirtDay
Grade 11 students using teamwork to complete tasks as part of their leadership training. #boysofSAC
Mr. Stewart’s view from inside the doors of Memorial Chapel this morning.
Look good in your SAC gear this fall with some of the newest items available at the Campus Shop.
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
51
SERVICE NEAR & FAR
Clockwise from top left: The SAC team at the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event put on by the Yellow Brick House to help end violence against women. From left, Spencer Thomson ’22, David Buckley ’22, and Dante Gallo ’21; SpringSmash raised more than $33,000 for Jumpstart, a charity that provides sporting opportunities to children in Aurora. From left, Isaac Boer-Hersh, Coulson Link, Owen Laffey, Noah Hulton, Andrew Boland, and Sam Crowder, all from the Class of 2019; Twenty boys went on a Habitat for Humanity trip to Neyaashiinigmiing Reserve at Cape Croker, helping build houses on the reserve. From left, Sam Lombard, Andrew Scott, and Zachary Kolm, all from the Class of 2020; Our ‘Mo Bros’ grew moustaches and raised funds and awareness for men’s health issues during Movember; Unstoppable Tracy brought her message of positivity and resilience to the School. She is pictured with Angus Murray, a faculty member in the Outdoor and Experiential Education program. 52 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
Fifteen boys and two faculty members visited Tanzania from August 2 to 24 on the annual SASSAW (St. Andrew’s Society for Service Around the World) trip. In Moita, a Maasai village, the boys helped build a classroom for the local children. One of the tasks was to lay cement. The students also took part in an eight-day hike up Mount Kilimanjaro, with its summit of 5,895 metres, trekking the challening Lemosho route. SASSAW gives students an opportunity to do community service on a global scale and to develop an appreciation for life in vastly different cultures.
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
53
OLD BOYS PROFILES & NEWS
This edition’s PROFILES:
BRIAN ’75, SCOTT ’81, & JAY SMITH ’05 Ahead by a Century
RON PICKERING ’58 Art for Art’s Sake
HUSSEIN FAZAL ’00 Start Me Up...
MICHAEL ZHANG ’10
Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained 54 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
Scott Smith ’81, Jay Smith ’05, and his dad, Brian Smith ’75, at one of the JDSmith facilities in Vaughan, Ont. Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
55
THE SMITHS BIG WHEELS KEEP ON TURNING By Jim McGillivray
I
t all started in 1919 when John Dudley Smith and his brother-in-law bought a truck and began taking on cartage jobs in the west end of Toronto. One hundred years later, the company continues, with two of J.D.’s grandsons at the helm and a great-grandson in the ranks. Scott Smith ’81 is president and CEO of JDSmith, his brother, Brian ’75, is senior vice-president, and Brian’s son, Jay ’05, is operations manager. Growth was not meteoric by any means. It wasn’t until Scott and Brian’s father, Doug, and his brother, Jack, 56 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
joined the business in the late 1940s that JDSmith began to steadily expand its trucking operation to become a fixture in the industry within Ontario. “By the late 1960s and early ’70s, the company was getting requests from customers for short-term storage and basic warehousing services,” explains Scott. “This was a natural service extension for the business and warehousing services began to become a staple offering at JDSmith.”
Over and above what I learned from my courses, St. Andrew’s opened up the world to me. It provided me with my closest friends and a support network for the rest of my life.
Brian had been at St. Andrew’s for seven years, followed by two at Seneca
– Scott Smith ’81
College, before he joined the company in 1976. “Brian’s passion has always been on the operations side of the business,” says Scott. “At some point, he has performed pretty much every function on the transportation side of the business.” Scott took a little longer to come into the fold. In fact, he took a little longer to commit to St. Andrew’s College. “I was a tennis player attending Bradenton Academy in Florida,” he recalls. “I met Bob Bedard (former Headmaster) at a tournament and he encouraged me to follow in Brian’s footsteps for my last two high school years.”
and added enhancements such as specialized co-packing services, dedicated fleet services, and, ultimately, a full Canadian logistics solution for their customers. For U.S.-based clients, Scott explains, “access to the Canadian market is important, but they need a partner to provide the transportation, warehousing, and distribution logistics here.”
Scott says it was one of the best decisions he has ever made. “Those were two of the best years of my life,” he says. “Over and above what I learned from my courses, St. Andrew’s opened up the world to me. It provided me with my closest friends and a support network for the rest of my life. Sure, I learned how to have fun with my peers, but the biggest thing I learned was that it could actually be cool to work hard and do well at school.” There were also new experiences, some of which initially pushed him out of his comfort zone, including starting Cadets as a lowly Lance Corporal in his Grade 12 year. After SAC, Scott earned his undergraduate degree in economics from Western University, then worked with a building products manufacturer. “It was always in the back of my mind that I would join the business at some point,” he says. “But it was important for me to get some outside experience. My father encouraged it, and that was good for my personal growth and for the business.” Scott joined JDSmith in 1986 and became president 10 years later. During this decade, the company refined its integrated transportation and inventory management offerings
the company would remain in good hands over time.” Jay always thought he might join the family firm after he earned his undergraduate degree in Dalhousie University’s commerce co-op program. “Jay was looking at some career options outside of the company,” Scott recalls with a smile. “We were quite busy with a large new client and I suggested he come work for us while he decided what to do, no strings attached. He did, and he realized pretty quickly that he had a passion for the operations and fleet side of the business, much like his father. And we also realized pretty quickly that he was extremely competent. Not only that, having him come in as a younger guy made us older guys realize that we needed some renewal and fresh thinking.” With 2019 signalling the 100th anniversary of the founding of JDSmith, the family planned some celebrations, though the fanfare was low key.
Jay Smith ’05 and classmate, Sinclair Bean.
The firm now has 200 full-time employees, including Sinclair Bean ’05, who is a customer experience manager, and Scott and Brian are proud of the corporate culture they have nurtured since inheriting it from their father, who passed away in 2002. “Our father instilled a culture of integrity and quality in the business. He set a high standard for quality and he would not deviate from that. He wasn’t the easiest guy to work for, but he also cared passionately for his employees and treated them like family. We’ve tried to maintain and stay true to those values,” Scott says. “The employees made it easy for me when I joined in 1986. The arrival of Brian’s son, Jay, signalled that
“We held an employee day for families,” says Scott. “We wrapped some of our trailers with anniversary messages and I’m sure we’ll get some recognition through trade magazines and industry events. It’s a milestone we’re proud of, but we think we’re still in the middle of our journey so it will be understated.” Today, JDSmith operates out of four locations in Vaughan, just north of Toronto. Scott and his wife, Kathy, who have three sons, live in Toronto; Brian and his wife, Pam, who have two sons, live in Aurora, as do Jay, his wife, Katie, and their two sons. X
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
57
RON PICKERING ’58 PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST By Chris Traber
O
ptioning an octogenarian’s privilege, Ron Pickering ’58 delivers his world view in a candid, unapologetic, and droll fashion.
A renowned Prince Edward County watercolour painter and art teacher, the 80-year-old lives with his wife, Lynn, in the country home, studio, and gallery they built outside of Picton, Ont., in 1993. Ron’s reminiscences of SAC, where he was a Grade 12 and 13 boarder, are a meld of melancholy and affection. Born in Hamilton, Ont., and raised in Toronto, the teen with a creative spirit was trepidatious about the College in the pastoral hinterland of the 1950s. When Ron applied to St. Andrew’s, he met with geography teacher Dick Gibb. “I asked if they gave art lessons,” he says. While the art lessons didn’t materialize, disappointed but undaunted, Ron endured. “It was a strict school, lots of rules and regulations and old fashioned,” he says. “I have to say that obliged me to study more. St. Andrew’s was a great prep school geared to get students into the university system of the 1950s. The academic focus was kind of narrow with studies mostly leading to law, medicine, and engineering.”
58 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
University wasn’t on the horizon for Ron after SAC.
More recently he has challenged himself with portraits. A whimsical watercolour of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards suggests he’s up to the task.
“I worked,” he says of his career in textile sales between Toronto and Montreal.
“He has a beautiful, interesting face and gnarled hands,” Ron says. “I wonder how he’s still alive, let alone still playing.”
While SAC didn’t influence him artistically, Ron says he enjoyed the experience. He cherishes the camaraderie and numerous lifelong friendships with classmates.
He displays his creations and instructs budding artists at his homebased Red Roof Gallery. Active in the local artistic community, he also exhibits at Picton’s Arts on Main Gallery. He taught at the Kingston School for Art for 15 years and continues to teach at Loyalist College. Ron also has media credentials, having served as former host of Painting with Pickering, a cable television series that continues to air in reruns throughout Ontario.
“I made fine friends,” he says. “Regrettably, most are gone or are ailing.” Among the Old Boys he remembers fondly are classmates Dave Denison, Tim Crocker, Henry Wilson, John Martinelli, and Bob Dack along with Bill Snider ’59 and Mayer Lawee ’59. Admittedly, he acknowledges much has changed in the secondary school and university systems since he was a student six decades ago. His perceptions were confirmed when he attended his 25-year reunion and most recently his 50-year class celebration in 2007. “I remember that everything was physically the same at the 25th,” he says. “At the 50th I was pleased to discover the beautiful new arts centre, one of the finest art education facilities I’ve ever seen.” Ron tips his hat to Alf Wirth ’59 who was instrumental in funding the eponymous Wirth Art Centre. Today, some 40 years since launching his artistic calling in earnest, Ron’s talent has earned accolades and paycheques. Watercolour is his forte and rural landscapes are his passion. His approach to the genre is more controlled than traditional work in the medium, he explains.
The artist amongst some of his work at home in Prince Edward County.
“I am looking for a sense of realism with textures and contrasts,” he says. “The subjects I choose are often old buildings or objects that may be disappearing with time. My paintings are a form of preservation and I hope they evoke pleasant memories.”
His plethora of awards include Artist of the Year 2002 and Best of Show 2007 at the Prince Edward County Fair, and People’s Choice Award 2006 at Quinte Art Council’s Expression. Ron’s commissioned works reside in the homes of private clients and several of his watercolours have been published as magazine covers including County Magazine and Gam, a journal for sailing devotees. He prescribes to the notion that good art is a window and great art is a door. It is Ron’s hope that his art inspires others to want to step inside. X
He savours the vibrant hues of nature and seasons and adroitly captures landscapes, creatures, and people. Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
59
HUSSEIN FAZAL ’00 A STARTUP WITH A DASH OF CURRY By Chris Traber
‘S
uccess isn’t about being a genius,” says Hussein Fazal ’00, CEO and co-founder of SnapTravel. “It’s about working hard and having a strong team.” And it doesn’t hurt when his burgeoning artificial intelligence hotel booking enterprise attracts a superstar athlete as a supporter and investor. Cool as the underside of a pillow and just as comfortable in jeans and a T-shirt, Hussein greets you at his company’s Toronto headquarters four floors above trendy Queen Street West. Ushered past reception, one witnesses a hive of activity, computer screens, and glass-walled offices where the transparent encasements double as white boards festooned with diagrams, numbers, and high-tech lingo. Congenial and modest, the 38-yearold, a St. Andrew’s College day boy from
60 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
1994 to 2000 (his brother, Abbas Fazal, was in the Class of 1999) humbly recounts his string of startup successes leading to SnapTravel.
50 staffers in Toronto, 80 in the Philippines, satellite offices in Spain and Turkey, and a $100M US gross in three years.
After graduating from the University of Waterloo with a mathematics BA (honours computer science) in 2005, Hussein worked as a senior software developer at Bell Canada until 2008 when his desire to become a tech entrepreneur was kindled in earnest.
SnapTravel is elegantly evolutionary and revolutionary, allowing users to book hotels via cellphone messaging, including Messenger, WhatsApp, and SMS, as opposed to website apps. Plus, users never receive spam.
He co-founded AdParlor, a Facebook advertising optimization company. He sold the business with 100 employees in eight countries and $100M in revenue to AdKnowledge in 2011 and stayed on until 2014.
“People don’t want to download apps,” says Hussein. “Most communicate by messaging because it’s easier and super convenient. SnapTravel is like having a good friend who’s also a travel agent that can get you better pricing.”
After travelling and volunteering in East Africa and South East Asia for several years, Hussein returned home with an idea. Today, that vision has manifested into SnapTravel with
Clients seeking discounted hotels register an account gratis and receive destination details and prices via automated agents and humans. Users can also option price reduction alerts.
Hussein’s business acumen paid dividends when the Telstra Ventures Fund sought to invest in SnapTravel. One of the fund’s clients is none other than six-time NBA all-star Steph Curry, point guard for the Golden State Warriors who battled the Toronto Raptors in this year’s NBA Finals. Curry liked what he saw and invested. “Steph came to our offices and did a Q&A with our staff,” says Hussein. “After Game 4 of the NBA finals, he did his post-game media interview wearing our SnapTravel hat. That’s great branding.” While he’s laser focused on the future, Hussein reflected on his days as a teen commuting daily from his Richmond Hill, Ont., home to St. Andrew’s. Selfdefined as an average student, he played basketball and soccer on school teams. He realized early on that seizing the
opportunities afforded by St. Andrew’s would shape his life and career. He pays homage to his teachers. His physiology teacher, David Galajda, gave him perspective, he says. “I remember him recognizing the effort I was putting in and letting me see the relationship between hard work and good grades. The theme of my life and entrepreneurship is a baseline of smarts and hard work.” Hussein credits the “methodical teaching rooted in strong, clear logic” from math instructor, Bob Perrier, for his mathematical foundation. “My French teacher, Michel Cameron, was a super happy and bubbly guy who was fun to be around,” says Hussein, adding that he won the French Prize in 1999.
And William Scoular’s English classes were interesting and challenging, recalls Hussein. “I remember studying Shakespeare and how he was very accepting of everyone’s different interpretations of his work.” His teachers gifted him with a strong, lifelong work ethic, Hussein says: “My biggest takeaway from St. Andrew’s is that if you work hard you can achieve your dreams.” X
My biggest takeaway from St. Andrew’s is that if you work hard you can achieve your dreams. – Hussein Fazal ’00
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
61
S
ince graduating from St. Andrew’s College, Michael Zhang ’10 has been on a globetrotting trajectory accentuated by achievements both personal and professional. However, one of his most monumental highlights is the recent birth of his first child. In late October, Michael and his wife, Rachel, welcomed their first child, a boy, named Leo. “It’s been an exciting year for us,” he adds from his Manhattan, New York, home and business base, where they moved in June. After completing Grades 6 through 12 as a boarder at SAC, Michael attended New York University (NYU) majoring in economics with double minors in psychology and business. He graduated cum laude with dean’s list distinctions in 2014. While at NYU, he founded his first company, JWF Capital, in 2013. The enterprise focused on private equity in real estate. Michael made one of the largest sales of the quarter and was invited to appear on Season 3 of Million Dollar Listings, a popular reality television show. Michael returned to Chengdu, Sichuan, China in 2015 to start his second company, Walnut, a co-operative catering to multi-size businesses and startups. “With one of the strongest brands in the region, we manage more than 100,000 square feet of office space, hosting more than 200 businesses and startups,” he says.
MICHAEL ZHANG ’10 SPIRIT OF THE EAST AND WEST By Chris Traber
62 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
Three years later, on the back of Walnut, he created his third company, SpacesForce, a property technology company focused on helping facility owners and management operate their buildings more efficiently. The company, he notes, is valued at an equivalent of $13.8M Cdn. The success of SpacesForce was spawned with Michael auditioning and appearing on Maker China, a Chinese television program similar to Canada’s Dragon’s Den. The show allows entrepreneurs to pitch startups to some of Asia’s most prominent venture investors. Michael walked away with
a pair of million-dollar offers, he says proudly. “I also found the SAC Old Boy network to be especially helpful for this venture as many of them located in the region have either opened up new partnerships for our business or are looking to invest in the business,” Michael says.
His 2017 Toronto wedding featured five classmates as groomsmen: Philip Kwan, Russell Kwan, Corey Tang, Matthew Wong, and Sam Lim. Michael made the most of his six years at St. Andrew’s, playing football, rugby, and basketball. He was involved in the Focus Festival of the Arts and served as Lieutenant in the #142 Highland Cadet Corps.
Michael’s focus on the future is clear: “I want to use my experience to make organizations successful and invest in companies that help people,” he says. “Down the road I also want to give back to St. Andrew’s in some form.” X
There are so many memories. Every SAC boy takes those with him and looks back with pride. St. Andrew’s will always be my second home.
AND NOW FOR THE
No matter where in the world he happens to be, Michael maintains a deep connection to St. Andrew’s. He wears his SAC grad ring with pride. “It’s absolutely meaningful,” he says. “Other than my wedding band, it’s the only other ring I wear.”
“There are so many memories. Every SAC boy takes those with him and looks back with pride. St. Andrew’s will always be my second home. I feel like I grew up there,” he says. “My advice to SAC boys is to enjoy every moment you have because when it’s over you’ll look back and wish you had more.”
OLD BOYS NEWS
With the entrepreneurial experience he garnered in China, he decided to move operations westward. “I will also be devoting a portion of my time and energy to investing in high-growth technology companies as well as healthcare startups.”
While he credits his family for his entrepreneurial DNA, he praises his SAC teachers for helping develop his skills. He credits the late Robert Giel, former Head of Business Studies, for providing pivotal business advice. His gym teacher and Memorial co-Head of House, the late Ann Perrier, provided valuable mentoring. Rugby coach, Stuart Swan, who retired as Head of University Counselling in 2017, helped Michael process his U.S. university applications. Physics teacher, Jamie Inglis ’91, who is now the Coordinator of Student Life, connected him to the School’s military training program.
– Michael Zhang ’10
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
63
1944
1959
Charles Eddis
Jim Dunn
celebrated his 93rd birthday on July 7 and said he spends his time reading. He reported the book he was enjoying this summer was Crusade and Jihad, a large authoritative book on north-south relations, the north centered until recently in Europe, the south from the south side of the Mediterranean. He and his wife, Nancy, celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on July 23.
1956 Bill Holmes
and his wife, Marjorie Henson, took in the sights of SAC during a visit from their home in White Rock, B.C., in September. They were visiting a friend in Ontario and decided to drop in at the School for a tour and lunch. Bill stopped by his former room in Sifton House (Fourth House during his time) and joked that he and classmate, David Kitchen, kept it much tidier than the current students.
graduated from SAC in 1959 and went on to study engineering physics at the University of Toronto. He spent 37 years working in technology, first with IBM and later retiring from Amdahl in 1999 as the district manager for Ottawa. Retirement has been good to Jim; he spends his summers in Georgian Bay playing golf, kayaking, socializing, and following his passion for photography. Winters are spent downhill skiing at Camp Fortune in Chelsea, Que., and chasing the sun in various locations such as Arizona, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, and Guatemala. Jim and his wife, Judy, have two daughters and three grandchildren, who Jim says keeps him running around when they visit. The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2016 with friends at the Badminton and Racquet Club in Toronto and small special events with their children. The couple lives in Nepean, Ont.
Julian Payne
visited SAC in July and stayed with Jim McGillivray, Executive Director of Pipes & Drums, (right) to share their common passion for Celtic music. Julian started playing the pipes at SAC in 1954 and said, “Throughout my life, my pipes have been my constant companion, even longer than my wife, Patricia! Starting piping at SAC has given me continuing pleasure ever since.” Julian moved to the Philippines in 1994 to represent Canada on the board of directors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and since 2009 has been president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. Prior to working at ADB, Julian had a diverse career: service in the Royal Canadian Navy as a pilot flying the anti-submarine aircraft, editor of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs monthly, International Canada, senior treasury board official for reviewing budgets of Canada’s social programs, Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) regional director for the Caribbean, Canadian high commissioner to Guyana and ambassador to Suriname, and CIDA vice-president, Asia. At 63, he entered the private sector with his company, Techrep Inc., now marketing and distributing high-tech proenvironmental and energy-saving products. In 2011, Julian donated to SAC more than 150 new and out-of-print pipe music books from his large collection.
1957 Jim Wyse
and Gord Robertson ’55 (left) played together on a hockey team of men 80 and older in Parksville, B.C., in September. Jim reported they won two out of their three games, adding, “the scores don’t matter when you realize that there were four teams in this tournament in which every player was 80 or more years old. Incredible!” He said although he and Gordie never played together on any SAC teams due to their three-year age difference, the two have spent a lot of time together on and off the ice since Jim moved to British Columbia in 1968. Jim’s grandson, Fynn McNolty ’22, is in his first year at SAC.
64 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
grandchild.
Jim Dunn ’59 with his co-pilot, Marley, his youngest
1960
Tony Fell
Douglas Close
and his wife, Shari, travelled with 10 family members to Botswana and Zimbabwe in June for a safari and spent three days in Cape Town. Tony, who retired as chairman of RBC Capital Markets in 2008, continues to spend his days at the office focusing on private equity investments and doing community work for the arthritis division at Toronto Western Hospital. Since Tony’s last note in The Andrean, he has been inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame and the Investment Industry of Canada Hall of Fame.
sold his business, Direct Communications Marketing, last year and is enjoying retirement in Vancouver with his wife, Lorraine. He said he’s loving the free time to do a little more sailing.
1969
1970
Christopher Dixon
Paul Kitchen
retired at the end of August. In 2016, he and a friend circumnavigated Iceland, travelling on BMW GS motorcycles. In 2018, he and his older son, David, toured Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy by motorcycle. They hit as many Alpine passes as possible, including the Gavia Pass, which David described as terrifying! And, they did a bucket list ride on the Stelvio Pass, “the Mother Road.” Christopher and his wife, Anne Marie, live in Barrie, Ont., and have two grandsons with a third due in January. They are both fortunate to enjoy good health, and travel and adventure are on their agenda. “Life continues to be very good!”
was honoured to throw the first pitch at the July 18 Major League Baseball game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. Some of his children and grandchildren were in attendance to enjoy the experience. Paul said the pitch was “just a bit outside.” He and his wife, Elizabeth, are enjoying retirement in Rothesay, N.B.
Sandy Munro
and his son, Scott ’08, dropped by the School in July to check out the new tennis sign put up in honour of their recent contribution. Sandy and Scott wore their SAC gear for the occasion and are looking forward to making use of the facility. The other members of the Munro family included on the sign are Elmer, from the Class of 1908, who was Sandy’s grandfather, and Bill, his dad, who served on the Board of Governors from 1980 to 1986.
1974 Russell Payton Christopher Dixon ’69, right, with David at Gavia Pass in Italy.
Rob McEwen
attended his 50th reunion in May, when he and his classmates enjoyed an evening of celebration and were presented with their 50-year ties, giving them entrance into the 50 Year+ Club. A month later, Rob and his wife, Cheryl, were presented with the Words and Deeds Leadership Award by The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sent them a personal video message of congratulations. Rob and Cheryl also recently received honorary doctor of laws degrees, Cheryl from York University and Rob from Western University. His first honorary doctor of laws degree was from York. Rob continues his role as chairman and CEO of McEwen Mining.
attended his Old Boys reunion dinner in September and said he still sees Flavelle House classmates, Geza von Diergardt and Peter Williams, from time to time. Russell enjoys working for OEM Automotive, designing/ manufacturing for many brands. He says he’ll keep it up “as long as the clients want us!” He said SAC truly lays a solid foundation for life, but it takes a lifetime to truly appreciate it.
Clyde Urquhart
is now a part-time legal instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Brunswick, Georgia, where all United States federal law enforcement agencies (with the exception of the FBI and CIA) are trained. This is in addition to being a full-time criminal defence lawyer. He and his wife, Kathy, live in St. Marys, GA.
Raymond Woo
spent 30 years with Ernst & Young and retired in 2015 as the managing partner of its Greater China operations. He now works as a director for several listed companies and other organizations such as Lenovo (the PC/mobile phone company), Bank of Communications (one of the largest banks in China), and Unicef Hong Kong.
From left: Ben van Eeden ’19, Alexander Smith ’19, Rob McEwen ’69, Chris Hadfield, Canadian astronaut, Sean Ludwig, SAC’s McEwen Leadership Program Course Director, and Nicholas Weedon ’02, Associate Director of Advancement. They were celebrating at the Words and Deeds Leadership Award dinner honouring Rob. Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
65
1975
1984
David Sawyer
Mark Ellerbeck
is retiring to the upper Sunshine Coast of British Columbia with plans for reading, fishing, and hiking the many trails in the area following 23 years working at International Submarine Engineering (ISE). During his time at ISE, David worked on designing multiple autonomous underwater vehicles, the last of which was rated for a depth of 6,000 metres. He also helped develop telemetric mining machines, a robotic gas station, and an eight-person manned submersible. Prior to joining ISE, David worked for 16 years with the design office at TRIUMF, Canada’s particle accelerator centre located at the University of British Columbia.
1979 Bill Cathers
has been the director of retail operations at Subaru Canada Inc. and general manager for Subaru of Canada’s corporate retail store, Subaru of Mississauga, since 2004. Since 2014, Bill has volunteered as board chair for Family Services of Peel, a non-profit social charity located in the Mississauga/Brampton area, west of Toronto, as well as with the automotive program advisory committee at Centennial College in Toronto. He lives on a small farm near King City with his wife, Sue, and is the proud father of Ryan ’09 and Holly. Bill said he still loves playing hockey and skiing, “when my joints allow me,” and enjoys getting together and “honing my sarcasm with the crew from ’79!”
1982 Mike Elliott
is the founder and president of Green SaniTech Inc. After 25 years in capital markets working for RBC and HSBC, Mike is now focusing on opportunities to help society and the environment. His organization brings new disinfecting, sanitizing, and odour destroying solutions to the Toronto market with three starting products: VitalOxide, SAM400 Air Disinfection, and HealthySole. Joining him on this new venture is classmate, Rob Taylor, who is serving as sales manager. Mike welcomes all questions on his products as a member of the CleanTech Innovations Canada Health Network.
66 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
works for PSP Investments where he helps manage the pension fund for federal public sector workers in Canada. His son, Tyler, is in his third year at Wilfrid Laurier University, while his daughter, Kristin, is in her first year at McGill University. Mark has returned home to Hudson, Que., following a 30-year adventure, as he calls it, with his wife, Stacey.
Martin Goddard
owns and operates a small loss adjusting firm in Barbados called MRG Inc., and does work throughout the Caribbean. His son, Alex, recently graduated from Queen’s University and started his master’s degree in environmental science at Western University in September. His daughter, Marie Elena, began her second year at Queen’s University majoring in linguistics. He has been married to Lianne for 27 years and counting!
Denis Guérette
is a proud father of Maude, 23, and Édouard, 15, and heads Partenair Inc., an investment company based in Quebec City that has assets in the real estate, forestry, and aviation industries. He is an airline pilot and part-time aircraft builder, having built himself a sporty Vans RV-7 aircraft that he flies regularly. He is co-owner of the Quebec/Neuville airport (CNV9) and sends an invitation to any flying Andreans to visit the airport and beautiful Quebec City.
Brad Jones
is head of retail for Oxford Properties Group in Toronto, where he has worked for 17 years. The company has global offices in London, England, New York City, Singapore, and Sydney, Australia, and Brad is responsible for working with the teams to build out the retail platform. There are approximately 1,100 employees on the Canadian retail team who are responsible for the leasing and property management for 15 million square feet of retail space. Brad and his wife of 24 years, Lisa, have 22-year-old twins, Austin and Rachael, who recently graduated from Western University. Austin is a licensed sales representative at JLL real estate brokerage in Toronto and Rachael is working for Bell Media in Toronto. The couple resides in Oakville, Ont.
Struan Robertson
added to his list of activities when he became a regulated Canadian immigration consultant at Robertson Immigration Services Inc., in late 2018. The organization helps clients prepare study permit applications, permit renewals, permit changes, post-graduate work permits, and permanent resident applications. This adds to Struan’s already busy schedule as president and owner of Best Fit Education. He was previously at Trent University as manager of international recruitment, helping international students study at the post-secondary level in Canada. Struan and his wife, Danielle, live in Lakefield, Ont.
1987
1989
Liam Morrissey
Jason Lessif
is the chief executive officer of MS Risk Limited, a British crisis response consultancy serving Lloyd’s of London and other commercial and government clientele worldwide. He founded the company in 2005. Last year, Liam was a private-sector technical advisor on kidnap policy to Her Magesty’s Government. He works extensively throughout Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America and serves clients in financial services, insurance, marine, and natural resources sectors, and assists law enforcement and military agencies. Previously a combat arms major in the Canadian Forces, Liam has recently accepted a commission in the British Army and has been appointed a lieutenant colonel serving with formations in the Intelligence Corps, Ministry of Defence, and allied powers as a specialist reservist. He and his wife, Patricia, live in Berkshire, UK. Their daughter, Lily, attends the University of Exeter and their son, PJ, has completed Upper Sixth Form at Shiplake College in Oxfordshire and is now reading an honours degree in business and marketing at Oxford Brookes University.
and his wife, Pam, now own and operate four McDonalds Restaurants in London, Ont. They moved there after selling the McDonalds his family had owned in Tillsonburg for 38 years. Their daughter, Mikaela, is in her fourth year at OCAD University and their son, Carson, is the third generation working in the restaurants. Jason said it’s hard to believe 30 years have gone by since graduation!
Adam Long
visited campus in August, reliving memories with his twins, Emma and George, and checking out all the new features at the School. He made a stop at Flavelle House and toured the entire school, including all the sports facilities.
Derek Plaxton
is celebrating 23 years at TD Wealth Private Investment Advice as vice-president and portfolio manager serving individual and corporate clients. Derek lives in Toronto with his wife, Brenda, and their three children, Quinn, Ginny, and Georgia.
1990 Mike Hiscox
attended the Laughter is the Best Medicine Gala in May in support of the Michael Garron Hospital Foundation, featuring actor Will Arnett, actor/comedian Gerry Dee, and comedian/TV host Michelle Wolfe. Mike, an anesthesiologist, president of the Medical Staff Association, and director on the hospital’s board, mingled at the May gala with Mike Mills ’90 (left) and Wahid Amarshi ’03 (right), who is a director on the hospital’s foundation board. Jim Mirkopoulos ’90 and his family were also generous supporters of the event.
Jim Plouffe
visited the campus in June along with his youngest daughter, Eliza, his mother, Joan, and his father, Bill. Earlier in the day, they visited with Jim’s former teacher, Paul Kitchen ’70, in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Jim (third from left) is the publishing editor of The Lead South Australia, the news service for the state. He is also a board director of Surf Lifesaving South Australia and was recently appointed the chair of the Road Users Safety Advisory Committee, which is tasked with helping reduce the injuries and deaths on the roads.
1992 Darcy Montgomery
Matt McPherson
works with technology startups, consulting on matters from corporate business development to strategic planning and venture financing. For the last few years, he has been acting as COO of Quantum Capture, a company that brings virtual humans to life using artificial intelligence. Examples of Quantum’s work can be seen around the world in retail stores, car dealerships, office lobbies, hospitals, and various conferences including the upcoming Expo 2020 in Dubai. Matt lives with his wife and daughters in Toronto, where he enjoys connecting with real humans, including regular get-togethers with friends made at SAC. In September, he visited the campus for his 30th reunion with more than 40 classmates.
was honoured alongside the Etherington brothers, Mark ’92, Sean ’94, and Paul ’95, with the Ontario Volunteer Service Award for their years of volunteer leadership as founding board members of motionball for Special Olympics. Darcy is the owner and creative director at Velvet Rope, a brand content studio, and lives in Toronto with his wife, Leah, and two children, Lola and Quinn.
Darcy Montgomery ’92 and his children, Lola (far right) and Quinn. Darcy is holding the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers he was given last year by Canada’s Governor-General.
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
67
Rob Osborne
and his wife, Jessica, along with their two children, have relocated to Bermuda where Rob is the general counsel and claims director for the captive insurance company for PwC. In that capacity, Rob oversees the defence of litigation on a global basis.
1994 Kurt Alfrey
lives in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates with his wife, Falon, and three boys, Liam, Justin, and Ian. He is the general counsel of the Abu Dhabi Investment Council, a sovereign wealth fund. Kurt initially trained as a lawyer at McCarthy Tetrault’s London office before moving into hedge funds in London and later New York before his most recent transition to the UAE. His parents still live in Aurora and he travels regularly to Canada and the U.S., including a return to campus in September to celebrate his 25th reunion.
John Farrugia
married Carol Kwak on September 3 at Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church with the reception and festivities taking place at their home, Craganrock Farm, in Mono, Ont. John reported it was a fantastic time and they were surrounded by friends and family. Andreans in attendance were his brothers, Joseph ’99 and Mike ’97, his cousin, Thomas Long ’00, and friend, Fred Perowne ’97. John is a sculptor and owner of Craganrock Studio Inc., which includes a foundry where he casts metals into moulds.
1995 Robert Burke
and his wife, Isabella, along with proud big brother, Julian, welcomed Ethan to their family and the SAC community in April. Robert is a director at EPAM systems in Toronto where he specializes in data science and intelligent automation solutions.
Derrick Gray
moved to Mumbai, India in July 2018 to take on the role of chief measurement science officer with Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India, the largest television measurement service in the world. He is responsible for the statistical and methodological rigour of the television rating points supporting the Indian television and advertising industries. This past June, he successfully defended his doctoral dissertation titled “Big Data Innovation Mechanisms in the Canadian Television Industry.” This was the final requirement toward earning his doctor of business administration degree in management information systems at Athabasca University.
Chris Byrnes-Snyder
accepted a role at Bell Media last year to lead the Crave TV team, which includes HBO and Starz Canada. The team is responsible for software development of the Apple, Android, and web experiences, plus the infrastructure. Chris said the ultimate challenge was preparing for the final season of Game of Thrones, where they experienced a record number of streaming customers.
1996 Andrew Ipekian
attended the French Open in June and ran into classmate, Justin Hui. Andrew continues to work in real estate as founder/broker of Andrew Ipekian Real Estate Group in Toronto and Justin, also working in real estate, is executive director of Central Management Limited in Hong Kong.
Alfredo Villegas-Camil
was named president and CEO of his family’s chicken and feed company, Grupo Trasgo, in January 2018. Alfredo and his wife, Pamela, have been married for 12 years and have three daughters, Pamela, 10, Alessandra, 7, and Jana, 4. The family resides in Coahuila, Mexico. They vacationed in Italy and Greece last July where they captured this beautiful photo.
From left: Sarah Ipekian, Andrew Ipekian ’96, Adrienne Lim, and Justin Hui ’96.
Chris ByrnesSnyder ’94 at the Crave launch party in November 2018. 68 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
1997 David Revington
visited SAC in July while on a road trip that started in New York and continued west through Canada. David shared memories of living in Sifton House and toured the house and campus before having lunch in Cole Hall. This was David’s first time back on campus since graduating 22 years ago.
Peter Dyson
has been a firefighter with the City of Oshawa Fire Department, just outside Toronto, for 13 years and for the last two years has been the president of his association, the International Association of Firefighters Local #465. Peter has always been passionate about skiing and continues to serve as a technical delegate at the international level.
Herbert Leung
and his wife, Carrie Lim-Leung, welcomed Jamie on April 17, a brother for Lucas turning 4. Herbert is a senior video producer at Weber Shandwick, a global communications and marketing firm. He also creates commercials and online content through his company, Bert Brothers Limited, out of Hong Kong. The family lives in Singapore.
Colin Parent
has recently taken a position with HEXO, a publicly traded company that is a leader in both medical and adult-use cannabis. As the director of licensing for HEXO, he is expanding the production capacity, ensuring the adherence to provincial licensing requirements for sales, and supporting the growth of smoke-free and traditional cannabis products. For the past seven years, Colin worked with Canada’s federal government on program delivery and policy developments in the areas of controlled substances, public health, and cultural industries.
Simon Turcotte
moved to Thailand last December and is working at Nok Scoot Airlines as head of commercial after three years at the helm of Singapore Airlines in New Zealand. He and his wife, Parinya, have two children, Nawin, who turned 1 in July, and Sarisa, 5.
Chris Wakefield
1999 Alexander Christie
married Celeste Nixon on November 10, 2018, at the Christ Church Cathedral in Nassau. The reception was held at the Island House in Lyford Cay, The Bahamas. Old Boys in attendance included classmates Jamie MacPherson, Sean Dudley, Mark Gooderham, Colin Parent, Joseph Farrugia, Omar Sands, as well as Tom Lariviere ’98. In May, Alexander was invited into the partnership of the firm McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes where he practices as a corporate attorney. Alexander and Celeste live in their new home in Nassau.
and his fiancée, Amanda, moved from Calgary back to Toronto where he leads the regional marketing and sponsorships department for Tim Hortons Canada.
Yamato Yoshioka
welcomed his fourth son, Taisei, on July 25 with his wife, Ryoko. Taisei has three older brothers: Takeru, 10, Tatsuki, 8, and Taishi, 6. Yamato works for Honda Canada and is currently the assembly frame department manager. The family lives in Alliston, Ont.
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
69
2001
2003
Ross Marshall
Armen Khajetoorian
and his wife, Dayna, welcomed a second child, Ruby Kate, who just turned 1. Their son, Theodore, is 2. Ross works for Canadian Aspahlt as a sales manager. The family lives in Toronto.
spent the last 12 years in New York City pursuing his legal career. He was recently called to the Ontario Bar and has joined Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP in Toronto as a partner in the real estate and development group. Armen is leading the firm’s commercial leasing practice and enjoys living and working in Toronto where he will have the opportunity to reconnect with the local Andrean community. He continues to remain involved in the NYC Andrean community, and will again organize the annual NYC Robbie Burns supper in January.
Terry Belgrave
is working for the Barbados Stock Exchange as a business development associate helping to build the island’s first international securities market. Terry moved back to Barbados from Toronto in 2016 but has kept in touch with Allan Bean ’03, Rahim Damji ’04, and Thaine Carter ’05 (left), with whom he recently caught up while in Toronto for business in August.
2002 James Gideon
and his wife, Laura, welcomed their second child, Charlie, April 13, a brother for Olivia, 2. James is a senior marketing operations manager at adidas Canada. The family lives in Vaughan, Ont.
Tim Birkett
2004 Alex Bacardi
John Knutton
has been working as an attorney in the staff counsel department at GEICO’s Orlando office in Florida since January. His job involves defending drivers involved in car accidents who are being sued in personal injury lawsuits. He said he enjoys working for GEICO; his co-workers are wonderful plus he gets to help people on a daily basis. John’s wife, Jenny, is an attorney for the Florida Office of the Attorney General, in their consumer protection division. Their daughter, Caroline, is 3. If anyone from SAC is in the Orlando area, John extends an invitation to meet up!
70 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
has spent the last 10 years working for his family business, Bacardi & Company Limited, managing the business within the province of Ontario as a key account manager for the LCBO. Alex said he is proud and honoured to be a part of the Alejandro J. Bacardi Scholarship, which was activated in 2016 and provides students an opportunity to benefit from everything SAC has to offer. Alex has stayed close with classmates Arnold Al-Aadhami, Matt Donko, and Levin Maaskant, among others. He and his wife, Lyndsey, live in Toronto with their daughter, Aria, 3, and son, Gabriel, 1.
married Danielle Michaud on May 18 at Drysdale Tree Farm in Alliston, Ont. Old Boys in attendance included Tim’s brother, Gord ’01, his father, Tom ’74, and his cousin, Michael Carney ’05, along with Billy Burke ’04, Adam Ford ’04, Matthew Gynp ’04, Adam Hoffman ’03, Tyler Hurst ’03, Doug Kane ’73, Ross Marshall ’01, Brendon McCullough ’03, Clinton McCullough ’05, Darryl Stock ’04, Graydon Stock ’02, Jarryd Stock ’03, Bob Topping ’74, Geza von Diergardt ’74, and Daniel von Diergardt ’04. Tim is a sales and brand ambassador for Ferrari Maserati of Ontario and Danielle is on-air talent for Sportsnet, often appearing alongside DJ Bennett ’02. The couple lives in Toronto.
Andrew Brankley
is a SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council) postdoctoral fellow at Carleton University in Ottawa, having completed his PhD in clinical psychology at Ryerson University this year. Andrew’s research is in the areas of corrections and forensics and examines the psychological constructs measured by risk assessment tools and how best to communicate information from these tools to stakeholders. Andrew and his wife, Nicola, live in Toronto and celebrated the birth of their first child, Eloise Amelia, in July.
Jeremy King
Faisal Ratansi
The couple’s engagement photos were taken on campus.
2005
and his wife, Kalie, moved to Newmarket after getting married in the fall of 2018. For the past 10 years, Jeremy has been involved in private investigations. He now owns King International Advisory Group, a corporate intelligence and private investigation agency specializing in corporate due diligence, covert surveillance, discreet inquiries, and international investigations. Jeremy regularly engages with Old Boys who have gone into the litigation field.
married Fatima Boolani on July 27 at the Aga Khan Museum and Ismaili Centre in Toronto. A reception followed at the Palais Royale and included classmates Arnold Al-Aadhami, Hussein Amarshi, Rahim Damji, Matt Donko, Shawn Jolly, Tomi Jun, and Zameer Pirani, as well as his brother, Adel Ratansi ’07.
Adam Ford
and Kelsey Witiuk got married on June 21 in Banff, Alberta. Andreans in attendance were Tim Birkett ’04, Billy Burke ’04, Joel Ford ’03, Adam Hoffman ’03, and Daniel von Diergardt ’04. Kelsey is originally from Ottawa and is now practicing medicine in Calgary. Adam is the owner of Unique Projects Inc. and Home Upkeep Inc. They provide large-scale luxury renovation services and Home Upkeep monthly memberships.
Simon Lau Johan Irwandi
is working on his MBA at Ivey Business School at Western University and expects to graduate in April. He previously attended Queen’s University, earning a master of applied science in mechanical engineering (2012), then worked in the oil and gas industry prior to attending Ivey. He and his wife, Stefanny Hardiman, and their children, Sebastian, 5, and Isabella, 3, lived in Indonesia before moving to Canada. They currently live in London, Ont. Johan brought his son and daughter to visit St. Andrew’s in February.
lives in Newmarket with his wife, Elli, and their daughter, Candice, 3, who he reports is growing up very quickly. Simon graduated from the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto as a pharmacist in 2010. He has practiced as a clinical pharmacist on an acute care internal medicine team at Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket since 2015. Prior to Southlake, he was a clinical internal medicine pharmacist at Sunnybrook Hospital and a psychiatry pharmacist at Mount Sinai Hospital, both in Toronto.
Blake Dalton
married Erica Farrer on March 2 in Palm Springs, California. Blake said 140 Canadians flew down for the wedding and they enjoyed a golf tournament and pool party the day before. Jordan Ross ’03 and Paul Ross ’06 were in the wedding party and other Old Boys in attendance were Blake’s father, Andrew ’78, his uncles, Craig Farrow ’76 and Gordon Wilson ’72, his cousin, Brett Wilson ’10, along with Alex Kaptyn ’04 and Colin Lowe ’04. Blake is an enterprise account executive with ServiceNow, which recently ranked as the world’s most innovative company by Forbes. Erica is a partner at Hamilton and Partners, a People Corporation Company. The couple lives in Toronto.
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
71
Jordan Ekers
appeared on BNN Bloomberg’s The Open in August talking about how his start-up, Nudge, raised $12 million in venture capital. Nudge is a software company that is changing the way retail and food service brands improve the performance of their customer-facing employees to improve in-store sales. Recently, Jordan witnessed many connections within the SAC community beginning last year when Hamilton Petropoulos ’08 spearheaded Nudge’s financing deal with Generation Ventures (GV). As they celebrated another financing round in August, he learned that Jadyn Dragasevich ’16 had been hired this summer by Hamilton and that GV also invested in Synapse, which is owned by Ryan Austin ’02. “It was pretty special to have over a decade of Andreans together to celebrate,” Jordan said.
Clinton McCullough
married Samantha Henein at the King Edward Hotel in Toronto on September 14. Old Boys in attendance were Clinton’s brothers, Brendon ’03 and Colin ’07, Samantha’s brother, Darrin Henein ’04, as well as David Amadori ’03, Jeff Johnstone ’03, Chris McFarlane ’03, Nathan Rothwell ’03, Jarryd Stock ’03, Tim Birkett ’04, Billy Burke ’04, Matthew Gnyp ’04, Anthony Greco ’04, Darryl Stock ’04, Daniel von Diergardt ’04, Ryan Bryce ’05, Scott Fullerton ’05, Scotty Johnstone ’06, Paul Ross ’06, Mark McLean ’09, and Daniel Milne ’12 along with Dan Stock, chair of the SAC Board of Governors.
Duncan Giel
and his wife, Danielle, welcomed their first child, Ivy, in September 2018. They enjoyed celebrating her first birthday with friends and family. They have been taking advantage of Danielle’s maternity leave and Ivy has already travelled to four provinces in Canada, seven states in the U.S., and the Dominican Republic.
Marko Kovacevic
met Pope Francis at the Vatican, proving that hockey can lead to interesting encounters. Marko is vice-president of the Serbian Ice Hockey Association, the governing body and member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) that oversees ice hockey in Serbia. Marko attended a meeting of the IIHF in Rome in September where several delegates met with the Pope.
72 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
Alex Sham
dropped by campus in July to take his wife, Winnie Tsang, on a tour. Alex showed her his favourite places on campus (Sifton House was top of the list) and was in awe of all the changes that have taken place since he last visited four years ago. He marvelled at the Robert & Jilla Williams Band Room and recalled playing in the Wind Ensemble under the direction of Head of Music, Sandi Chasson; music was his favourite class. After graduating from SAC, Alex studied hospitality at George Brown College then started working in the hotel and tourism industry in Vancouver, where the couple now lives. He said he keeps in touch with Daniel Chen ’03 and Wyai-Ruan Cheong ’99, who also live there. He’s made a recent career change into real estate. During a stop in Wirth Theatre, Alex revealed that Head of Drama, William Scoular, who was his English teacher, encouraged him to follow his dreams and he’s done so ever since.
McKenzie Willson
and his wife, Lisa, welcomed their son, Stephen, on August 19. The couple was married on September 8, 2018, and lives in Barrie, Ont. McKenzie is a manager, mobile mortgage specialist with TD Canada.
2006 Adrian Bruno
married Dr. Marta Ewa Wais on May 11 at the King Edward Hotel in Toronto with retired SAC chaplain, Bruce Roffey, presiding. Adrian is a family practice-anesthetist and Marta an obstetrician, specializing in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. She works at Markham Fertility Centre. Adrian recently completed a certification in medical acupuncture through McMaster University. The couple lives in Whitby, Ont.
Jean-François Boisvert ’08 and classmate, Nick Lamer.
Taylor Brown
Nirushan Thambirajah
and his wife, Amy, welcomed a second daughter, Nola, on June 21, a sister for Mia, 3. The family lives in Toronto, where Nirushan is vicepresident, global relationship manager at MUFG Bank Canada.
2007 Rob Kay
graduated from University College Cork in Cork, Ireland, with a medical degree. He is working as an internal medicine resident in Ottawa, Ont.
2008 Jean-François Boisvert
married Kim Labelle in Memorial Chapel on June 29. In attendance was Nick Lamer ’08, his Memorial House roommate. Jean-François is marketing lead - Multiple Sclerosis Franchise for Sanofi-Genzyme. The couple lives in Mississauga, Ont.
remains on his permanent voyage to the Asia Pacific, having picked up Mandarin after a thrifty life on the old streets of Beijing following graduation from Queen’s University. After countless rounds of fruitless interviews, he landed a researcher intern gig at Teneo, then a two-person outfit working out of a 1970s law firm office in Hong Kong. Five years later, after the firm underwent an acquisition in Asia, Taylor doubled down on his pledge to be a Hong Konger for life, with a side of North American, Irish, and old Beijinger roots to boot. The endless quest for full Cantonese and Mandarin fluency continues as he advises firms on some of the most existential and intriguing topics in the region. Late night/early morning mahjong sessions also continue to assist in this regard. All members of the SAC community are free to reach out to Taylor to catch up or for advice on making an Asia Pacific travel/career voyage of their own. The couch remains open, or a solid Airbnb recommendation for those less eager to split the 250-square-foot life that is Hong Kong’s familysized apartment market.
Shane Shin
is a founding managing partner of Shorooq Partners, a leading early-stage venture capital (VC) fund that focuses on the technology sector in the Middle East, North Africa, and Turkey. Shane is in charge of the investment decisions and general management activities of the firm. The firm received an Investor of the Year Award in 2018 and a Fastest Growing VC Award in 2019. Shane recently had the honour of joining Kauffman Fellows Class 24 and being nominated for the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the Middle East.
SAC has made its presence known in a postapocalyptic thriller that hit the big screen this summer.
Survival Box, which began as a Focus play in 2005, had a week-long theatrical release in August in Toronto. Directed by Head of Drama, William Scoular, Survival Box is an example of the Andrean brotherhood in action. From the big screen to behind the scenes, the strong, life-long bond between several generations of Old Boys is highlighted in the film. It features Adam Moryto ’09 and Daniel von Diergardt ’04 in leading roles, along with past parent, Rod Black. The film is produced by five Old Boys: Jonathan Ahee ’98, Jim Mirkopoulos ’90, Saad Siddiqui ’15, Tristan Tsvetanov ’16, and Alf Wirth ’59. Alex Boothby ’92 is the special effects supervisor and second unit director. School photographer, Paul Mosey, was the stills photographer and past parent Andrew Dunin’s home was used as one of the locations in the film. In the title sequence, William credits “A Good Old Boys Production” as one of the presenting companies, and for very good reason! Check it out on digital streaming services such as Apple TV.
Survival Box is the No. 1 Canadian film on VOD. It is also being distributed by Uncork’d Entertainment in the U.S. and been sold worldwide to more than 40 countries by Blue Fox Entertainment.
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
73
2009 Ryan Besse
is working as vice-president, sales at CI Investments, a firm that manages and distributes investment products to retail and institutional investors across Canada. Ryan, along with fellow Old Boys, Morgan Bonner ’09, Lucas Boyd ’09, Graydon Calvert ’09, Cameron Healy ’07, Mark McLean ’09, Jeff O’Neill ’08, Josh Phillips ’09, and Clark Rabbior ’09 of the RB Oilers are hoping to defend their third consecutive downtown men’s hockey league championship this fall where they often play against Jeff Johnstone ’03, Scotty Johnstone ’06, Brendon McCullough ’03, Clinton McCullough ’05, Jordan Ross ’03, Paul Ross ’06, Adam Zoratto ’05, and Luc Zorotto ’03. Ryan lives in Toronto.
Mick Carr
recently completed his MBA from Queen’s University at the Smith School of Business. He joined Toronto management consulting firm, A.T. Kearney, and is excited about this career opportunity. Mick stepped up his involvement this year in ultra-endurance races, completing the Tahoe 200 and the Canadian Death Race, as well as joining the expedition team for the Summit for SickKids charity.
AGCO (Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario) lottery application; one of his properties was awarded one of 15 retail licenses out of an applicant pool of more than 4,500. Brenden lives in Toronto with his bulldog, Remy.
Mark Jenkins
continues to work in the technology industry, based out of Toronto. He is currently with Apple, managing the company’s major enterprise channel partners across Canada.
Faraz Kauser
is the lead operator and financial instigator for a cannabis start-up and planning for his position as the head grower once construction of the facility in Welland, Ont., is complete. He is in charge of gathering funding for the 7,000-square-foot hydroponic cannabis operation. Faraz became interested in cannabis after using it for pain relief following shoulder surgery in 2013.
Grant Nych
is working for Isobar, a creative agency that is part of the Dentsu Aegis Network in downtown Toronto. He is a senior producer specializing in digital executions and strategic thinking, overseeing the GM retail business. While Grant says he hasn’t competed in a triathlon since being a member of SAC teacher and triathlon coach Keith Ramon’s team, he has continued to run and bike and is looking to do a tri next year. Grant is an avid single-malt scotch connoisseur and looking for recommendations, especially if they come from the Islay region.
Jamie Symmes
was promoted to marketing communications manager with New Market Group (NMG) in April 2018. Jamie is responsible for managing the communications department for six companies under the NMG group of companies in Newmarket, Ont. He runs multiple annual buying shows and executive incentive conferences for a variety of industries, which takes him to many North American cities.
2010 Mark Belvedere
married Cassandra Nardi on August 3 in Montreal at St. Monica’s Church and the reception was held at Le Mont Blanc. In attendance were classmates Adam Strumas, who was in the wedding party, and Louis Baillargeon. Cassandra is an English and science teacher at Villa Maria, a private high school in Montreal. Mark works for the Bank of Montreal in the account management department. After their big day, the couple enjoyed a Hawaiian cruise for their honeymoon.
Kegan Sheehan
competed in the World Pipe Band Championships with the Grade 1 Inveraray & District Pipe Band alongside fellow Old Boy, Andrew Douglas ’03, in Scotland in August. The band took home the top prize, which was their second win in three years. Upon returning, Kegan started his first year at Seton Hall Law School in Newark, New Jersey.
Brenden Hewko
founded SmashMouth Entertainment in 2010 while he was attending Western University. This multifaceted entertainment company has as an emphasis on live event production and promotion, as well as artist bookings, management, and development. Brenden has since worked alongside internationally renowned acts such as Kendrick Lamar, Post Malone, 6LACK, and the late Mac Miller, playing an integral role in helping build their fan bases throughout Canada. Always looking to monetize passion, Brenden has taken advantage of the emerging legal cannabis industry in Canada, launching an experiential marketing agency and acquiring commercial real estate throughout Ontario for the sole purpose of cannabis retail. In August, Brenden was a part of a successful 74 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
Kegan Sheehan ’09, centre, holding the World’s trophy, known as ‘the Spike,’ alongside Andrew Douglas ’03, left, and bandmate, Eric Ouellette.
Felipe Gonzalez
is sole in-house counsel for Match Marketing and advises the company on a multitude of practices, ranging from corporate, commercial, employment, property, marketing and advertising, and IP law in Canada and the U.S. After leaving St. Andrew’s, Felipe moved to Dubai to finish his high school education. He later earned his LLB from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, UK, and completed his LPC at BPP Law School in London. Felipe started working at Match under the general counsel while completing various accreditation exams. Match is a full-service North American marketing agency with six offices in Canada and the United States. In January, Felipe was called to the Bar and became a member of the Law Society of Ontario. He welcomes any budding lawyers looking for advice in the licensing process to reach out to him.
Devin Healy
has been with Restaurant Brands International for nearly three years and was recently promoted to manager, franchise performance (Tim Hortons Brand). Devin lives in Toronto.
Joshua Irwandi
was on assignment taking photos for National Geographic and tagged SAC’s Instagram with a post in which he is wearing an Andrean cap. Joshua stopped by the School this summer after his assignment in Borneo. He met up with Maria Pilieci, who retired in 2013 after 21 years as Library Services Coordinator in Towers Library. “She was like a mother to me,” says Joshua, who lives in Jakarta, Indonesia. He is a staff member of the Asmat Museum of Culture of Progress, Agats.
Andrew Pitkin
graduated in June from law school at the University of Ottawa’s JD program (Common Law Section). He attended uOttawa after earning a BA (hons.) in English and philosophy at Queen’s University with distinction. Andrew is now conducting his licensing process in Toronto for entry into the Ontario Bar Association. His areas of interest in law are extensions of long-standing passions and values he has always had, and which St. Andrew’s helped him cultivate, particularly human rights, mediation and related alternative dispute resolution disciplines, family, health, and intellectual property. Andrew aims to practice law according to his holistically collaborative, non-oppositional, creative, and nuanced dispute resolution philosophy, which the University of Ottawa helped him to develop. When he is not practicing law, he performs jazz music on his saxophone in a semi-professional capacity with former Queen’s colleagues, having returned for an alumni concert in February. Andrew also enjoys connecting with friends, family, and loved ones in Northern Ontario’s cottage country. He cannot wait to enter the legal profession so he can help clients and colleagues see that, even in law, conflict is an easily mendable part of life when shepherded by peace and people-oriented individuals.
2011 Alex Lance
Houston Meuser
is a CWB certified welding inspector and a CGSB certified technician in magnetic particle inspection. Although not the direction he was headed after graduation from St. Andrew’s, he says the work is very rewarding and a challenge that consistently keeps him on his toes. In addition, Houston is dabbling in real estate and renting a couple of homes in a town near Wheatley, Ont., where he lives with his wife, Stephanie Duarte, and daughter, Aurora, who was born in December 2018.
graduated from UOIT with a bachelor of engineering (hons.) in June. He started working as a product development specialist for CpK Interior Products, a manufacturing company that produces dashboard products for Fiat Chrysler. Alex oversees new equipment for the 2021 Jeep Cherokee program at the Port Hope, Ont., facility and also works with the research and development group based out of Corbyville, Ont., that is working toward introducing newer manufacturing methods and technologies to the assembly plant in Port Hope. Alex’s next goal is to earn his professional engineering designation.
Alex Brown
had the privilege of playing the pipes on Juno Beach to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landing. The pipes and drums band was 25-members strong from Canadian Armed Forces pipe bands across Canada. Alex was inspired to write a letter to Jim McGillivary, Executive Director of the SAC Pipes & Drums: “While standing on that beach, I took a second to reflect on where I was, why I was there, and what had led to that moment. Among the thoughts of the young Canadian soldiers who fought on that beach 75 years ago to whom we owe our gratitude, I thought to send my thanks to you as well. Without your teachings and patience, I wouldn’t be in Normandy and I wouldn’t have been able to help honour the sacrifices made by young Canadians in the fight against tyranny and oppression.” Alex said piping and all that goes with it taught him to be disciplined, detailoriented, and professional. While the military had a part in his development in those regards, he says it all began at St. Andrew’s. “When I was starting at St. Andrew’s 14 years ago, I couldn’t possibly have imagined where piping was going to take me in life, or if it would take me anywhere at all. You run a special program that very few exceedingly privileged young men get to participate in and I will be forever grateful to be one of them. Thank you for setting me up for success and for being a great mentor. I hope the boys and young men passing through know just how lucky they are, and that they take full advantage of it all.” After graduating from SAC, Alex completed a bachelor of engineering science in mechanical engineering at Western University and a bachelor of arts in honours business administration from the Ivey Business School. In September 2013, he enlisted with the 48th Highlanders of Canada as a piper in the Canadian Army Primary Reserve.
2012 Lucas Breda
and Katherine Bekkers got married on August 24 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Old Boys in attendance were Andrew Guizzetti ’12, Matthew Guizzetti ’13, and David Guizzetti ’22. Lucas is working in Halifax for a startup called Clutch Canada as a concierge. Alex Brown ’12 Juno Beach (from rehearsal the day before the ceremony). Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
75
Jamal Kett
dropped by the School in September to visit with former teachers, taking a tour with Upper School chemistry and economics teacher, Michael Carroll, who was the offensive coordinator with Varsity Football when Jamal attended SAC. After graduation, Jamal attended Simon Fraser University, then transferred to Western University and was selected by the Ottawa Redblacks in the 2016 CFL draft. He retired in 2017 due to injuries.
Haitian Yu
is a consultant in Deloitte’s retail transformation team with experience in improving retail organizations by applying data analytics to implement effective strategies and optimize operations. Haitian has delivered consulting projects encompassing data science, technology asset management, pricing strategy optimization, distribution centre optimization, e-commerce strategy, and brand management for clients in the cannabis, department store, grocery, mass merchandise, and pet specialty industries. In his spare time, Haitian loves to cook, play tennis, and rock climb. He graduated from Western University with a BSc in computer science and a BA from the Ivey Business School.
2013 Andrew Keenleyside
was promoted to series lead, fuel channel and feeder installation/construction close-out in September with Ontario Power Generation. In addition, he still holds his previous position as technical officer at the Bowmanville, Ont., location. Andrew’s team is working on the refurbishment of the Darlington Nuclear Plant, Canada’s largest clean energy project. He graduated from Western University last year with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering science.
76 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
2014 Alex Auger
is a member of the 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry based in Edmonton, Alta. He has been in the military for five years. Alex said he was disappointed to miss his first reunion dinner in September, but looks forward to connecting with his classmates and other Old Boys whenever possible.
Bobby Cave
visited campus on May 23 with classmate, Luke Simpson (centre). The pair reminisced about their time at the College and caught up with Head of School, Kevin McHenry, and their former Heads of House. Bobby is living in London, England and working as a technical support engineer for B.E.G. UK. Luke is a clinical assistant at Dynamic Health Therapy in Keswick, Ont.
Roberto Chedraui Abud
recently graduated with his bachelor’s degree in mechanical and electrical engineering from Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education and is working toward his master’s in electrical and electronics engineering at École Polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland. After graduating from Middle School at SAC, Roberto went to high school in Puebla, Mexico. He enjoyed returning to campus and Macdonald House when his younger brother, Jorge ’18, graduated Grade 8 in 2014. Last year, Roberto was on an exchange in Montreal and found time to catch up with many of his friends and classmates.
George Ciuciureanu
moved back to Bucharest, Romania after his graduation from McGill University last year. He is developing a restaurant franchise called Porto-Gallo that serves all-natural Portuguese charcoal-grilled rotisserie from local farmers. The franchise is dedicated to developing fastcasual restaurants built from environmentally responsible materials. He said the franchise is quickly expanding across the country with more than 25 locations purchased by different franchisees to open in the next year.
Scott Elliott
married Cristi Chong on August 10 at King Valley Golf Club in King, Ont. Classmates in attendance were Jin Yu, a groomsman, and Christopher Lakkotrypis, and Bo Zhang. The couple lives in Toronto where Scott works as a millwright and Cristi is pursuing her masters of teaching at the University of Toronto.
Warren Foegele
and the Carolina Hurricanes made it to the Eastern Conference Finals of the Stanley Cup playoffs after taking down the Washington Capitals, the previous year’s cup winner, then sweeping the New York Islanders, but later falling to the Boston Bruins in four games. Warren collected nine points in his playoff run with five goals and four assists, tying Erik Cole’s 2002 franchise record for most playoff points by a Carolina Hurricanes rookie.
Peter Grantcharov
graduated from Queen’s University in 2018 and is working toward his master’s degree in data science at Columbia University in New York.
Bryce Johnson
joined the commercial banking associate program at CIBC in September 2018 after graduating from Wilfrid Laurier University’s business administration program. In this role, he conducts business development activities and completes credit renewals in support of multiple relationship managers who provide debt financing for medium-sized corporations. Upon completion of this two-year program, Bryce plans to take on the role of relationship manager and will be responsible for managing and building his portfolio of clients.
Michael Marcantognini
wrapped up playing Division I soccer at Michigan State and started his second year of law school at Santa Clara University in Silicon Valley, California in 2018. He hopes to make a trip back to campus soon.
Geoffrey Wei
is working at Umbrella Capital Group and Talon Trading as an investment banking associate and trader. He is working on financial projections and formulating equity structures for strategic partnerships for Umbrella’s portfolio company, Petal Inc., to bring the world’s first biohazard freezer waste bin to the public. Geoffrey also serves as a trader on the proprietary trading desk under Talon and is responsible for recruiting and training new traders on the desk. Additionally, he is assisting with the development of a quantitative trading strategy. Geoffrey lives in Toronto.
Cleander Yu
started his master of law in May at Coventry University in Coventry, England. He made the hop across the pond to attend the University of Southampton where he earned his LLB law degree after graduating from SAC.
Jin Yu
is a member of the finance and accounting team with Marriott International. He graduated from the University of Southern California last year with a bachelor’s degree in international business and business finance. He is also working on a tech start-up in Los Angeles. Jin is thrilled with the Andrean brotherhood and said he keeps in touch with many classmates including Scott Elliott, Warren Foegele, Chris Egi, Michael Mardini, and Callum Green. Jin and classmate, Bo Zhang, cheered each other on at graduation when Bo flew to Los Angeles for Jin’s commencement and he attended Bo’s at Cornell University. Jin is living in Richmond Hill, Ont., working in Mississauga, and following his passion project in Los Angeles. Jin Yu ’14, left, with graduate, Bo Zhang ’14.
2015 Austin Hassani
(far right) was a starting pitcher for the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks on their run to win the 2018 OUA men’s baseball championship.
Taylor Pilmer
is working at BMO Financial Groups as a capital markets operations analyst within the global middle office team. Taylor graduated in 2018 with a BBA from the Lazaridis School of Business & Economics at Wilfred Laurier University with a major in finance and a minor in economics.
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
77
2016
2017
2018
Arthur Chiu
Charles Elliott
Jason Knox
and classmates, Jin Zhou and Nicholas Daguiam, dropped by the School at the start of summer. Arthur is in his final year at Northwestern University in Illinois where he is studying material science; Nick is studing plumbing at Humber College in Toronto; Jin is studying computer engineering at the University of California, San Diego.
Jack Turner
and classmate, Julian Smith-Voudouris, were named CUFLA Academic All-Canadians in May. It is the first time this award has been provided and recognizes top academic performers from each of the schools in the league. Both are at McGill University: Jack is a fourth-year defenceman studying political science and Julian is a fourth-year faceoff midfielder studying anatomy and cell biology.
spent the last two winters as a ski instructor in Whistler, B.C., teaching young people aged eight to 18. On his days off, he drove north to go backcountry skiing at one of his favourite huts, bringing enough supplies to adventure for multiple days out of cell service. He has all the avalanche gear and training necessary to undertake these treks, which he said led to “the best powder of my life.” Charles has since moved east to attend Dalhousie University. He is working on his bachelor of commerce and is excited to use his co-op as an opportunity to get back to the mountains.
Jonathan Lo
spent his summer as a corporate audit intern at KPMG China. He is back for his third year at the University of Warwick in Coventry, England, where he is studying management.
Matthew Medhurst
John Buchan ’16, Jack Turner ’16, Daniel Paspalofski ’16, and Julian Smith-Voudouris ’16 during a 2017 game at McGill University’s Forbes Field.
78 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
visited the School in May, the day after returning home from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida where he attends on a golf scholarship; he was MVP of First Golf in his graduating year. Matthew reported that he flew to Toronto, slept, then drove straight to SAC!
enjoyed an impressive rookie season playing lacrosse at Hobart College. He broke Hobart’s Division I record for goals by a freshman, having amassed 36 goals and five assists. Over the season, Jason won Rookie of the Week four times and in just his second game with Hobart, he scored nine goals, breaking the Northeast Conference (NEC) single-game record for goals. He capped off the season by being selected to the 2019 NEC All-Rookie team.
2019 Alex Newhook
(left, beside Matthew Stienburg ’19) was selected 16th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL draft in June. Alex is attending Boston College after spending the last two seasons with the Victoria Grizzlies of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). In 2018-2019, as the Grizzlies’ captain, he led the BCHL with 102 points (38 goals, 64 assists), and was named the most valuable player in the league and in all of Canadian junior A hockey. X
OBITUARIES 1940
Lawrence (Larry) Hampson passed away
May 17 in Westmount, Que. He attended St. Andrew’s for five years and played First Hockey and First Basketball. His name appears on the Headmaster’s Medal Honour Board for overall excellence in academics in his graduating year. After completing his pre-medical education at McGill University, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy and served as lieutenant from 1942 to 1945 during the Second World War, taking part in successful minesweeping operations off Halifax and on convoy duty, escorting ships sailing from North America to Europe. Following the war, he returned to McGill and graduated in 1949. After completing his residency, he was a surgeon for 40 years at Montreal General Hospital (MGH), retiring in 1993 from his position as professor of surgery at McGill and the staff of MGH. Larry kept in touch with his SAC classmates and in 2004, he and Bill Shields ’40 reached the semi-finals in the over-80s division at the Toronto Lawn Tennis Club’s Canadian Tournament. He was also an avid golfer and skier. Larry is survived by three daughters, Wendy, Jane, and Susan; nine grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren. He is pre-deceased by his wife, Marjorie, and his brothers, Douglas ’39, a pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force who died in 1941 over Germany, and Donald ’44.
1945
John Wynne passed away July 14 in Richmond
Hill, Ont. He spent five years at St. Andrew’s and was a Prefect in his graduating year. He was a lieutenant in the Cadet Corps, captain of both First Football and First Hockey, and played First Cricket. He was also captain of the Montrose clan and served as sports editor of The Review. John went on to study medicine at the University
of Toronto and was a family physician for 40 years. As a member of the board of the Ontario Medical Association, he strove to strengthen the connection between doctors and their patients in the early days of Medicare. He continued his athletic endeavours throughout his life and was involved in hockey, golf, curling, tennis, and running. John is survived by his wife, Patricia; four daughters, Kathleen, Evie, Ann, and Marie; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
1949
William (Bill) Lawrence passed away October 4 in Brampton, Ont. Bill was a boarder at St. Andrew’s from 1944 to 1949. He was Head Prefect, co-Head Boy, and top student in his graduating class. A page in the mid-summer Review from 1949 ran a feature on Bill in his graduating year: “In 1949, he has captured many of the honours that school has to offer. He is Head Boy as well as Head Prefect, in itself quite an achievement, but he was also captain of football and has won the senior track and field title and the middle distance running trophy.” An athletic student, Bill played First Hockey, First Football, First Rugby, and was a member of the track team. He was also a member of the Athletic Association. Bill served on The Review staff as news editor in 1947, the same year he was appointed a librarian and a chapel boy. After graduation, Bill attended the University of Toronto (University College), where he was an active member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity. He studied at Osgoode Hall Law School, where he was the top student and medalist in his final year, an achievement that earned him a clerkship with Chief Justice James McRuer of the Ontario High Court. This was a prestigious position for the young lawyer, who was the first to be offered such a clerkship in Ontario. Following this, Bill joined his father’s law firm in Brampton, which now bears the name Lawrence, Lawrence, Stevenson, where he worked until his retirement at the age of 80. Bill served on the SAC Board of Governors from 1973 to 1999. During these years, his sons attended St. Andrew’s: Gary ’76 and David ’81, who is currently Chair of the St. Andrew’s College Foundation. Prefectship runs in the Lawrence family: Gary was Head Prefect and David was a Prefect. Bill also has a third-generation connection to SAC as three of his grandsons are Old Boys: Jake Stirling ’13, Brett Stirling ’14, and Cameron Lawrence ’16. Bill’s sister, Betty, married a fellow Andrean, Chris Wansbrough ’50, who held the position of Head Prefect the year after Bill graduated. Bill is survived by his wife, Jean; their children, Gary, Catherine, Judy, David, and Anne; and 13 grandchildren.
David Wilson passed away in the fall of 2018.
He lived in both Florida and North Carolina. David attended SAC from 1946 to 1949 and graduated as a scholar. David was co-Head Boy and Prefect in his final year and winner of the Governor General’s Medal for the highest standing in the Upper VI. He was also on The Review staff. David attended the University of Toronto, graduating in 1955, then completed his post-graduate training in orthopedic surgery and was hired to the staff of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland, Baltimore. He is survived by his wife, Terry, and three sons, Chris ’87, David, and Peter. His father, Christopher Wilson, was in the Class of 1924.
1953
Samuel King passed away May 25 in Brampton, Ont. Sam graduated from St. Andrew’s after attending for five years. In his graduating year, he was the sports editor for The Review, where his name is listed as S.A.C. King (his full name was Samuel Alexander Clifford). He also served as photography editor and literary editor in prior years. Sam was a debater and a corporal in the Cadet Corps, and he also played the role of Fred the Photographer in the school play, The Winslow Boy. He is survived by his children, Cathie and Samuel, and three grandsons. William (Bill) Andrews passed away April
26 in Oakville, Ont. Bill was a student at St. Andrew’s for four years. In his final year, he played First Football, was a table head and a drum sergeant, and served on the Common Room committee. After graduating, Bill attended Western University and followed this with a long and successful career on Bay Street, first as director and vice-president of A.E. Ames & Co., then as vice-president of Nesbitt Burns until his retirement in 1999. He is survived by his wife, Margie; children, Janet and James; and five grandchildren.
1955
Douglas (Doug) Campbell passed away April 9 in British Columbia. Doug came to St. Andrew’s in 1952, graduating three years later as a scholar. He was a Prefect in his final year and played First Basketball. He was a member of the Literary Society, a librarian, chapel boy, table head, and corporal in the Cadet Corps. After attending the Ontario Agricultural College, Doug started working in Canada’s foreign service where he served for 38 years, living and working in Asia, the Middle East, North America, >> Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
79
Latin America, and Australia. He retired in 1997 to Victoria, B.C. Doug is survived by his wife, Catherine; children, Andrew, Fiona, Clayton, and Duncan; and siblings, Duncan ’54, Scott ’60, and Rosemary.
1957
John Hough passed away May 17 in Collingwood, Ont. A profile written in the midsummer 1957 edition of The Review provides details of his time at the School: “I suppose John Hough is best known to outsiders for his prowess on the football field, and to new boys for his benevolent glares in their direction (which, as any new boy will tell you, are to be avoided at any cost), but to the rest of the School he means a great deal more than that. Last spring you could easily have found 10 pessimistic Andreans to tell you that this year was going to be a failure… Fortunately, we have been able to prove them wrong. Most of the First teams have had very successful seasons, and the Cadet Corps was the best ever; in short, this year has been a success. Naturally, all the credit for this achievement cannot be given to one person, yet a good team must have a strong leader and in John Hough we have precisely that. John arrived at the School in the fall of 1952 and soon distinguished himself with his talents for art, composition, and football. He has risen to the position of art editor of The Review and what is even more significant, became one of the First Football team’s most outstanding linemen, winning his colours three years in a row. This year, as well as his official capacity as head of the school body, John is captain of the Bruce clan and a lieutenant in the Cadet Corps.” In his final year, John was awarded the Head Prefect Prize, the Geography Prize, and the Gordon Thorley Medal (sports). Upon hearing of John’s passing, classmate, Jim Wyse, said what he remembers most about
him were “those wonderful impish cartoons that were sprinkled throughout The Review for so many years. They were great fun and so typically ‘Hough.’” After leaving St. Andrew’s, John spent his career as a lawyer at Faskens in Toronto. He enjoyed golfing in the summer and skiing in the winter. John is survived by his wife, Susan; daughters, Jennifer and Tricia; stepsons, Joe, Scott, and Matt; five grandchildren and four step-grandchildren; and his brother, Paul. He is predeceased by his first wife, Frances.
1959
W. Adam Clatsoff passed away July 12 in Florida. He was a student at St. Andrew’s from 1953 to 1957. Adam was appointed as a librarian and also took part in the performance of the play, Escapade. Adam played First Hockey and classmate, Rob Russell, related a story that reflects the connection Adam and his family had to the School: “I remember the Macdonald House hockey team played UCC at one of their outdoor rinks and after the game his father, who owned and operated the Pilot Restaurant and Tavern on Yonge Street, took the entire team back to his restaurant for a steak lunch or whatever we wanted.” Adam moved to the United States in 1967. He started out in insurance sales in Florida then became a financial expert and was founder and chief executive officer of Adcahb Medical Coverage. His titles included chartered financial consultant, certified financial planner, registered health underwriter, chartered life underwriter, and long term care insurance strategist. Adam is the
author of One Cent Solution: A Health Care Plan to Free Americans (1994), 101 Reasons Why You Should Eat Fast Food, published in 2008, and Health Insurance 50% Less (2009), detailing the problems facing the health insurance crisis in the U.S. Adam also hosted a radio talk show from 1993 to 2000. Most recently, he contributed to the 2015 best-seller, UNcommon, which offers advice from successful entrepreneurs and business professionals. Adam is survived by his wife, Carole Jean; children, Heather and William Jr.; five grandchildren; his brother, George, and sister, Demona.
1963
Richard Holbrook passed away May 1 in
Toronto. He was a student at SAC for four years, leaving in 1961. During his time at the School, Richard played First Football and was a Flavelle House captain. Richard became a financial advisor of corporate pension funds through his own partnership of Knight, Bain, Seath and Holbrook Capital Management Inc. in Toronto. He was also a supporter of the Jewish community in Canada, and championed initiatives such as Save a Child’s Heart, initiating family programs for visiting Israel doctors and families (kibbutzim) trained in Toronto, and establishing the Sunnybrook Hospital TIA unit for heart and stroke emergency. In addition, he founded the Holbrook Family University of Toronto Scholarship for Opera Students. He is survived by his wife, Donna; daughter, Meredith; brother, David ’60, and sister, Diane. X
For more of John Hough’s cartoons, see Hough’s Stuff on page 40
80 The ANDREAN Fall 2019
Fall 2019 The ANDREAN
81
St. Andrew’s College 15800 Yonge Street Aurora, ON L4G 3H7 Canada
twitter.com/StAndrews1899 facebook.com/StAndrewsCollege
youtube.com/StAndrews1899
Instagram @StAndrewsCollege1899