By Communications Staff

 

The largest Queen’s MBA scholarship worth $1.75 million has been created to celebrate the career of retiring Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan President and CEO, and Chancellor-designate Jim Leech.

 

Friends and colleagues of Mr. Leech made donations towards the scholarship, with an anonymous donor agreeing to match all donations up to $1 million.

 

“Queen’s School of Business is honoured to be the recipient of this generous gift in Jim’s name,” says David Saunders, Dean of the Queen’s School of Business. “It’s a fitting tribute given Jim’s service to Queen’s, as the current Chair of the School of Business Advisory Board and incoming Queen’s University Chancellor. The Jim Leech scholarship will help us attract the most promising global leaders to our MBA program.”

 

Mr. Leech received the gift at a gala retirement dinner Thursday night in Toronto. Scholarships will be awarded based on academic excellence to students entering the full-time MBA program starting in January 2015.

 

“This is an overwhelming and humbling honour,” says Mr. Leech. “I have been involved with higher education, and with Queen’s in particular, for 40 years. I am thrilled to know that Queen’s students will benefit from the wonderful generosity of my friends and colleagues.”

 

Before becoming CEO, Mr. Leech was head of Teachers’ Private Capital. Mr. Leech has also made a substantial contribution to the ongoing debate about the Canadian pension system, having this year co-authored a book on pension reform called The Third Rail: Confronting Our Pension Failures.

 

“We’re honouring Jim because of the excellence he brought to Teachers,’” says Ron Mock, Teachers’ CEO-elect. “We’re doing it in a way that is near to his heart – through a gift that will benefit his alma mater and more importantly, the young people who choose to study there. Jim never lost sight of the need to give back to the community. The Queen’s MBA scholarship ensures that Jim’s legacy of leadership and community spirit will live on.”

 

The appointment of Chancellor-designate Leech was ratified by the University Council at its annual meeting on Oct. 18. Chancellor-designate Leech is a graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada and earned an MBA from Queen’s School of Business in 1973. He currently serves as chair of the Queen’s School of Business advisory board and as a member of its global council. He is also a member of the Initiative Campaign cabinet. From 1984 to 1996 he served as a member of Queen’s Board of Trustees and was a member of University Council from 1980 to 1984. He will officially be installed as Queen’s 14th chancellor during the fall convocation ceremonies in 2014.

 

To make a donation to the Jim Leech MBA Scholarship Fund, please visit www.givetoqueens.ca/jimleech.