WINNIPEG, MB – The University of Winnipeg Alumni Association will honour former Mayor Susan A. Thompson (Collegiate ’67, BA ’71) with the Distinguished Alumni Award at the University’s Spring Convocation Ceremony for the Conferring of Degrees in Education and Theology on Friday, June 8, 2012 at 9:30 a.m. at UWinnipeg’s Duckworth Centre.
Alumni Association President Chris Minaker (BA ’04) lauded Thompson saying, “The Alumni Council selected Susan not only because of her remarkable career as Mayor, but also because of her lifetime of service to her community, especially to The University of Winnipeg community.”
Thompson is a well known entrepreneur, fundraiser, diplomat and community leader. After a distinguished career in business, Thompson entered civic politics. As Mayor of Winnipeg, she managed a city budget of $1.2 billion and more than 10,000 employees. She led Winnipeg through major flooding when the city faced what became known as the `Flood of the Century’ in 1997.
After her term as Mayor, she was appointed Canadian Consul General in Minneapolis, where she served an eight-state territory consisting of 15 million people and $32 billion in Canada-US trade.
She returned to Winnipeg in 2003 to assume the role as founding President and CEO of The University of Winnipeg Foundation. Together with the Foundation Board, she managed an unprecedented $38 million Endowment Fund and provided stewardship to over 7,600 donors. Just prior to Thompson’s retirement, the Foundation concluded the largest fundraising campaign in the University’s history. More than $135 million dollars was raised in support of student awards, capital projects and academic enhancements.
Susan Thompson was nominated for the Distinguished Alumni Award in spring 2012 and was selected by a vote of the Alumni Council, the representative body of the Alumni Association that is comprised of more than 42,000 graduates of The University, United College, Wesley College, and The Division of Continuing Education.
For media inquiries, please contact:
UWinnipeg Alumni Association President
Chris Minaker at 805-0068
