A celebration under the city skyline: An Evening of Accolades 2026

McMaster President Susan Tighe, Rob Strickland, Mary Lou Maher and DeGroote Dean Khaled Hassanein

The DeGroote community gathered to honour two remarkable alumni on May 14, 2026 at the Globe and Mail Centre in Toronto.

An Evening of Accolades is DeGroote’s annual awards ceremony and celebration, and this year’s event showcased the achievements of Rob Strickland (MBA ’88) and Mary Lou Maher (BCom ’83).

Strickland, the president of Fidelity Canada, is the 2026 recipient of the school’s highest honour, the Wayne C. Fox Distinguished Alumni Award. This prestigious award celebrates exceptional alumni whose impact, achievements and character have enhanced the reputation of the DeGroote School of Business and McMaster University.

Maher, a former executive at KPMG, is this year’s recipient of the DeGroote Alumni Social Impact Award, presented each year to a member of the alumni community whose work has made a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

The celebration, set against Toronto’s skyline, was an opportunity for alumni, McMaster and DeGroote leadership, faculty, staff and students to connect and celebrate the school’s impact. View the photo gallery below for a few highlights from the evening.

DeGroote alum Ryan Moran (MBA ’12) gifted watches from his company Locke & King to Strickland and Maher. L-R: Khaled Hassanein, Ryan Moran, Mary Lou Maher, Rob Strickland and Susan Tighe.

Maureen MacDonald, provost and vice-president (Academic) at McMaster University, second from left, with other event guests.

MBA candidate Ritika Khetarpal spoke about her academic journey.

Rob Strickland, left; Khaled Hassanein, right.

Several past recipients of the Wayne C. Fox Distinguished Alumni Award and the DeGroote Social Impact Award attended the event. L-R: John Marinucci, Ed Minich, Gino Scapillati, Susan Tighe, Rob Strickland, Mary Lou Maher, Wayne Fox, Khaled Hassanein, Shawn Cheung and David Feather.