Skip to main content
McMaster University
DeGroote School of Business
McMaster University

DSB Main Website Search

McMaster Menu
DeGroote Menu
  • Home
  • Programs
  • About
    • About DeGroote
    • Our Leadership
    • Dean’s Corner
    • McLean Centre for Collaborative Discovery
    • Our Faculty & Research  
    • Strategic Plan 
    • Annual Report 
  • Events
  • Students
    • Student Resources
    • Student Clubs
    • Submit a Student Bulletin
  • Alumni
    • Alumni Resources
    • Wayne C. Fox Distinguished Alumni Award 
    • DeGroote Alumni Social Impact Award
  • Staff
  • Give
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • DeGroote Directory
Search McMaster Menu
  • Home
  • Programs
  • About
    About DeGrooteOur LeadershipDean’s CornerMcLean Centre for Collaborative DiscoveryOur Faculty & Research  Strategic Plan Annual Report 
  • Events
  • Students
    Student ResourcesStudent ClubsSubmit a Student Bulletin
  • Alumni
    Alumni ResourcesWayne C. Fox Distinguished Alumni Award DeGroote Alumni Social Impact Award
  • Staff
  • Give
  • Contact
    Contact UsDeGroote Directory

GIVE  

Honouring Michael G. DeGroote

September 15, 2022 ·

Contributed by: Khaled Hassanein, Dean, DeGroote School of Business

Share

Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Mail Copy Link

Dear DeGroote community,

It is with deep sadness that I share the news that Michael G. DeGroote passed away on September 12.

Michael G. DeGroote was a philanthropist, entrepreneur, leader and business icon. His life can be described as the quintessential Canadian business success story.

He was born in Belgium and immigrated to Canada with his parents when he was 14 years old. An entrepreneur at heart, he started his first business as a teenager and after a couple of business ventures he made his first million dollars before his 30th birthday.

As a national and international business leader, he helped to put McMaster and our business school on the world stage. Michael G. DeGroote began his relationship with McMaster in 1987 with a $3 million gift to the Faculty of Business. This investment led to the creation of the DeGroote School of Business building, which is the current home for our DeGroote community.

During the ground-breaking ceremony on September 13, 1990, Michael G. DeGroote said:

“When I struggled in business 32 years ago, young and lacking in education, I made a promise to myself that if and when I became successful, I would make a contribution to education.”

1992 newspaper clipping with announcement that Faculty of Business is renamed DeGroote School of Business, becoming the first named business school in Canada

1992 newspaper clipping with announcement that Faculty of Business is renamed DeGroote School of Business, becoming the first named business school in Canada

In 1992, the Faculty of Business was renamed the DeGroote School of Business and became the first named business school in Canada.

In 2003, Michael G. DeGroote gave McMaster a landmark gift of $105 million – the largest cash donation in Canadian history.

In 2014, Michael G. DeGroote announced a new gift of $50 million to increase the university’s focus on health leadership and biomedical research. It seeded interdisciplinary collaborations between the Faculty of Health Sciences and the DeGroote School of Business which resulted in development of the Health Leadership Academy.

A leader and innovator, Michael G. DeGroote’s legacy will continue to live on. He is the namesake of our business school, and the name DeGroote has taken on a special meaning for us. DeGroote is our identity. We are DeGroote and our students, faculty, staff and alumni make up the DeGroote community.

Our School’s core values of innovation, collaboration, and generosity are traits that are exemplified by Michael G. DeGroote. These are values we live each and every day, and we will continue to cultivate at the School. Grit, determination, and generosity are a few of the words used to describe Michael G. DeGroote. It is interesting to note that these very same words are often used to describe our students.

Michael G. DeGroote and McMaster leadership at the unveiling for the Ron Joyce Centre Campus in Burlington

Michael G. DeGroote and McMaster leadership at the unveiling for the Ron Joyce Centre Campus in Burlington in 2009

Michael G. DeGroote’s support has helped us thrive as a school that fosters interdisciplinary thinking and evidence-based approaches to transform business and society. We shared the goals of developing people, nurturing leaders, and supporting education – and university education in particular. He regularly demonstrated these tenets over the years through the giving of money, time, and passion.

As one of Canada’s great entrepreneurs, Michael G. DeGroote sets a high bar and strong example for our students. Not only was he successful in business, but he was also generous in sharing his success. Our business school, students and entire community deeply appreciate the support and generosity from Michael G. DeGroote and the entire DeGroote family.

For more information, please visit our website.

Sincerely,

Khaled Hassanein

Dean, DeGroote School of Business

 

Tags:   DEGROOTE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS MICHAEL G. DEGROOTE

Related Stories

Welcome to DeGroote! Highlights from Welcome Week 2023
September 13, 2023 · STRATEGIC PLAN | TEACHING AND LEARNING · STUDENT

Welcome to DeGroote! Highlights from Welcome Week 2023

MacNav: A New Digital Wayfinding Pilot Project
September 6, 2023 · STUDENT

MacNav: A New Digital Wayfinding Pilot Project

Honouring Michael G. DeGroote
September 15, 2022 · GIVE

Honouring Michael G. DeGroote

McMaster Remembers Michael G. DeGroote
September 15, 2022 · GIVE

McMaster Remembers Michael G. DeGroote

McMaster to Open New Location at 180 Bloor in Toronto
August 3, 2022 · STRATEGIC PLAN | TEACHING AND LEARNING · DEVELOPMENT · GIVE

McMaster to Open New Location at 180 Bloor in Toronto

Online Learning Q&A
March 18, 2020 · STUDENT · STAFF

Online Learning Q&A

DeGroote School of Business DeGroote School of Business Logo
DeGroote Instagram logo DeGroote Linkedin logo DeGroote Facebook logo DeGroote YouTube Logo DeGroote TikTok Logo
DeGroote Menu

  • Programs
  • About DeGroote
  • Events
  • Student Resources
  • Staff Resources
  • Alumni Resources
  • Give
  • DeGroote Directory
  • Contact Us
  • Faculty & Research  
Hamilton Campus

DeGroote School of Business
McMaster University

1280 Main Street West

Hamilton, Ontario
L8S 4M4
Burlington Campus

DeGroote School of Business
Ron Joyce Centre

4350 South Service Road

Burlington, Ontario
L7L 5R8
AACSB Logo

McMaster University is committed to providing websites that are accessible to the widest possible audience.  

If you require any content on this website in an alternate format, please contact dsbweb@mcmaster.ca and we will respond promptly.

DeGroote Online Privacy Policy

McMaster Brighter World Logo McMaster University - Brighter World Logo
Contact McMaster McMaster Terms & Conditions McMaster Privacy Policy
Secret Link