Personal gifts
Supporting the next generation
Campaign for Concordia gift
Just one way CEO Mark Goodman is paying it forward
Mark Goodman, BComm 81, CEO of Vexxit and donor to the John Molson School of Business.
Several years ago, Mark Goodman, BComm 81, established a scholarship fund at the John Molson School of Business. Yet the CEO of Vexxit recently saw an opportunity to do more with a new gift to his alma mater.
“I decided that instead of giving to 15 or 20 different places, I would give to one or two — and Concordia would be one of those,” explains Goodman. “Concordia has delivered so much benefit to me in my life, and my son graduated from Concordia as well. So this gift is just my way of giving back and saying ‘thank you.’”
The entrepreneur’s most recent donation will provide flexible funding for the John Molson School’s greatest needs, from experiential learning opportunities to programs offered by Career Management Services.
Goodman’s career has been a storied one. In 2006, he joined Twist Image, a digital marketing agency, as a partner. Then, in 2015, Goodman helped launch Mirum, another digital marketing company, before starting his own consultancy four years later.
By 2021, he was ready for something new. That’s when he founded Vexxit, an online platform that connects businesses and consumers with lawyers and accountants.
“It was the building of something new that really attracted me,” says Goodman. “I thought I could make a big impact.”
He’d like to continue making an impact at his alma mater, too.
“I hope to stay involved with Concordia,” adds Goodman. “I still have a view of trying to be involved with the school and giving back in other ways, whether it’s with my experience or through mentorships.”
Highlights
Dominic D’Alessandro, BSc 67, LLD 98, former president and CEO of Manulife Financial, gave $2 million to support a fellowship fund to encourage academic excellence for graduate students in research-oriented programs.
An anonymous gift of $1 million established an endowment to support undergraduate students at the John Molson School.
A donation of $500,000 from Barry Lorenzetti, founder of BFL Canada, will strengthen the work of the Barry F. Lorenzetti Centre for Women Entrepreneurship and Leadership at the John Molson School and support two separate scholarship funds.
Michael Novak gave $250,000 to support a project at District 3, Concordia’s innovation hub that encourages the entrepreneurial journeys of startup founders.
An anonymous donor gave $250,000 to support Concordia students.
Former Concordia Stingers football player Alfonso Fiumidinisi, BComm 23, made a gift of $100,000 in support of student athletes at the John Molson School.
J. Ross Quigley gave $100,000 to further support a Faculty of Fine Arts graduate award established in honour of his friend, the late Montreal artist Tom Hopkins, MFA 87.
Anne-Marie Croteau, current dean of the John Molson School and a long-time faculty member, donated $55,000 to establish the Anne-Marie Croteau Student Awards.
Peter Kruyt, BComm 78, a long-time major donor, made a gift of $50,000 in support of the university.
Leslie Raenden furthered her major support for the Faculty of Fine Arts with a donation of $50,000 to strengthen Art Volt, a platform launched in 2020 to encourage the artistic careers of recent graduates.
Art-Volt donor Leslie Raenden.
David G. Schurman, BSc 66, donated $50,000 to be equally shared by the School of Irish Studies and the Department of Education.
Norman Raschkowan donated $43,936 toward creative arts therapies for children and youth at Montreal schools. The program will be led by creative arts therapies interns as part of their graduate training.
Benjamin Crudo, BEng 12, donated $45,000 to strengthen a scholarship endowment for software engineering students created in 2020 in honour of his parents.
Richard Lapointe, BComm 90, donated $35,500 to support case-competition programs at the John Molson School.
A donor made an anonymous gift of $30,000 toward an endowment for undergraduate student aid.
A gift of more than $38,000 from Robert A. Calderisi, BA 68, LLD 17, will further support a scholarship fund for biochemistry students that the former Rhodes Scholar endowed in honour of his late twin, Ronald Calderisi, BSc 68, in 2015.
Michael W. Heslop, MBA 87, donated $30,000 to establish the Bevan-Heslop Beat the Odds Internship Fund to provide internships for students at the John Molson School.
Nicholas J. Houseman, MBA 99, furthered his support for undergraduate student bursaries with a gift of $30,000.
A donation of $30,000 from Kathryn Xistris, BEng 85, will support the Dr. George D. Xistris Scholarship Endowment in Mechanical Engineering, established in honour of her father, whose academic career at Concordia spanned three decades.
In memory of her father, Jieling Sheng, BEng 98, donated $27,500 to bolster the Sheng Family Graduate Scholarship in Electrical Engineering.
Nichola J. Dyer, BA 85, a member of the first cohort of economics co-op students who enjoyed a long career at the World Bank, donated $25,000 to further support a scholarship in her name for students at the Institute for Co-operative Education.
A gift of $25,000 from Jonathan Margel, BComm 10, further supported the Jonathan and Daniella Margel Bursaries for students at the John Molson School.
Yasser Waly, BA 05, donated $25,000 in support of student bursaries and scholarships.
