Honorary degree citation - Lorne Webster*

By: Frank L. Sbrocchi, June 1991

Mr. Chancellor, I have the honour to present to you Lorne Charles Webster, successful businessman and financier, who has been a major force in the Québec, Canadian and international business scenes.

Mr. Webster was educated at Lower Canada College and received a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University. Shortly after graduating from McGill, he started his business career in the family business. However, he soon illustrated his talents by striking out on his own, first through his investment and management activities in the insurance industry and later moving to the financial services sector where he now personally runs several companies with over $500 million in assets.

He is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Prenor Group Limited and Chairman of Boulton-Tremblay Funds Incorporated, and is president of some seven additional companies. He serves as a director of the Bank of Montréal, Imperial Trust Company, Québecor Incorporated, Stadacona Investments Limited to name but a few of the some thirty Canadian, American, European, Caribbean and Latin American financial services companies of which he is a director. Mr. Webster's business interests also include the directorship of The Montréal Expos Baseball Club Limited, where he has been able to combine his business insight with his keen interest in sports. An amateur squash player, he has been an active athlete throughout his life.

Mr. Webster is also well known for his philanthropic work. He is Chairman of the Old Brewery Mission and a major contributor to the Desert Research Institute at Ben-Gurion University.

Mr. Chancellor, it is a privilege to present to you, on behalf of the Senate and by the authority of the Board of Governors, Lorne Charles Webster, so that you may confer on him the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa.

* deceased