“Like that other renowned New Brunswick philanthropist before him, Lord Beaverbrook, Currie is leaving a sizable legacy of donations, endowments, chairs and other acts of generosity.
Chris Morris, The Telegraph Journal, July 2010
Richard Currie, O.C., C.B.H.F., M.B.A., LL.D., P.Eng., was born in Saint John, N.B. In 1955, he began his studies in chemical engineering as a Beaverbrook Scholar at the
University of New Brunswick.
After graduation, he became the refining superintendent for the Atlantic Sugar Refineries in Saint John. He left to complete his MBA at Harvard, and in 1972 joined Loblaw Companies. He became president of the company in 1976, and, over the next 25 years, grew the company over 350-fold to a market value of $15 billion. Dr. Currie was then named president of George Weston Limited, Loblaws’ parent company, and during his six-year tenure increased the company’s share price more than seven-fold.
Dr. Currie has acted as a corporate director for many of Canada’s most prominent organizations, and, in 2002, Bell Canada Enterprises named him chair of its board of directors. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada, and in 2003 he was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame. Dr. Currie’s contributions to the economic and social well being of Canadians go far beyond his professional career - most especially his outstanding support of and advocacy for the University of New Brunswick.
In May 2003, he became UNB’s fifth modern-day Chancellor. That same year, he enhanced the Blake-Kirkpatrick renewable undergraduate scholarships (now called the Currie Scholarships) he established in 1998, making them among Canada’s most valuable.
In July 2008, Dr. Currie’s patronage enabled the single largest capital building project in the university’s history: the Richard J. CURRIE CENTER. This latest gift transforms not only the physical landscape of the campus, but also provides a renewed vision of wellness and excellence.
Dr. Currie currently resides in Toronto, Ont., and Rothesay, N.B., with his wife Beth.
Watch the video in honour of Dr. Richard J. Currie presented at the opening of the Richard J. CURRIE CENTER:
More information
For information on applying to the Richard J. Currie scholarship, click here.
To learn more about being a Currie Scholar and view the list of past Currie Scholars, click here.
Apply for more UNB Scholarships.
It's easy to establish a scholarship for students at UNB. To learn more about establishing a scholarship, you can view information online or contact us to walk you through it. You can also make a contribution to existing scholarships and bursaries at UNB by donating online, by mail or in person.
