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Associated Alumni

Honouring a lifetime of achievement

(Photo courtesy of marinerpartners.com)

Gerry Pond (BA'66, DLitt'04), one of the country's great businessmen, received the 2017 Ernst & Young (EY) Entrepreneur of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his contribution to Canadian business, philanthropic endeavors and outstanding leadership within the community and across Canada.

“It’s because of people like Mr. Pond that we created the EY Entrepreneur of The Year Lifetime Achievement award," says Jim Lutes, EY’s Atlantic Canada managing partner. "His dedication to business and the community is a reflection of the values we should all strive to embrace. His devotion has had massive economic impacts and his caring nature is witnessed by countless humanitarian awards.”

A 40-year veteran of the information and communications technology sector, Pond is co-founder and chairman of Mariner Partners Inc. and is a cornerstone of Atlantic Canada's entrepreneurial ecosystem, through Propel ICT, UNB's Pond-Deshpande Centre, and East Valley Ventures -- all aimed at accelerating start-up companies. In the past 10 years, he has supported 10 technology start-up companies, including Q1 Labs and Radian 6 -- both with roots at UNB.

His many accolades include: member of the Order of Canada; recipient of the Order of New Brunswick; Canadian Angel of the Year; and Champion of Public Education, which he was named twice by the Learning Partnership. He also received the Canadian Red Cross Humanitarian award for New Brunswick and the Wolf Blass Lifetime Achievement Award; and was named the first-ever Business Development Bank of Canada Entrepreneurship Champion.