Gary W. DeGroote named the Community Foundation Philanthropist of the year

By Pepper Parr

May 21, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

The Burlington Community Foundation (BCF) announced today that Gary W. DeGroote has been named the 2015 Philanthropist of the Year. He will be honoured at BCF’s annual Masquerade Ball on October 24th, 2015, at the Burlington Convention Centre.

Gary W. DeGroote, Community foundation philanthropist of the year

“Gary DeGroote epitomizes what it means to be a sustainable philanthropist and we are honoured to work so closely with a man who has made such an incredible impact on Burlington and the wider community,” says Colleen Mulholland, President and CEO, Burlington Community Foundation. “Gary is a true leader who not only supports our foundation but also consistently demonstrates a passionate, caring and generous commitment to the arts, youth and recreation.”

The Philanthropist of the Year award presented by Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life offers the chance to publicly honour and thank a noted philanthropist for their positive impact on Burlington and surrounding communities. Gary and his family have a long history of sharing their time, talent and treasures.

Gary’s leadership in many endeavours will be forever noted in Burlington’s history. A passionate supporter of the arts, his Titanium Benefactor Gift helped to kick start the fundraising campaign for the renowned Burlington Performing Arts Centre. His contributions are too numerous to list as Gary and his family continue to donate countless hours of leadership and significant funding to the arts, culture, recreation, youth and education sectors in Burlington.

“It is a true honour to receive this award” says Gary DeGroote. “I hope this award encourages others to give to our community in their own way. Gestures of kindness and gifts of time and resources are what keep our communities strong and vibrant. I am very proud to support Burlington and all of the fabulous organizations that work each and every day to help make life better for others.”

DeGroote came up through the ranks of the company his Dad formed and later sold. In a Bloomberg report for 2007 Michael DeGroote was reported to have a net worth of $1.23 billion, up 6% from the previous year.

Gary DeGroote co-chaired the fund raising committee that raised much of the $28 million it cost to construct the Performing Arts Centre

DeGroote was generous to his community and plunked down $5 million to kick start the fund raising for the Performing Arts Centre.

Businessman Gary DeGroote seems to be following in the footsteps of his father, Michael — the former Laidlaw Inc. CEO turned philanthropist — with a $5-million pledge in November 2006 toward Burlington, Performing Arts Centre. He’ll still have a long way to go, though, before he tops his dad’s record-breaking $105-million donation in 2003 to Hamilton’s McMaster University, which named the DeGroote School of Business after him.

DeGroote co-chaired the fundraising committee for the $28-million Centre that was brought in on time and on budget.