New student awards created with $500,000 gift from Beedie family

By Ian Bryce

A $500,000 gift from Simon Fraser University alumnus Ryan Beedie will support 25 new undergraduate awards for students in SFU’s Beedie School of Business.

The generous gift marks five years since he and his family bestowed $22 million—the largest gift in SFU’s history—to establish the Beedie School of Business.

“This wonderful gift will strengthen SFU’s commitment to engage the world,” says SFU President Andrew Petter. “These awards benefit the innovators and entrepreneurs of tomorrow and affirm the Beedie family’s dedication to teaching and learning at SFU.”

 

Five awards in each of five years

For a period of five years, beginning in September 2017, students demonstrating excellent leadership will be eligible to apply for five, annual entrance awards—each worth $20,000.

“The relationships that my family and I have built with the students and school over the past five years have been very rewarding for all of us,” says Ryan Beedie, who graduated from SFU in 1991 with an undergraduate business degree in accounting and finance. He also holds a Master of Business Administration in real estate from the University of B.C.

“This gift is part of my ongoing commitment to SFU and future business leaders. I’m proud to continue to support my alma mater and ensure that undergraduate students can access a high-quality business education.”

The Beedie School of Business has created a name for itself by championing innovation and entrepreneurship. It has launched new programs such as The Graduate Certificate in Science and Technology Commercialization, established a social innovation lab and business incubator called RADIUS, and recently announced the Charles Chang Institute for Entrepreneurship.

As president of The Beedie Group, Ryan Beedie has built one of the largest and most successful industrial property development companies in Canada. Born and raised in Burnaby B.C., he joined the company in 1993 and became president in 2001.

Since 1995, he has overseen the construction of more than 13-million-square-feet of industrial space. Today, The Beedie Group is the largest private industrial landowner, developer and landlord in Metro Vancouver, having completed 20- million-square-feet of new construction throughout British Columbia and Alberta.