TORONTO (November 3, 2020) – George Brown College’s Board of Governors announced today the retirement of Anne Sado after nearly 17 years as President, effective June 30, 2021.
Sado became George Brown’s first female president in 2004. She leaves a long and impactful legacy having led the college through a tremendous period of growth and transformative change. She has championed a critical public discussion about the importance of a college education and played a key role in advancing the work-integrated learning agenda both at George Brown, and across the country, through her leadership work with the Business Higher Education Roundtable.
“Anne has had an exceptional tenure as President, leading through a time of historic growth and change. She has been a positive and relentless force, determined to ensure George Brown supports its students to achieve their educational and career goals. By every conceivable measure Anne leaves the college stronger than she found it,” said Kevin Costante, Chair, Board of Governors. “Thanks to her vision and direction, the college is poised to face the challenges and changing environment of education both today and into the future to ensure we continue to make a difference in the lives of our students, and our community.”
Under Sado’s leadership, George Brown has more than doubled its enrolment and developed rich and meaningful industry partnerships across the GTA and around the world. She established the Office of Research and Innovation which was named a Top 10 College Research Institute four times in the last five years, and has received more than $80-million in research funding.
Other College achievements during Sado’s tenure include:
- The development and opening of a state-of-the-art campus on the Toronto Waterfront, including a new School of Design facility, the Daphne Cockwell Centre for Health Sciences and the college’s first student residence, The George.
- Planning to construct The Arbour– the first mass timber, low carbon, institutional building in Ontario.
- Transformation of the St. James and Casa Loma campuses, including the addition of the Chef’s House on King Street and the Green Building Centre at Casa Loma.
- Ensuring experiential learning opportunities are offered in 100% of George Brown career focused programs
“It has been an honour to serve as president of George Brown College, and I am grateful to have spent almost two decades working alongside outstanding faculty, support and administrative staff who have brought exceptional talent and innovation to the college to support its growth and development while preparing learners to be successful in their future careers,” said Anne Sado, President, George Brown. “I am proud of what we have collectively accomplished. George Brown has become one of Canada's largest, most diverse and respected colleges, and is well positioned to continue to respond, adapt and transform its learning ecosystem – both now and into the future.”
Sado’s leadership in expanding and evolving George Brown has won accolades, including the CICAN Presidents' Leadership Network Distinguished Service Award in 2017. Sado was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2013 and has received the Queen’s Diamond and Golden Jubilee Medals. She holds an MBA from the University of Toronto as well as a Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering. Sado was also awarded a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, from the University of Toronto in June 2011.
George Brown’s Board of Governors will conduct a rigorous search for Sado’s successor. The college will retain a search consultant and begin laying out the process for identifying the next President to execute on its Vision 2030/Strategy 2022, for the benefit of students and employees. Further details about the search process will be announced in the coming months.
About George Brown College
Toronto's George Brown College prepares innovative, adaptable graduates with the skills to thrive in a rapidly changing job market. With three campuses in the downtown core, the college blends theory with experiential learning, applied research, and entrepreneurship opportunities. George Brown offers 172 full-time programs and 180 continuing education certificates/designations across a wide variety of professions to more than 31,000 full-time students, including 30 percent international students, and receives more than 64,500 continuing education registrations annually. Students can earn certificates, diplomas, graduate certificates, apprenticeships, and degrees. www.georgebrown.ca
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For more information or to schedule an interview with Anne Sado, president, George Brown College, please contact:
Joyann Callender
Manager External Communications
George Brown College
jcallender3@georgebrown.ca
647-988-0306
