MONTREAL/October 24, 1997—
The thousands of people who make up the Concordia University community wish to express their sorrow at the death today of Humberto Santos (1944-1997), president and chief executive officer of Desjardins Laurentian Financial Corporation.
Mr. Santos was a Concordia graduate, and one of the finest friends our university has ever had.
In 1965, an immigrant from Portugal, Mr. Santos plunged into night classes at Sir George Williams University. He earned his Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia in 1975, and his Master's of Business Administration in 1979.
He went on to a brilliant and demanding business career, but never forgot his alma mater. He served for six years on the University's Board of Governors, chaired the University's Annual Giving Campaign, and at the time of his death, was chairman of the Major Gifts division of the Capital Campaign. He even took time from his work to walk in the annual inter-campus Shuffle for scholarships, singlehandedly raising thousands of dollars to help needy students.
Always, he buoyed everyone around him with his good humour, enthusiasm and his boundless pride in Concordia. In 1994, he was presented with the Faculty of Commerce and Administration's Award of Distinction, and was one of the first to volunteer for that Faculty's external advisory board.
A man of great energy and charm, Mr. Santos won many other awards, including a gold medal from the government of his native country for his work on behalf of the Portuguese community in Montreal.
In 1996, Mr. Santos won the Award of Merit, the highest honour conferred by Concordia's three Alumni Associations. It was noted then how he always mentioned Concordia with pride and affection, and that he still often wore his beloved old Sir George Williams University leather jacket.
Chancellor Eric H. Molson, Chairman of the Board of Governors Reginald K. Groome, and Rector and Vice-Chancellor Frederick Lowy wish to express, on behalf of the entire Concordia community, our heartfelt sympathy to the Santos family.
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