August 2023

Dear colleagues,

I wanted to give a designated place to celebrate the contributions of the faculty members who are retiring this summer. Join me in reflecting on their careers and the many ways in which they have enriched the John Molson School of Business.

Steven Appelbaum

Dr. Appelbaum was a former dean and founder of the EMBA and MSc programs and his highly-cited work has been recognized worldwide. His vision to launch those important programs in the early 80s at a time when just a handful of business schools were delivering them has been transformative for our institution and is still having a positive impact on the lives of our graduates. The reputations of both programs continue to improve year after year. He was also recognized at the 2023 President's Media Outreach Awards for his media impact. You can read more about his achievements in this story.

Kamal Argheyd

Dr. Argheyd served several times as chair of the Department of Management and was the EMBA director as well as the director of the co-op and exchange programs. Besides his years of service, he was a dedicated teacher and very passionate about offering the best learning environment to his students.

George Kanaan

Dr. Kanaan served as associate dean, responsible for Undergraduate Programs and Academic and Student Affairs and was also chair of the Department of Accountancy. During his 18 years as associate dean, he led the important efforts to increase enrolment and was a great advisor to the deans who had the privilege of working closely with him, me included. You can learn more about his contributions in this story.

Gregory Lypny

Dr. Lypny served as acting chair of the Department of Finance and supervised several students at the graduate level. He was nominated nine times for the Distinguished Professor Teaching Award, demonstrating his immense popularity among students and talents as an educator. 

Harold Simpkins

Prof Simpkins was the academic co-op director for the Department of Marketing for several years. In fact, he helped launch the co-op program and under his leadership, increased the number of students from six in 1995 to 150 today. In addition, he co-developed one of our first online courses, Marketing Yourself, with Dr. Jordan LeBel and was a coach and great supporter of several events like Relève Marketing, Happening Marketing and many others. You can read more about his life and career in this University Advancement profile story from March of this year.

Together, these gentlemen have given almost 200 years (196, to be exact) of leadership, wisdom, experience and commitment to our students and research. Their years of service have enhanced the reputation of the John Molson School of Business and contributed to the fact that it is one of the best business schools in the world.

On behalf of the entire John Molson community, I want to thank each of them for their countless efforts and invaluable contributions that have left an indelible mark on our community. Many of us have worked closely with some, if not all of them, and found excellent collaborators, inspiring mentors, sponsors, and friends that will be dearly missed. Merci messieurs et bonne retraite!

Warmest regards,
Anne-Marie Croteau, PhD, CDir
Dean