Arnold Steinberg named Chancellor of McGill
Lifelong commitment to health care, higher education, philanthropy
The McGill University Board of Governors is very pleased to announce its appointment of H. Arnold Steinberg (CM) to the position of Chancellor of McGill University, for a three-year term beginning July 1, 2009.
Mr. Steinberg is a distinguished Montrealer and Canadian, and life-long member of the McGill community and a Member of the Order of Canada. His career and volunteer endeavours, including significant contributions to the life of the McGill community, reflect a deep integrity and commitment to higher education and health care. A graduate of McGill University (BCom) and Harvard University (MBA), Mr. Steinberg is a senior officer with Cleman Ludmer Steinberg Inc., an investment holding company.
Mr. Steinberg is also Chair of the Board of Canada Health Infoway Inc., a Federal, Provincial and Territorial Governments’ initiative with a unique mandate to accelerate the development and adoption of electronic health information systems in Canada.
Mr. Steinberg has worked tirelessly for the Montreal Children’s Hospital (MCH), beginning with a joint project with Dr. Charles Scriver, working on the addition of Vitamin D to the milk produced and sold in Quebec and evaluating the childhood bone disorder of rickets. He was a senior executive at Steinberg Inc. at the time, and refused to purchase milk for the grocery store chain unless Vitamin D had been added. This relationship led to his co-chairmanship of the Capital Campaign for the Montreal Children’s Hospital and the founding presidency of the National Food Distribution Centre for the Treatment of Metabolic Diseases.
“Arnold is a force of uncommon integrity and grace,” said Robert Rabinovitch, Chair of McGill’s Board of Governors. “His loyalty to McGill runs deep and he has been a constant ambassador for the University, an inspiration to us all, as well as a great friend to McGill. His contributions to the wider community have been immense and it is with great pride that we name him to this prestigious position.
“At the same time, I would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for the magnificent contributions Richard W. Pound has made as Chancellor of McGill, as he comes to the end of his second term. Dick has devoted himself tirelessly to McGill over many, many years and we thank him profusely for all he has done.”
“I am delighted that Mr. Steinberg will be our 18th Chancellor,” McGill’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Heather Munroe-Blum said. “He brings the same level of deep commitment to the University and the broader community that has served our Chancellors so well in the past, including, most recently, Dick Pound and Gretta Chambers. I look forward to working with Mr. Steinberg and I know he will make a major contribution toward maintaining McGill’s tradition of excellence as an integral part of the Montreal community and Quebec and Canadian society.”
Mr. Steinberg served as a member of the Canada Council, including as a member of its Executive Committee. He served as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the McGill University-Montreal Children's Hospital Research Institute for 19 years and as a member of McGill’s Board of Governors. He continues to serve the University as a Governor Emeritus and as a member of the Investment Committee of the Board. He also served for many years as an Officer of Federation CJA of Montreal.
In 1995, he was elected Chairman of the Interim Board of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), comprising the Royal Victoria Hospital, the Montreal General Hospital, the Montreal Neurological Hospital and the Montreal Children’s Hospital. He was the Founding Chairman of the MUHC Board, member of the MUHC Research Institute, and serves as Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Faculty of Medicine of McGill. In 2005, Mr. Steinberg was appointed by Order-in-Council to the Governing Council of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and is currently Vice-Chair. He is a member of the Board of the Canadian Patient Safety Institute.
A leading collector of modern art, Mr. Steinberg was awarded an honorary doctorate from McGill in 2000. He is married to Dr. Blema Steinberg, Professor Emeritus, McGill University, and is the father of Margot, Donna and Adam.
He will be formally installed at the University’s fall Convocation ceremonies in November.