DAN Management receives transformative $5-million gift

December 11, 2017

Aubrey Dan with DAN Management students

The Faculty of Social Science has received a $5-million gift from Aubrey Dan, funds that will help re-shape and expand the DAN Department of Management & Organizational Studies.

This is the second gift Dan has made to the department, following a $5-million gift in 2006. The most recent gift will be used to establish three endowed research chairs, and two endowed distinguished lectures.

“This will really help catapult the department to the next level,” said Aubrey Dan. “It is very transformative and exciting.”

Research chairs will be established in the fields of: Corporate Governance; Consumer Behavior; and Change and Innovation. All three research chairs will carry the Dancap Private Equity name. Each chair is supported by a $1.5-million gift, and with matching funds from the University, there will be a total of $9-million for these chairs. Two endowed lectures - the DAN Management Distinguished Lecture in Consumer Behavior and DAN Management Distinguished Lecture in Corporate Governance - have also been created.

“DAN Management is undergoing a renaissance like never before,” said Bob Andersen, Dean of the Faculty of Social Science. “We plan to add new faculty members in the department over the next few years, which will contribute significantly to our research capacity, and to our international reputation.”

“This donation is fantastic, it’s a great opportunity in a number of ways,” said Mitch Rothstein, Chair of DAN Management. “In a research intensive university, the department needs to be research intensive and this gift gives us a big step forward with three research chairs. It allows us to recruit three senior researchers with long-established records. This will help make the department known in academia and in the wider public.”

“In general, the current faculty in DAN Management is younger,” said Rothstein. “Having senior people in the field will give them the opportunity to work with them. It will be a great source for potential collaboration and for future research.”

Dan, BACS’85, is a Tony Award-winning producer, and president of the Dancap Group of Companies, including Dancap Global Asset Management and Dancap Private Equity Inc.

Dan gave his first gift to the university in 1988. In 2006, Dan provided a $5-million gift in support of the Management and Organizational Studies program, which was renamed the Aubrey Dan Program in Management and Organizational Studies. In 2013, the Management and Organizational Studies program was named a department within the Faculty of Social Science, and in June 2017 the department was renamed the DAN Department of Management & Organizational Studies.

Speaking at the gift announcement, Western University President Amit Chakma noted that Dan has been an active part of the department, attending students networking and career events, and awards ceremonies.

“Aubrey’s enthusiasm for Western is contagious and students are inspired by him, his business accomplishments and his philanthropy,” said Chakma.

Dan said he is inspired to continue giving because he sees “such incredible positive changes of being part of creating the future leaders of Canada and around the world.”

Dan is also inspired by the University’s commitment to growth. “Every single level at the University – the President, Provost, the Dean, the Departments and the students – are thoroughly open to continued new changes,” said Dan. “It is truly inspirational as a former alumni to help collaborate to improve the university.”

“When an organization is on the rise, smart people want to contribute,” said Andersen. “Aubrey Dan’s $5-million investment will make us even better.”

Located in Western’s Faculty of Social Science, DAN Management takes a people-centric approach to management education that embraces change and innovation. DAN Management is home to nearly half of all Social Science students. The department offers a Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies (BMOS) degree in six areas of study: Accounting; Commercial Aviation Management; Consumer Behaviour; Finance; Human Resource Management; and Public Administration.

 

Media Coverage:

Aubrey Dan donates $5M to DAN (London Free Press)

Unique Western University department receives $5M donation from its namesake (Global News)

Western Alumnus makes massive donation to the Social Sciences faculty (CTV News)