Purple & White Award

The Purple and White Award is awarded by Western University to identify and recognize outstanding friends and graduates of Western University as well as corporations, associations and foundations that support the University.

This award celebrates their continuing support of the academic mission of the University through their enduring philanthropic investment in Western. Individual’s are also recognized for their volunteer contributions to his or her home community that bring distinction and honour to the University while organizations are also recognized for their additional contributions to charitable and community organizations. 

The Purple & White Award is given annually and may be awarded in any province of Canada or country in the world.  Individual nominees must have resided in the same city or surrounding area for the last five years or more in order to assess their community contributions.

Previous Purple & White Award recipients include:

2014 Perry Dellelce, BA’85 (Toronto), founder and managing partner of Wildeboer Dellelce LLP
2008 TD Bank Financial Group (London), in honour of its philanthropic investment in the university as well as the many contributions TD makes to charitable and community organizations in London and across Canada.
2007 Whit Tucker, BA’62 (Ottawa), Senior Vice-President at BMO Nesbitt Burns in Ottawa, former Western football player and supporter of various Ottawa organizations including the Ottawa Heart Institute;
2006 3M Canada Company (London), in honour of its support of Western's academic mission and its contributions to charitable and community organizations in London and across Canada;
2005 Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life (London), first corporate recipient of the Purple and White Award and have provided support to Western for more than 25 years;
2004 William T. Brock, MBA’63, LLD’05 (Toronto), Chair of Campaign Western and former Deputy Chairman of Toronto Dominion Bank and Honorary Degree recipient;

Donald Rix, BA’53, MD’57 (Vancouver), Chairman of MDS Metro Laboratory in Burnaby, British Columbia, recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal and Order of British Columbia;
2003 Donald K. Johnson, MBA’63, LLD’07 (Toronto), former President of Burns Fry and current Vice Chairman, Investment Banking for BMO Nesbitt Burns;

John A. Schweitzer, BA’74, LLD’11 (Montreal), artist, critic and curator, recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, Arts Heritage Award and the Heritage Award;
2001 Henry Cheng, HBA’71, MBA’72, LLD’97 (Hong Kong), Managing Director, New World Development Company, Honorary Degree recipient and first international recipient of the Purple and White Award;
2000 Scott Paterson, BA’85 (Toronto), former Chairman and CEO, Yorkton Securities Incorporated;
1999 Grant Reuber, BA’50 Honors, LLD’85 (Toronto) former Chairman, Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation and Honorary Degree Recipient;
1998 Paul Beeston, BA’67, LLD’94 (Toronto) President & CEO, Toronto Blue Jays and former COO, Major League Baseball and General Manager of the Toronto Blue Jays and Honorary Degree Recipient;
1997 Don Wright, BA’33, DMus’86 (Toronto) Order of Canada recipient, Alumni Award of Merit recipient and “W” Club Hall of Fame recipient;