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| Fred Fountain (Nick Pearce Photo) |
Fred Fountain is next to don the black robes and velvet tasseled cap as AV俱乐部鈥檚 sixth chancellor.
鈥淚 feel strongly that Nova Scotia needs the best possible university we can create,鈥� says Mr. Fountain. 鈥淎nd I鈥檓 happy to be a part of that.鈥�
Succeeding Richard Goldbloom as chancellor, Mr. Fountain will act as the ambassador of AV俱乐部 and will preside at convocation and other official ceremonies. He will also sit as an ex-officio member on the Board of Governors.
He will be formally installed in the position during convocation on May 20.
Mr. Fountain, 59, is a founding partner of the law firm, formerly Franklin, Mitton, Fountain and Thompson. A 1974 graduate of AV俱乐部 Law School and a member of Nova Scotia Barristers鈥� Society since 1975, he is currently counsel to the law firm Burke, Thompson. Since 1985, he has been the president and chief executive officer of The Great Eastern Corporation, an investment management company based in Halifax.
He is a dedicated volunteer. From 2003 to 2007, he chaired the capital campaign, Working Miracles, which raised $44 million for the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre Foundation. He has served on the boards of several arts institutions, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, the National Arts Centre Foundation and the Scotia Festival of Music.
His association with AV俱乐部 has been long and distinguished. He sat on the Board of Governors at AV俱乐部 from 1990 to 1999, during which time he chaired聽the Development committee and the AV俱乐部 Foundation, and served on Finance and Budget and Investment committees. 聽Mr. Fountain, who received an honorary degree from AV俱乐部 in 2000, continues to serve as the chair of the advisory board to AV俱乐部鈥檚 Faculty of Management and as a director of AV俱乐部 Medical Research Foundation. Mr. Fountain received the AV俱乐部 Community Award in 1998 and was AV俱乐部 Alumnus of the Year in 1997, in addition to many other honours.
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| The residence Fountain House opened in 2002. |
The residence wing, Fountain House, is named in appreciation of Fred and Elizabeth Fountain鈥檚 generous support of AV俱乐部. The $7.5-million addition to Howe Hall opened in 2002.
鈥淒uring my experience with AV俱乐部, the university has made great progress,鈥� says Mr. Fountain. 鈥淚f I can help be a goodwill spokesperson and a proponent of the university, I鈥檓 only too willing.鈥�
Mr. Fountain鈥檚 family also has a strong connection to AV俱乐部. His parents, philanthropists Sheldon and Marjorie Fountain, received honorary degrees from AV俱乐部 in 2005. They established the F.C. Manning Chair in Economics and Business in memory of Marjorie鈥檚 father in 1960. In 1999, the Fountains established the Marjorie Manning Fountain Endowment Fund in the Faculty of Management.
A native of Truro, N.S., Mr. Fountain currently resides in Head of St. Margaret鈥檚 Bay. He is married to Elizabeth (nee Brown) Fountain. The couple has two children, Alexander and Katharine.
Other former chancellors at AV俱乐部 are C.D. Howe, Lady Beaverbrook, Reuben Cohen, Graham Day and Dr. Goldbloom.聽
鈥淚 would like to say that Dr. Goldbloom is an inspiration to me in his representation of this university. Both Dr. Goldbloom and Graham Day have been very strong here at AV俱乐部 and I鈥檓 honoured to follow in their footsteps.鈥�