One of the highlights of the AV俱乐部 social calendar, this year鈥檚 Annual Dinner will celebrate the arts with Master of Ceremonies Peter Herrndorf, president and CEO of the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.
It鈥檚 a worthy year for an arts celebration 鈥� the AV俱乐部 Arts Centre, the hub for music and theatre on campus, is marking its 40th anniversary this year.
And Mr. Herrndorf is a worthy spokesperson: a champion for the arts, under his leadership the NAC has attracted great talent, extended its presence outside Ottawa and achieved financial stability, primarily by raising millions through non-government sources.
A graduate of AV俱乐部 Law School (Class of 1965), Mr. Herrndorf famously turned his back on law and went to work for the CBC in Winnipeg as a journalist. During the CBC鈥檚 golden age, he created iconic shows such as The Fifth Estate and The Journal. He later became publisher of Toronto Life magazine and chairman CEO of TVOntario, and was named by The Globe and Mail as one of Canada鈥檚 50 nation builders. Along the way, he earned an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Still, though he鈥檚 arguably earned it, he shrugs off the label of being one of Canada鈥檚 great cultural visionaries.
鈥淪illy,鈥� he laughed, when speaking with AV俱乐部 magazine for his upcoming cover story. 鈥淵ou have to take all of that with a grain of salt. When I hear that, I think: My God, you have been at this for a long time.鈥�
This year鈥檚 Annual Dinner takes place on Thursday, October 20, with a reception starting at 6 p.m. prior to dinner being served at 7 p.m. It will be held at the Cunard Centre, 961 Marginal Road.
At the dinner, the AV俱乐部 Alumni Association will recognize the outstanding contributions of the 2011 award winners:
- Excellence in Teaching Award: Dr. Simon Gadbois, PhD鈥�02
- Christopher J. Coulter Young Alumnus Award: Dr. Carolyn Watts, MD鈥�98, BSc鈥�94
- Alumnus Achievement Award: Mr. William Crosbie, LLB鈥�82
- A. Gordon Archibald Alumnus of the Year Award: Ms. Nancy Tower, BCom鈥�81
More information on the Annual Dinner鈥攊ncluding ticket information鈥攃an be found on the .