Weekly News Recap: October 18, 2019

Weekly News Recap: October 18, 2019

Bill Ptacek, CEO of the Calgary Public Library, died peacefully on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2019.

Dress me slowly, I’m in a hurry. — Napoleon Bonaparte

This week's highlights

  • Saying goodbye to Bill Ptacek #ThankYou
  • A new architectural prize, Trico wins an international award, and the two-hour marathon barrier is broken #News
  • An augmented reality app for the Blackfoot Cree language #Cool
  • Outside magazine shares its weirdest stories #AndTheyAreThat
  • Attention management and being present #Hacks
  • An arms dealer/philanthropist #WhoKnew
  • Mark Blumberg's updated snapshot of the Canadian charity sector #TreasureTrove
  • Toronto Symphony Orchestra receives a $10 million gift #GratefulCultureLovers
  • And so much more...

News

  • Bill Ptacek leaves behind legacy of innovation at Calgary Public Library (Calgary Herald) CALGARY STORY It was a privilege to work with Bill. What a gift to have him come to Calgary at just the right time. I will always remember the conversations we had. Rest in peace Bill Ptacek. We will not see your like again. Here at ViTreo, our thoughts go out to your friends and family including all those who work at, serve, and love our library. "Leaving behind a legacy of innovation and increased access, former Calgary Public Library CEO Bill Ptacek has died at the age of 69. During his time in Calgary, Ptacek led multiple new initiatives, including a full rebranding, a new catalogue and website, a focus on safety at the Central Library as well as free library cards for all." 10/16/19

  • Bank of England boss says global finance is funding 4C temperature rise (The Guardian) "In a stark warning over global heating, Mark Carney said the multitrillion-dollar international capital markets – where companies raise funds by selling shares and bonds to investors – are financing activities that would lift global temperatures to more than 4C above pre-industrial levels." Thanks to Ron Bailey for sharing this story. 10/15/19

  • Brooks: The Beat Goes On Gala raises $700k for heart health (Calgary Herald) CALGARY STORY Great event! Congrats! "The largest heart institute in Western Canada was created in 2003 thanks to a $15-million donation from the Alvin and Mona Libin Foundation. This was, at the time, the largest single donation to Alberta Health Services and the University of Calgary. It’s signature annual fundraising event, The Beat Goes On Gala, was held recently at the Hyatt Regency. It raised more than $700,000, bringing the cumulative total to more than $5.2 million." 10/14/19

  • New $100,000 prize named after groundbreaking B.C. landscape architect Cornelia Oberlander (CBC) VANCOUVER STORY Have I ever told you about my crush on landscape architects? This is so great. Love. It. "A new international prize has put the spotlight back on the career of Cornelia Hahn Oberlander, the groundbreaking Vancouver-based landscape architect who was an early champion of ecological design. The Cultural Landscape Foundation, a Washington D.C.-based non-profit, announced a new $100,000 US international landscape architecture prize named in her honour that will be awarded every two years starting in 2021 — the centenary of Oberlander's birth." 10/13/19

  • Trico Homes named Best For The World for its community work (Gananoque Reporter) CALGARY STORY I am a big fan of B Corps and of Trico. Congrats all around. "Out of 3,000 B Corporations (B Corp) worldwide, the Calgary-based builder was recognized in the Overall and Community categories, by B Lab, a nonprofit that serves a global movement of people using business as a force for good, acknowledging for-profit companies dedicated to doing good." 10/12/19

  • Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge runs marathon in under 2 hours (CBC) While not an official marathon, this is still crazy impressive. Well done Mr. Kipchoge. You are an amazing human. "Eliud Kipchoge has become the first athlete to run a marathon in less than two hours, although it will not count as a world record. The Olympic champion and world record holder from Kenya clocked 1 hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds Saturday at the INEOS 1:59 Challenge, an event set up for the attempt." 10/12/19

  • Free lockers, public bathrooms and outreach workers: How Prince George, B.C., hopes to tackle poverty (CBC) PRINCE GEORGE STORY So proud of my hometown. For me, public bathrooms are a human right. Well done P.G.! "The city of Prince George is trying some new strategies to help people dealing with poverty and homelessness in the community, including providing free storage space and opening public washrooms staffed by outreach workers." 10/9/19

  • Local man honoured for groundbreaking medical invention (FortSaskOnline) EDMONTON STORY First, I know Dr. Burrell. He is an amazing human. Congrats! Second, I have used this silver-based antimicrobial -- it is the BOMB! So great. I am looking forward to Dr. Burrell being the recipient of many other awards in the future. "Robert Burrell has been chosen as an inductee for a prestigious award in 2019. In May of this year, it was announced Burrell and seven other Albertans would be added to the Alberta Order of Excellence (AOE), which is the highest honor the provincial government can award a citizen." 10/9/19

  • Calgary Public Library joins fight against publisher restrictions on e-books (CBC) CALGARY STORY Good on ya CPL! "Library administrators in Calgary are banding together with libraries across North America to fight for access to e-books, in the wake of recent moves by major publishing houses that restrict public libraries' ability to buy them. Macmillan Publishing is one of the big five book publishers in North America. The company recently announced that all public libraries, regardless of size, will have new limits on how many e-books they can buy as well as how soon they get access to the latest book titles." 10/9/19

  • NAIT finds new temporary president and CEO (Edmonton Journal) EDMONTON STORY Congrats! "The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) has a new president and CEO, at least on an interim basis. The polytechnic’s board of governors chose Dr. Ray Block during their meeting on Tuesday. He will take on the role starting Dec. 16. Block served as NAIT’s vice-president administration and chief financial officer and is a school alumnus." 10/9/19

First Peoples of Canada

  • Focus on Cree culture paying off in Maskwacis schools (CBC) MASKWACIS STORY I heart this. More please. "Maskwacis student Donavan Buffalo is determined to graduate from high school and pursue a career in carpentry. He's seen first-hand how a change of culture at his school helps young people succeed." 10/13/19

  • Not sure how to pronounce Blackfoot words? This new augmented reality app will show you how (CBC) ALBERTA STORY Thank you! This is wonderful. "When the new library at Mount Royal University was being designed, librarian Jessie Loyer said incorporating the Blackfoot language was an important component. So, on many of the way-finding signs, like 'children’s literature,' or 'curriculum collection,' the Blackfoot words were added underneath. But Loyer, who is Cree-Métis and a member of Michel First Nation, didn’t want the words to become 'museumified,' or just regarded as an art piece. She wanted people to use it. That’s where a new augmented reality app, DeciphAR, which launched recently, comes in. Its intent is to help people learn the words and not shy away from pronunciation." 10/13/19

Seven life and career hacks -- one for each day of the week

  1. The Correct Way to Email (Forge) Things we just don't get taught in school. 9/18/19

  2. Are You Suffering from Mind Wandering Deficit? (Personal Growth) When is the last time you unplugged? 5/17/19

  3. Every Life Principle is Worthless if You Don’t Master This One (The Startup) Be present. Be positive. 4/23/19

  4. Productivity Isn’t About Time Management. It’s About Attention Management. (New York Times) “'Time management' is not a solution — it’s actually part of the problem." I knew it! 4/8/19

  5. Innovation Isn’t About Ideas (Business) Start with the monkey. 10/6/18

  6. (Deliberate) practice makes perfect: how to become an expert in anything (The Startup) Ha. Apparently the 10,000 hours required for mastery might be a wee bit inaccurate. 9/9/18

  7. How to Read the Right Way: A Complete Guide (Jumpstart Your Dream Life) If you are looking to amp up your reading edge, this is gold. 4/15/17

Uncommon knowledge

Philanthropic personalities

  • An arms dealer’s guide to philanthropy (Mail & Guardian) "Ivor Ichikowitz is the founder and executive chairman of the Paramount Group, the largest private arms manufacturer in Africa. It makes armoured vehicles, naval ships, helicopters, and fighter jets. But Ichikowitz would prefer not to be remembered for the weapons systems that he sells to autocratic regimes including Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Gabon and the Republic of Congo. Instead, he wants to focus on his philanthropy." 10/13/19

  • Mott Foundation leader Bill White was 'a lion defender of philanthropy' (Detroit News) Such an influential leader. RIP Mr. White. We will not see your like again. "As the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation’s longtime leader, Bill White became a renowned figure in philanthropy by supporting efforts aimed at improving lives and communities across the state and overseas. Mr. White died Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019, representatives said. He was 82." 10/11/19

Philanthropic controversy

  • Bill Gates had a closer relationship with Jeffrey Epstein than he admitted, The New York Times reports (The Verge) "Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft and chairman of its board until 2014, was among the powerful men who spent a meaningful amount of time with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to reporting from The New York Times. Employees of Gates’ namesake foundation reportedly also met with Epstein, in multiple visits to the disgraced financier’s mansion." 10/12/19

  • Former CEO of Dying with Dignity Canada accuses organization of systemic discrimination in lawsuit (Globe and Mail) CANADIAN STORY "Shanaaz Gokool, who led the right-to-die organization for three years, said in a statement of claim filed recently that her ill treatment included a starting compensation package that was worth only two-thirds as much as that of her white predecessor, despite the fact that Ms. Gokool served as both CEO and chief operating officer at the time." Thanks to Scott Decksheimer for sharing this story. 10/15/19

Trends and shifts

  • Sky Views: Wealthy Britons don't match the generosity of Americans - here's why (Sky News) Lots of similarities with Canada here. "The UK lags well behind the US, both in terms of the number of wealthy people who make sizeable donations to good causes and in terms of the scale in which they donate [...]. Yet there area a number of reasons why wealthy Britons do not match the generosity of their American counterparts." 10/11/19

  • How these Alberta entrepreneurs shifted strategies to find success in new markets (Calgary Herald) ALBERTA STORY "'While many newer companies may have folded, those of us who have been in business longer know you have to plan psychologically and financially and be open-minded,' [Hank Van Weelden] said. 'It’s really about looking at your core competency, breaking it down, and finding new applications for what you’re good at.'" 10/9/19

  • How do journalists differ to the public and MPs in their favourite charities? (nfpSynergy) "Journalists are important influencers on public opinion. Their opinion on the work of charities matters. This week’s blog looks into the favourite causes of journalists, and how they differ from other key audiences – MPs and the public." Much thanks to Mick Mulloy for sharing this article. 10/10/19

  • How one intellectual is finding balance through art (e-how) CANADIAN STORY Hmm...I need to do this. "Gaby Zezulka, Chair of Academic Innovation and Applied Research at College of the Rockies, spends a lot of her work day thinking [...]. With a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Alberta, a Master of Arts in Canadian Literature, and an undergraduate degree in English, Zezulka [...] is highly accomplished. It was while working on her PhD dissertation [...] that she realized it was time to also reconnect with her artistic side. Zezulka enrolled in the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology’s (NAIT) Woodworking for Women course, while still working on her PhD." 10/9/19

Stats and facts

  • Blumbergs’ Snapshot of the Canadian Charity Sector 2017 (Blubergs) CANADIAN STORY A treasure trove I tell ya. A trove. Thanks to Mark and his team at Blumbergs Law. Another great service to the sector. "This article provides a snapshot of the registered charity sector based on the 2017 T3010 filings." 10/2/19

Large gifts

  • Real estate developer, wife donate $100M to University of Virginia to help 1st-generation students (ABC) Wow! Talk about gratitude. "A man who was the first in his family to attend college and went on to become a successful real estate developer has made a $100 million contribution to help other first-generation students. David Walentas and his wife Jane are donating $100 million of their fortune to Walentas’ alma mater the University of Virginia." 10/14/19

  • West Virginia Wesleyan receives largest single donation in school history (WBOY) I love planned giving. "The gift comes from the estate of Wesleyan graduate Thomas H. Albinson, a 1976 graduate of the college. The $11 million gift goes toward endowments for the school of business, media studies program, and campus radio station." 10/14/19

  • Netflix pioneer makes $3.5M donation to Durham University (Durham University) Ah Netflix...how we love ya. "We are delighted to announce that a transformative donation of $3.5M has been received from Durham University alumnus Dr Neil Hunt, former Chief Product Officer of Netflix. Dr Hunt’s gift will be used to establish the ‘Hunt Programme’ which will provide targeted scholarship, bursary, and internship support across the Department of Computer Science and Collingwood College." 10/14/19

  • Canberra Grammar School gifted record-breaking $20 million from businessman (Canberra Times) "Businessman, philanthropist and Canberra Grammar old boy Terry Snow has donated $20 million to his former school as part of an ambitious new campus transformation." 10/14/19

  • St. Joseph's celebrating $7.5-million donation to open mobility centre (The London Free Press) LONDON STORY Nice! Congrats to all involved. "Area philanthropists Bill and Lynne Gray, the owners of Grey Ridge Egg Farms, are donating $7.5 million to open a new clinical and research hub at St. Joseph’s Parkwood Institute. The Gray Centre for Mobility and Activity is meant to address mobility problems stemming from illness and catastrophic injury that rob people of their independence and quality of life." 10/11/19

  • Toronto Symphony Orchestra gets $10-million donation, its largest single gift ever (Globe and Mail) TORONTO STORY A lovely story of the importance of culture across half a century. And the Noma story instantly evoked Christmas for me. "When Mary Manoville and Tom Beck arrived in Canada in the early 1950s, Toronto was a refuge from war-torn Europe, but it did not offer the kind of culture they had experienced in the cities from which they arrived – Vienna and London, respectively. The Toronto Symphony Orchestra was an exception, a place they were both drawn to and attended whenever they could afford the money for tickets and – once they met and married – babysitting. In 1963, the Becks purchased a little lighting company, called Noma, that would grow into a big corporation and one synonymous with Christmas. Their new-found financial comfort allowed them to attend the symphony – often with their children – to donate funds to the organization, and allowed Tom to sit on the board for 22 years, some of that as chair." 10/10/19

  • NDSU Foundation Receives $75 Million Donation (KVRR) Nice work North Dakota! "The NDSU Foundation gets its largest single donation ever: a $75 million donation by Robert and Sheila Challey." 10/10/19

  • Tour de Rock 2019 team raises more than $1.1 million for kids cancer research (Victoria News) VICTORIA STORY Great story! Nice work everyone. "After 14 days of passionate pedaling across 1,100 kilometres, the 2019 Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock team has raised more than $1.1 million for children’s cancer care." 10/9/19

Welcome to our recap of the week's news, articles, and information of note. ViTreo Group Inc. provides this information for the benefit of our clients, associates, staff, partners, and stakeholders. The content is collected and curated by ViTreo partner Vincent Duckworth. If you would like to submit a link for consideration, please send an email to info@vitreogroup.ca

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