George Brown College president Anne Sado to retire in June

TORONTO — After nearly 17 years as president of George Brown College, Anne Sado will be retiring effective June 30, 2021 the board of governors announced recently.

Sado became George Brown’s first female president in 2004. She has championed a critical public discussion about the importance of a college education and played a key role in advancing the work-integrated learning agenda both at George Brown, and across the country, through her leadership work with the Business Higher Education Roundtable, indicates a release issued by the college.

College achievements during Sado’s tenure include:

• George Brown has more than doubled its enrolment and developed industry partnerships across the GTA and around the world.
• The establishment of the Office of Research and Innovation which was named a Top 10 College Research Institute four times in the last five years and has received more than $80-million in research funding.  
• The development and opening of a state-of-the-art campus on the Toronto Waterfront, including a new School of Design facility, the Daphne Cockwell Centre for Health Sciences and the college’s first student residence, The George.
• Planning to construct The Arbour, the first mass timber, low carbon, institutional building in Ontario.
• Transformation of the St. James and Casa Loma campuses, including the addition of the Chef’s House on King Street and the Green Building Centre at Casa Loma.
• Ensuring experiential learning opportunities are offered in 100 per cent of George Brown career focused programs.

Sado holds an MBA from the University of Toronto as well as a Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering and was awarded a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, from the University of Toronto in June 2011. She was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2013 and has received the Queen’s Diamond and Golden Jubilee Medals.

George Brown’s board of governors will conduct a rigorous search for Sado’s successor. The college will retain a search consultant and begin laying out the process for identifying the next president.

“It has been an honour to serve as president of George Brown College, and I am grateful to have spent almost two decades working alongside outstanding faculty, support and administrative staff who have brought exceptional talent and innovation to the college to support its growth and development while preparing learners to be successful in their future careers,” said Sado in a statement.

“Anne has had an exceptional tenure as president, leading through a time of historic growth and change. By every conceivable measure Anne leaves the college stronger than she found it,” said Kevin Costante, chair, Board of Governors. “Thanks to her vision and direction, the college is poised to face the challenges and changing environment of education both today and into the future to ensure we continue to make a difference in the lives of our students, and our community.”