Words & Deeds Leadership Award Dinner honours Ted Rogers

By Dan Horowitz --
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and The Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy (CIJA) came together on April 17 to honour a true Canadian pioneer at the second annual Words & Deeds Leadership Award Dinner.

Ted Rogers, president and CEO of Rogers Communications Inc., a man who personifies the spirit of the award, was presented with the honour by Dinner co-chairs Ivan Fecan and Peter Godsoe in front of 800 guests – including a number of high-profile dignitaries – at Toronto’s Royal York Hotel.

The evening was chaired by former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. Other participating political leaders included another former prime minister, Paul Martin and Ontario Progressive Conservative leader John Tory.

The Words and Deeds Leadership Award honours Canadian leaders who have made outstanding contributions to humanitarian causes and to social cohesion, inclusion, and to civil discourse in Canadian society.

RBC’s Gordon M. Nixon was the recipient of last year’s inaugural award. Named Outstanding Philanthropist of 2002, Rogers and his wife Loretta have given millions of dollars and much of their time to educational and health-related charities, including the University of Toronto, Ryerson University, Toronto General Hospital, and Sheena’s Place, an agency supporting those affected by eating disorders. “In my early days in business, I made a conscious decision to give back,” Rogers told participants. “Giving is in the heart of everyone – from a small donation from a young person to a large donation from an older person. Our family’s purpose is to try and assist in each generation having more opportunity than the last. We feel that the single, most important factor is improved access to higher education.” “We are thrilled to see Mr. Rogers honoured with the Words and Deeds Leadership Award,” said UJA Federation board chair, David Engel. “His efforts on behalf of education in the community have been tireless, an outstanding example of putting his principles to work for the good of the entire community.” “CIJA and UJA Federation have, once again, conferred the Words & Deeds Leadership Award on a truly great community and business leader, a man I’ve known for thirty years and whom I consider a mentor,” said CIJA’s Brent Belzberg, an honourary co-chair of the event along with Steven Cummings, Gordon M. Nixon, Gerald Schwartz and Lawrence Tanenbaum. “Ted Rogers has put the resources of his innovative spirit to work on behalf of the entire community. This is Canadian leadership at its best.”

Rogers was made an Officer of The Order of Canada in 1990 and was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame in 1994. In 2002, Rogers was the first Canadian named to the Cable Hall of Fame in Denver, Colorado, before being inducted into Canada’s Telecommunications Hall of Fame in October 2006. “As a Canadian of vision and great communal purpose, Ted Rogers has proven himself to be an outstanding leader who has demonstrated through words and deeds how the synergy of entrepreneurial and philanthropic spirit becomes a magnificent tool for the betterment of society,” said UJA Federation president and CEO, Ted Sokolsky. “I am overwhelmed by this tribute,” said Rogers. “I am thankful to CIJA and UJA Federation and applaud the incredible work they do.”