June 30, 2017 – U of T Engineering alumni George Myhal (IndE 7T8) and Bert Wasmund (ChemE PhD 6T6) have been named Members of the Order of Canada, two of 99 extraordinary Canadians to receive one of the nation’s highest civilian honours.
Myhal was named a Member of the Order of Canada for his achievements as an investment and finance leader, and for his philanthropic contributions, notably in support of innovation in engineering.
Myhal arrived in Canada with his family from Western Ukraine in 1958, and is now president and CEO of Partners Value Investments Inc. Previously, he was a senior managing partner and the chief operating officer of Brookfield Asset Management Inc. He has also served for more than a decade on the University of Toronto’s Governing Council and the Faculty’s Dean’s Strategic Council, offering his advice and perspective on a variety of topics and initiatives. As an early supporter of the Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CEIE), Myhal’s support was instrumental in building momentum for this dynamic new space. The main foyer of the CEIE will be named in Myhal’s honour in recognition of his pace-setting $5-million gift. Myhal continues to be a valued advisor to Dean Cristina Amon.
Created in 1967, the Order of Canada recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. Appointed by Gov. Gen. David Johnston, and conferred in a ceremony at Rideau Hall, this year’s investees also include His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, machine learning researcher Yoshua Bengio, actor Mike Myers and soccer star Christine Sinclair.
