Schulich Facility Renamed Dezsö J. Horváth Executive Learning Centre in Honour of Long-Serving Dean
TORONTO – Monday, October 2, 2023 – The Schulich School of Business (SSB) at York University last week hosted a milestone celebration event that featured the renaming of the School’s Executive Learning Centre in honour of Dean Emeritus Dezsö J. Horváth.
Horváth, who led the SSB for 32 years and is the longest serving Dean of any major business school in the world, was praised for his “visionary leadership and distinguished service.” As Dean, Dr. Horváth built Schulich’s international prominence and renown. He transformed the SSB into a global business school and expanded its reach and influence. He also led the development of innovative degrees and programs.
“Serving as Dean of the Schulich School of Business was the greatest accomplishment of my career – and also the most satisfying and enriching,” said Dezsö J. Horváth, Dean Emeritus of the SSB, in his keynote address. “Throughout my career, I was fortunate to be surrounded by incredibly talented and capable people. I had a strong faculty, tremendous advisory boards, a loyal and successful alumni network, and most of all, a dedicated and highly professional team of staff members.”
He concluded his remarks by addressing the members of the Schulich global community and said: “You cared about our School. You believed in what we were trying to achieve. And you made us successful! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Detlev Zwick, Dean of the SSB, presented Dean Emeritus Horváth with a replica plaque in recognition of the honorific naming, describing it “as a proclamation of the high esteem in which you are held by our community, and as a sign of the sincere gratitude we share for all that you have done.”
A number of leading members of the Schulich community attended the event and paid tribute to Dean Emeritus Horváth, including: Seymour Schulich, OC (Hon LLD ’03), the School’s chief benefactor and one of Canada’s greatest entrepreneurs; Robert Krembil, CM (MBA ’71, Hon LLD ’00), an individual synonymous with health care research and philanthropy in Canada; Rob McEwen, CM (MBA ’78, Hon LLD ‘05) and Cheryl McEwen (Hon LLD ’19), benefactors of the School’s Rob and Cheryl McEwen Graduate Study & Research Building; Leslie Dan, CM, O Ont (Hon LLD ’10), one of Canada’s leading entrepreneurs in the field of health and medicine; Bill Graham (MBA ’86), former President of Schulich’s Global Alumni Network; and Paul Tsaparis (MBA ’84), Chair of York University’s Board of Governors. Other prominent members of the Schulich community who attended the event include Rick Waugh, OC (MBA ’74, Hon LLD ’07) the former Deputy Chairman, President & CEO of Scotiabank.
York University President and Vice-Chancellor, Rhonda L. Lenton, who was on business overseas, provided a special videotaped message, as did a number of other individuals who worked closely with Dean Emeritus Horváth, including: John Hunkin (MBA ’69, Hon LLD ’04), former Chair of the Schulich Dean’s Advisory Council; G.M. Rao (Hon LLD ’11), Chair of the School’s India Advisory Council; and, representing Schulich students from over the years, former Graduate Business Council President Kiki Oyerinde (IMBA ’20). York University Provost and Vice-President, Academic, Lisa Philipps, gave a toast at a special private luncheon following the naming celebration.
One of the highlights of the naming ceremony was the announcement of the prestigious Dezsö J. Horváth Visionary Leadership Award, to be awarded annually to an entering Schulich MBA or Tech MBA student who demonstrates academic excellence, leadership and potential. The inaugural recipient of the award, Asma Afrin Hassan, a student in Schulich’s new Tech MBA program, was announced during the ceremony.
The naming was made possible thanks to the generous support provided by Seymour Schulich and the Schulich Foundation, Robert Krembil and the Krembil Foundation, Rob and Cheryl McEwen, and Leslie Dan, among others.
The newly renamed Dezsö J. Horváth Executive Learning Centre first opened in 2003 and includes an 11-storey hotel, lecture halls, breakout rooms, a fireside lounge, a penthouse boardroom, and an 80-seat private dining room.
Schulich Dean Detlev Zwick and York Board of Governors Chair Paul Tsaparis co-chaired the event. Marcia Annisette, professor of accounting at Schulich and York’s newly named Vice-Provost Academic, served as the Master of Ceremonies.