Fortis donates $200K to MUN engineering school for lecture theatre upgrades

A $200,000 donation from Fortis Inc. is simultaneously supporting Memorial University’s faculty of engineering and applied science and honouring the power utility company’s founding father, Dr. Angus Bruneau.

The funds will be used to modernize the primary lecture theatre at the S.J Carew building by adding more seating, improving accessibility, and updating teaching and learning technology.

“The theatre is also the venue for public lectures and other outreach activities, which support our community engage- ment initiatives,” Dr. Greg Naterer, dean of engineering and applied science, stated in a press release.

In recognition of their donation, MUN has renamed the space the Fortis Angus Bruneau Lecture Theatre. The building has been known as the Angus Bruneau Engineering Lecture Theatre since the company made a $100,000 donation in 2006 to mark Bruneau’s retirement from the company’s board of directors.

“He was a gentleman who was incredibly charitable through his support of Memorial and community organizations in the province. He was also very giving of his time, always showing interest in the ideas and career paths of the future leaders at Fortis,” Fortis president and CEO Barry Perry stated in a press release.

“This donation by Fortis to create a great learning environ- ment for students at Memorial is our way of recognizing Dr. Bruneau’s extraordinary life.”

In 1969, Bruneau was the founding dean of the engineering program at Memorial. During his time at Memorial, he introduced a co-operative education program and established research organization C-CORE. He went on to found Fortis in 1987, serving as its president until 1996 and chairman of the board from 1998 to 2006. Today, the company has over $48 billion in assets, 3.2 million customers and in 2016 created revenue of $6.8 billion.

Fortis president and CEO Barry Perry

“This donation by Fortis to create a great learning environment for students at Memorial is our way of recognizing Dr. Bruneau’s extraordinary life.”