Entrepreneur of Year award a ‘real honour’ for Foster
When David Foster found himself in the spotlight Thursday night at the Victoria Conference Centre, he experienced a profound sense of déjà vu, mixed with relief.
The 16-time Grammy Awardwinning musician and philanthropist was surprised to learn he was being honoured as 2015 Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year by the University of Victoria’s Peter B. Gustavson School of Business in the same banquet room where his galas were held for the David Foster Foundation, which assists families with children needing organ transplants.
“The thing I’ve been looking forward to most is not having to put on a show this time,” Foster, 65, joked. “All I have to do is get up there and say: ‘Thank you very much.’ ”
The award was presented by six-year-old Curtis Kellar, who was supported by Foster’s foundation while waiting for a heart transplant.
The Alberta youngster was secretly flown into Victoria with his parents by foundation sponsor WestJet.
Foster, whose business suc- cesses include heading Universal’s Verve Music Group, was recognized for his business achievements and charitable work.
“We’re essentially honouring him as an entrepreneur, not as an entertainer,” said business dean Saul Klein.
“He recognizes opportunities, and he has the passion to pursue those opportunities. And they pull it together in a way that creates a lot more value for everybody else.”
Foster said it was “a unique honour” being in the company of friends and past honourees, including Dennis Washington, last year’s recipient and the Washington Companies founder who originally nominated him; Dave Ritchie, chairman and former CEO of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers; and the inaugural recipient, former Yahoo CEO Jeff Mallett.
“I feel kind of weird just being in this group, because I’m not a businessman per se,” said Foster, who was interviewed on stage during the black-tie dinner by B.C. entrepreneur Peter Legge, founder of Canada Wide Media.
“I still think of myself as a musician, so the fact they singled me out for this is a real honour.”
In the crowd of 640 were three of Foster’s daughters — actress Sara and comedy writer Erin, who co-star in VH1’s reality TV parody Barely Famous, and author and songwriter Amy — as well as his sisters Ruth, Maureen, Jeanie and Marylou.
Past recipients in attendance included Sir Terence Matthews, chairman of Mitel Corporation, Gwyn Morgan, former president and CEO EnCana Corp., media baron David Black and Lorne Campbell, representing his late father, Thrifty Foods co-founder Alex Campbell.
Foster said one of the highlights of his whirlwind visit was a dinner for past recipients and spouses at the home of award-committee chairman Peter B. Gustavson on Wednesday evening.
“Most important to me are the alumni I met that night. They’re an illustrious group of people,” Foster said.
Foster was set to fly back to Los Angeles today to continue work on a project featuring musicians singing Disney hits.