University of Calgary

Hotchkiss donation

November 6, 2009

Donation creates record endowment fund

Hotchkiss family commitment helps Hotchkiss Brain Institute endowment top $64 million

Hotchkiss
Philanthropist Harley Hotchkiss answers media questins following the Report to the Community wherein his donation was announced. / Photo: Ken Bendiktsen
Long-time philanthropist, business leader and well known Calgarian, Harley Hotchkiss, together with his wife Rebecca, will build upon their previous generosity and support for the University of Calgary by committing $39 million towards a major endowment fund.

The endowment will be used to support the ongoing neurological and mental health research and education initiatives of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute (HBI), including the recruitment and retention of top researchers and the development of leading-edge biomedical technology and facilities.

“This is an extraordinary legacy gift to our community from an extraordinary man and family,” U of C President Harvey Weingarten said this morning during his annual Report to Community speech in downtown Calgary. “The Hotchkiss Brain Institute serves as a fine example of how universities can work together with members of the community to improve quality of life.”

In 2004, the Hotchkiss family provided the initial lead gift of $10 million to establish the HBI at the U of C. In five short years, the Institute has grown to become a leading centre in neurological and mental health, integrating research, education and treatment.

Along with a $25 million bequest last year by Hotchkiss’s long-time friend and U.S. entrepreneur Boone Pickens, the fund when fully realized will top $64 million—making it the largest endowment program in the history of the University of Calgary.

“I can’t say enough about the critical role that Harley Hotchkiss and his family have played in guiding and supporting the Institute,” said Dr. Samuel Weiss, director of the HBI within the U of C’s Faculty of Medicine. “The endowment will ensure the long-term sustainability of our Brain Institute in its pursuit of excellence in neurological and mental health research and education.”

Inducted on Thursday as a Companion of the Order of Canada, the country’s highest civilian honour, Hotchkiss has long played a major volunteer and fundraising role for a wide variety of health-related projects in Calgary and Alberta. In the mid-1990s, Hotchkiss was co-chair of the Partners in Health campaign that raised $53 million for health initiatives in the region. For seven years, he served as both a member and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research. Most recently he was a leader in Reach!, the joint fundraising initiative of the U of C, Alberta Health Services and the Calgary Health Trust, helping it surpass its goal of raising $300 million in philanthropic support for health care.

“Knowing that we have some of the best people and facilities in the world right here in Calgary has made it easy for me and my family to continue supporting the Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the outstanding research and education taking place in our city,” said Hotchkiss.

About the Hotchkiss Brain Institute

The Hotchkiss Brain Institute at the University of Calgary consists of more than 100 physicians and scientists who are dedicated to advancing neurological and mental health research and education. The Institute’s research strengths in foundational neuroscience (axon biology and regeneration, cerebral blood flow and metabolism, synaptic transmission and neural systems) are leading to new treatments for neurological and psychiatric disorders, aimed at improving quality of life and patient care. More information on the Hotchkiss Brain Institute can be found at: www.hbi.ucalgary.ca