André Desmarais, BComm 78, LLD 07, received an honorary doctorate from l’Université de Montréal on May 30 at its graduate convocation. André had received an honorary doctorate from Concordia’s John Molson School of Business in June 2007. He is president and co-CEO of Power Corporation of Canada and deputy chairman of Power Financial Corporation. André was an honorary patron for Concordia’s Campaign for a New Millennium from 1996 to 1999.

Dominic D’Alessandro, L BSc 67, Hon LLD 98, received an honorary doctorate from Ryerson University at the Ted Rogers School of Management convocation ceremony on June 12. He serves as president and CEO of Manulife Financial. Dominic was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2003. He received an honorary doctorate from York University in June 2006, Concordia’s Loyola Medal in May 2004 and an honorary doctorate from Concordia in 1998. He was also made a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in 1993.

Concordia Stingers wrestling coach Victor Zilberman, GrDip (DSA) 85, was inducted as a builder into the Canadian Amateur Wrestling Hall of Fame in April. He was honoured for his long and distinguished coaching career at the university level. Since 1977, Victor has guided Concordia athletes to more than 46 gold medals (93 medals overall) and six team titles at the national championships. Moreover, six Concordia athletes have been named outstanding wrestlers at the CIS tournament and Victor was named Coach of the Year in 1984, 1986 and 2006. He was inducted into the Concordia Sports Hall of Fame in 1998 and won the Humberto Santos Award of Merit from the Concordia University Alumni Association in 2007. Victor has been a coach on the Canadian staff at four Olympic Games and served as Canada’s national team coach on several occasions. He lives in Côte Saint-Luc, Que., and teaches physical education at Vanier College in Montreal.

Sir John Daniel, MA 96, received an honorary doctorate from l’Université de Montréal on June 12 at its Faculty of Education convocation. Sir John is president and CEO of the Commonwealth of Learning in Vancouver. A graduate of Oxford and Paris universities, he was vice-rector, academic, at Concordia from 1980 to 1984. He was also president of Laurentian University, vice-chancellor of the UK Open University and assistant director-general for education at UNESCO. Sir John was knighted by Queen Elizabeth for services to higher education in 1994.