Joseph Rotman

Joseph Louis Rotman (January 6, 1935 – January 27, 2015) was a Canadian businessman and philanthropist. Rotman was the founder, benefactor and member of organizations such as the Clairvest Group Inc., Rotman Institute of Philosophy, Rotman Research Institute, and Rotman School of Management.

Throughout his life, he received three honorary degrees, as well as an induction into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame. He is well-regarded for donating his time and financial assistance to numerous philanthropic causes including the arts, education and healthcare.

Early life and family Joseph Rotman was born in Toronto, Ontario, in 1935. He attended the University of Western Ontario after which he continued on to the University of Toronto to obtain his MComm from the Institute of Business Administration in 1960.

Joseph was also the chairman of Roy-L Capital Corporation, a private family investment company. He served on corporate boards including those of Bank of Montreal, Barrick Gold, Canada Northwest Energy Ltd. (subsequently acquired by Sherritt International), Masonite International, and TrizecHahn Corporation.

The Rotmans also supported Western University since 1999 through the Rotman Institute of Philosophy – Engaging Science, which fosters a global centre to build novel and productive bridges between humanities and the sciences to address relevant issues faced by society. In addition, Rotman established the Rotman Canada Research Chair in Philosophy of Science addressing the nature of scientific theory. Grand Challenges Canada was originally funded by the federal government's Development Innovation Fund announced in the 2008 budget, working in a consortium with the International Development Research Centre, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

He chaired both the Ontario BioCouncil Report for the Ontario government and the Expert Panel on Commercialization, called People and Excellence, a report for Industry Canada on commercialization. and the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. Less than a year later, his appointment as an Officer of the Order of Canada was announced, and he was invested on March 1, 1995.

On November 21, 2011, Rotman was named the twenty-first Chancellor of his alma mater, Western University. His four-year term began on July 1, 2012.

On February 29, 2012, Rotman was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award from Life Sciences Ontario. On October 10, 2012, Rotman was presented with the Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 Ontario Lifetime Achievement Award from Ernst & Young.

In 2013, Rotman was awarded an honorary LLD from Memorial University.

At a ceremony at Rideau Hall on November 18, 2015, the Governor General posthumously awarded the Meritorious Service Cross to Rotman, and the decoration was presented to his widow, Sandra.

Other achievements In recognition of a lifetime of success and philanthropy, Rotman and his wife were selected as torchbearers for the in Toronto on December 17, 2009.

Rotman and his wife were also awarded the Beth Sholom Brotherhood Humanitarian award in 2010. Rotman was the Honouree of The Toronto Club's 2011 Annual Members Dinner. He was active with many other local, national and international organizations.

Death Rotman died on January 27, 2015, at Toronto General Hospital, and he was interred at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto.