“Your signature will be on the wall of a lot of doctor’s offices. It’s on every degree you hand out,” the secretary of UM explains.
“Oh really? That could be a disaster,” Dave Angus says with a laugh. “I hope that doesn’t discredit anything. I don’t want people going in and seeing my name and saying, ‘Oh no! Dave Angus is on there. I don’t trust this.’”
Three things are immediately apparent: Angus [BComm/82] laughs easily, self-deprecates often, and is excited for UM’s future.
The former CEO of The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, who for nearly two decades was the face of local business, is sitting in a boardroom in the Administration Building learning about the role he is about to assume at Spring Convocation when he becomes the 15th Chancellor of the University of Manitoba.
He’s in a checkered blue suit jacket, white shirt and no tie—it takes a lot to get him into one. His new role as ceremonial head and ambassador of the University is far removed from where he began, growing up listening to Queen in Transcona (“God’s country,” he quips), running family businesses out of his parents’ and uncle’s basements. But he’s a self-described go-with-the-wind kind of guy, pursuing opportunities that arise. His entrepreneurial mindset reflects that of UM’s campus.
Angus now works with businesses Canada-wide as President of Johnston Group Inc., a leading employee benefits company. He is, and has been, at the centre of a lot. He’s sat on more than 15 boards and advisory committees that span the arts, business, philanthropy, community building, even city zoning. He’s held many roles. He’s created even more bridges. When he added Chancellor to the list, his two sons joked about what they should call him. They settled on “Chancy.”
In May, Angus was a guest on President Michael Benarroch’s podcast What’s the Big Idea? And here, UM Today: The Magazine gets to know this business alum who dislikes negativity, believes in leading from behind, and says community impact is shaping the new workplace.
What made you want to take on the role of Chancellor?
UM is a big part of my history. You don’t fully appreciate it when you first graduate as much as you do later in life. You reflect back on all the tools that you were given through your education, and all the people that you met. And so, a big part of it it I want to pay back.
But also, through my involvement in the community, particularly the [Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce], I saw how impactful the University of Manitoba is and its stature within universities across Canada, even internationally. And there’s one aspect that really struck me, and that is the values that drive this place—especially around inclusion and the focus and priority that this university places on partnerships with Indigenous peoples. There’s a value set here that I think is really being showcased.
But the other aspect is: The economic impact of this university is often understated. And I remember when the Chamber hosted what may have been the first State of the University address, and I was blown away by the many layers to the impact of this university.
So, I’m all in on what this university is and does. And if I can play a role in spreading that word and bringing people to the University through partnerships, then that’s a role I am honoured to play.
Any memorable campus moments from your days as a student?
It wasn’t necessarily a moment on campus. It was the social aspect of campus. That’s one thing that’s understated. You really develop your own little community here that becomes lifelong relationships. And we started a social club called “The Ducks Social Club.” It started as a hockey team for Commerce through the UM Rec League and it grew from there. We recruited all these other friends and we would do ski trips and have our own socials. That’s what I remember most.
Why “The Ducks?”
I don’t know [laughing].
What guidance do you hope to provide UM in building relationships with Manitoba’s business community?
First of all, it is about learning more about the nature of how companies can partner with the University. So, whether it’s a research partnership, an employment co-op, a funding partnership, I really want to get a sense of how a business can partner with UM and how can we take it to the next level? Are there tables the University should be at that I can help facilitate?
Is there anything in your long career you’re most proud?
When I received the Order of Manitoba, I received it from Janice Filmon [BScHEc/63, LLD/2011]. Janice and I go back to the time when we started Leadership Winnipeg [an experiential leadership development program] out of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. She had a message then that it was time to empower the next generation of leaders. That was her passion and I helped her develop that idea. And then, years later, at dinner when she presented me with the Order of Manitoba, she looked at me and said, ‘Now that you’re at where you’re at, it’s time for you to empower the next generation.’ So we went full circle. And that is really what I’m most proud of—not what I have done, but what I have helped others do. I prefer to lead from the back of the parade. It’s the most fulfilling part and I learned that from Janice—to lead from behind.
That is really what I’m most proud of—not what I have done, but what I have helped others do.
What advice would you have for your younger, student self?
Enjoy the journey and not be so focused on the end result. I think that’s a good message for students overall. It’s a privilege to be a student. Really enjoy this experience. Too many people are just rushing ahead.
And, as Chancellor, you’ll oversee Convocation. It’s a big moment for students and, of course, that start of something new.
I just think that when you receive your degree, it is an important time in your life. It is a pivotal time—you’re off on a new journey, right? It’s important to treasure the moment and the gift you have of education and knowledge, and your ability to do something with it. To take advantage of this great opportunity you’re handed physically through your diploma, and through however many years you spent receiving a great education. To make a difference in the world. It’s a powerful moment and I don’t think I saw that when I received my diploma. I’m not sure what I was thinking about—maybe the party afterwards. But it is an important moment and it’s going to be interesting standing on stage, looking eyeball to eyeball with these young people at such an important time in their life.
Dave Angus on business and community
To live in a community is to advocate for all who make up that community, says Angus, about his time at the helm of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce.
“The reality is that successful businesses have to operate in a successful community. If it’s an unhealthy community and an unhealthy ecosystem, businesses will not thrive. They need each other.”
The workplace is changing and young people are driving that, he says.
“Increasingly—particularly millennials, and now Gen-Zs, coming into the workplace—they gravitate to companies that have that connection to positive community impact. They want a higher purpose. They want a deeper meaning. They want to be part of something special and an organization that’s making a difference, whether it’s in their community or on the planet. And so this is going to be increasingly important for companies to embrace, in terms of how they actually demonstrate contribution back to the community.”
He’s looking forward to supporting UM in its higher purpose and exposing more students and businesses to the opportunities the University offers.