Chancellor
The Chancellor is the titular head of the University. The Chancellor confers all degrees and is a member of the Board of Governors and the Senate. In accordance with past practice, the Chancellor also assists with the advancement of the University when appropriate, and acts as a University ambassador.
Ms. Anne Mahon
Ms. Anne Mahon is the University of Manitoba’s 14th Chancellor. Her spirit name is Waabishkaa Miigwanese Little White Feather and her clan is turtle.
She is a bridge-builder whose philanthropic ideals are matched by her demonstrated ability to bring people together to effect positive change. She has built a reputation for lending her talents and spirit to the causes of the disempowered. Her work exists at the crossroads of storytelling, community-building, philanthropy and education. She creates meaning and change through volunteer work that supports the stories, lives and aspirations of those most in need.
Ms. Mahon is an oral history writer interested in people, their stories and making meaningful connections. Her writing focuses on stories of resilience and hope. She was nominated for the John Hirsch Award for Most Promising Manitoba Writer in 2018. Her latest book Overcome: Stories of Women Who Grew up in the Child Welfare System (2022) was shortlisted for the Manitoba Book Awards' 2023 Alexander Kennedy Isbister Award for Non-Fiction. Her other books are The Lucky Ones: African Refugees Stories of Extraordinary Courage (2013) and Redemption: Stories of Hope, Resilience and Life After Gangs (2017). All author proceeds from the sales of her books are donated to organizations that support the communities featured in each book. She enjoyed interviewing the participants of these books as much as she enjoyed interviewing Michelle Obama in 2019.
Ms. Mahon has spent over thirty years volunteering in the community. She began working with the refugee community in 2007 at the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba (IRCOM) where she spent nine years assisting new Canadians learning English. She is a founding board member of Humankind International, which built a school in the Dadaab Refugee camp in Kenya in 2014. She also co-founded and co-facilitates the Book Mates Book Club at the Women's Correctional Centre. A fundraising committee member of the United Way of Winnipeg, Ms. Mahon helped raise $14 million for inner city, grassroots, family support through the Family Resource Centre initiative. She is a member of UNICEF's Women UNlimited Initiative and The International Women's Forum.
Ms. Mahon is a proud Winnipegger. She graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1987 from the faculty of Human Ecology with a major in Marketing of Apparel and Textiles.
Ms. Mahon's term as Chancellor commenced on June 1, 2019. She was re-elected to a second term starting June 1, 2022. Ms. Mahon can be contacted through the Office of the University Secretary.
The Vice-Chancellor is the President, Dr. Michael Benarroch.
The role of Chancellor
The Chancellor is a member of the Board of Governors and the Senate. The Chancellor is also an ex-officio member of various committees, including:
- Senate Committee on Honorary Degrees (as Chair)
- Board of Governors Committees:
- Advancement Committee
- Executive Committee
- Governance and Board Development Committee
- Human Resources and Compensation Committee
- Chancellor's Committee (as Chair)
- Peter D. Curry Chancellor's Award Committee (as Chair)
Chancellor Elect
MEDIA RELEASE
University of Manitoba Announces Dave Angus as its next Chancellor
March 14, 2025
Dave Angus, a passionate Manitoban, respected business leader, dedicated volunteer, and advocate for people and communities across Manitoba, will become the 15th Chancellor of the University of Manitoba (UM) on June 1, 2025.
The announcement was made today by UM President and Vice-Chancellor, Michael Benarroch, at the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, State of the City luncheon.
“Dave Angus is someone who leads by example,” says Michael Benarroch, President and Vice-Chancellor. “He embodies an entrepreneurial spirit we want to impart into more students—this idea of looking at the challenges that surround us and saying, ‘OK, what can I do to solve this, and who else can help?’ He brings people together to make this community better. I’m excited for him to bring this passion to our campus and advise us on how we can engage and partner with even more people.”
Since graduating from the Asper School of Business [BComm/82], Angus has dedicated himself to strengthening Manitoba’s business community and supporting local organizations. His leadership excellence was recognized in 2012 when he was named Canada’s top chamber of commerce executive. Before becoming President of Johnston Group, a leading employee benefits company, he was President and CEO of The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce for 17 years.
“Through my involvement in the community, particularly the Chamber of Commerce, I saw how impactful the University of Manitoba is and developed a deep appreciation for its stature among universities across Canada, and internationally,” says Dave Angus. “There are so many layers to the impact of this university and if I can play a role in spreading that message and bringing people to the university through partnerships, then that's a role I am honoured to play," says the Order of Manitoba recipient who has also extensively volunteered or led fundraising efforts for community organizations such as the United Way, The Friends of the Canadian Museum of Human Rights and the Digital Learning project.
The Chancellor is a ceremonial head of the university, responsible for conferring all degrees and diplomas. The Chancellor is a volunteer roles and serves as a strong ambassador for the university within the broader community and to contributes meaningfully to its governance. The University’s Committee of Election – a joint session of the University’s Board of Governors and Senate – approved the unanimous recommendation of the Chancellor Search Committee that Dave Angus be elected as the next Chancellor for a three-year term. He will succeed the current Chancellor, Anne Mahon, who has served in this volunteer role with distinction since 2019.
“With decades of dedicated service to our province as a business leader, community builder, and advocate for Manitoba and its people, Dave Angus is exceptionally well-suited to serve as Chancellor of the University of Manitoba. He brings a unique combination of experience, insight, and energy, and will work with both the University community and the broader public to promote and celebrate the University of Manitoba, helping to shape an even stronger university for the future,” says Lynette Magnus [BComm/91], Chair of the Board of Governors and Chair of the Chancellor Search Committee.
Read the UM Today Article.
Past Chancellors
- 1887-1904 - Bishop Robert Machray
- 1904-1908 - [ No successor was appointed by the Government ]
- 1908-1934 - Reverend Samuel P. Matheson
- 1934-1944 - Mr. John W. Dafoe
- 1944-1952 - Mr. Justice Andrew K. Dysart
- 1952-1959 - Dr. Victor Sifton
- 1959-1968 - Mr. Justice Samuel Freedman
- 1968-1974 - Dr. Peter D. Curry
- 1974-1977 - Honourable Mr. Richard S. Bowles
- 1977-1986 - Dr. Isabel G. Auld, C.M.
- 1986-1992 - Dr. Henry E. Duckworth, O.C.
- 1992-2001 - Dr. Arthur V. Mauro, O.C., O.M.
- 2001-2009 - Dr. William Norrie, C.M.
- 2010-2019 - Mr. Harvey Secter, O.M.
Contact
Office of the University Secretary
Room 312 Administration Building
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada
204-474-9593