Dave Lazzarato, Chair of McMaster’s Board of Governors, has made a major gift to the University.

Lazzarato, a graduate of McMaster’s Bachelor of Commerce program in 1979, has decided to put his support toward the DeGroote School of Business and Dean Leonard Waverman, for the development of innovative new programs at the school.

Lazzarato strongly believes that a professional school must remain relevant to industry in order to be effective in teaching the next generation of business leaders, and he is helping the DeGroote School of Business in doing just that.

His gift will support development of new and innovative programs in the areas of big data and health management, as part of a new strategic direction for the school, which will be announced later in 2014.

Lazzarato touted Waverman’s efforts as “new and innovative, which has inspired the business school to begin developing new programs that will not only teach the next generation of business leaders, but also help current leaders stay on top of huge challenges in the business world. The management of big data, as well as that of health systems,  are two areas where the School can make an important difference not only in our region but across Canada. I’m very happy to help make that a reality.”

Gordon Pitts, Business Writer in Residence at the DeGroote School of Business, has written a profile of Lazzarato that is available on the school’s website.