A $250,000 gift from Cooper Construction – a family-run company with deep
community roots and a longstanding relationship with McMaster University – will create
a valuable information hub in the heart of the Ron Joyce Centre in Burlington.

The Cooper Construction Welcome Centre, located on the main floor, is designed to
be the first stop for students and visitors alike.

“We are very grateful to Cooper Construction for its enduring support to our
University, which makes this gift all the more meaningful,” said Patrick Deane, President
of McMaster University. “The Welcome Centre is a gateway to the Ron Joyce Centre,
providing a friendly and warm atmosphere for our students and a strong relationship to
our community in Burlington and beyond.”

The Oakville-based company was founded in 1905 by William H. Cooper, a
Hamilton native and stone mason. For 70 years, Cooper Construction has partnered with
McMaster, working on more than two dozen construction projects on campus.

Most recently, the company completed the four-storey Ron Joyce Centre – home to
the University's MBA and executive education programs – which opened in September of
2010.

“Hard work and determination are the cornerstones of our company,” said Bill
Cooper, CEO of Cooper Construction. “These are the same values which are critical to
students who are future business leaders. Our hope is that this space will not only
create the right environment for learning but will also connect the important work being
done here to the entire region.”

In 1987, during the building of the original DeGroote School of Business, Cooper
Construction offered critical support to McMaster. Bill Cooper and his wife Gillian have
shown a deep personal commitment to the University, including support for the
McMaster Museum of Art. Bill is a former member of the Board of Governors and past
chair of the Business Advisory Council for the business school. Gillian, who graduated
with a degree in art history in 1994, has served as a member of the Board of Governors,
Senate, Chair of the McMaster Museum of Art and as a Cabinet member of two
campaigns, among many other contributions. In 2009, she received the Alumni
Association's Distinguished Service Award.