Joseph Louis Rotman, (January 6, 1935 – January 27, 2015), was a noted Canadian businessman and philanthropist. Rotman was the founder, benefactor and member of many successful organizations, such as the Clairvest Group Inc., the Rotman Research Institute, the Rotman School of Management, and the Rotman Institute of Philosophy. 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, Canada in 1935. He attended the University of Western Ontario after which he continued on to the University of Toronto to obtain his M.Comm. from the Institute of Business Administration in 1960.
He was married to Sandra Frieberg since 1959 until his death; they had two children: Janis and Kenneth.
Business career
Rotman began his business career in 1962 and had been involved in establishing a number of private and public companies active in oil trading, petroleum distribution, oil and gas exploration, merchant banking, real estate, and venture capital. In 1987, he founded Clairvest Group Inc., a Canadian-based company, which provides merchant banking for emerging companies and is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Joseph was also the Chairman of Roy-L Capital Corporation, a private family investment company. He served on numerous corporate boards including the Bank of Montreal, Barrick Gold Corporation, Canada Northwest Energy Ltd. (subsequently acquired by Sherritt International), Masonite International, and TrizecHahn Corporation. He was involved as a founder of Tarragon Oil and Gas, Geocrude Energy, PanCana Resources, PanCana Minerals and Embassy Resources, as well as a number of other companies.
Philanthropy
As both patrons and benefactors, Joseph and his wife Sandra demonstrated a long-term commitment to promoting and developing internationally renowned Canadian institutions in the arts, education and healthcare. As well, they supported the creation of new knowledge in science and technology, business practices, and public policy.
Over the past 20 years, Joseph and Sandra Rotman served on numerous boards and donated more than $90 million. They shared a passion and support for higher education, the arts and healthcare. Joseph once noted, "My father taught me that the most powerful way to inspire others to give is for them to see people giving in their community."
On April 6, 2016, it was announced that the estate of Joseph Rotman is making a landmark $30 million gift to the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management. The gift will help the Rotman School, already one of the leading global brands in management education, continue to be at the forefront of transforming management education and research.
Supporter of the arts
A lifelong enthusiast and supporter of the arts, Rotman applied his business experience to creating environments for the arts to thrive in Canada and throughout the world. Rotman served as chair of the Board of the Art Gallery of Ontario (1993–96), as a Board Member (1991-2000) and continued, along with his wife, to be a benefactor. During this time, he was also a Member of the Board of the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards (1996-1998).
In July 2008, Rotman was appointed to a five-year term as Chair of the Canada Council for the Arts, the national arts funding agency that provides grants, endowments, prizes and promotion of the arts. He was re-elected as chair in July 2013 for an additional 5 years.
Education benefactor
The Rotmans established involvement with the University of Toronto since 1981. From 2001 to 2004, Rotman sat on the Committee for Honorary Degrees, was a Governing Council Member from 1995 to 2003, an Executive Committee Member (1998-2003) and was the vice-chair of the University of Toronto's Asset Management Corporation (2000-2006).
The Rotman School of Management was named in his honour by the leading gift of his wife and family and is an internationally renowned business education institution that educates globally competitive leaders and maintains the world's leading business faculty. The Rotmans also provided financial assistance for the Lloyd and Delphine Martin Prosperity Institute.