John Robert Evans
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John Robert Evans Template:Post-nominals (1 October 1929 – 13 February 2015) was a Canadian cardiologist, academic, businessperson, and civic leader.
He was the founding dean of the McMaster University Medical School and then vice-president of Health Services at McMaster University from 1965 to 1972. From 1972 to 1978 he was President of the University of Toronto. From 1979 to 1983, he served as founding Director of the Population, Health and Nutrition Department of the World Bank in Washington, DC.
Evans was a key player in the sale of the Canadian Connaught Laboratories to the French Sanofi-Aventis.
He was elected as the ninth Chairman of the Rockefeller Foundation, a position that he held from 1987 to 1995. Evans was the first Canadian to hold the position.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
He was chairman of Allelix Biopharmaceuticals Inc., Torstar Corporation, Alcan Aluminum Ltd. (1995–2002), the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Walter and Duncan Gordon Charitable Foundation. He was the chairman of and helped create the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto. He died at the age of 85 from Parkinson's disease in 2015.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Early life and education
Evans was born in Toronto, and was the youngest of seven children. His parents were Mary and William Watson Evans. Evans was orphaned at the age of nine and was subsequently raised by his older siblings.<ref name="Globe obit">Template:Cite news</ref> He went to the University of Toronto Schools for high school, and after graduating from UTS, studied medicine at the University of Toronto (U of T). He was a varsity football player at U of T and would later become a member of U of T's Sports Hall of Fame.<ref name="Star obit">Template:Cite news</ref> He received his medical degree from the University of Toronto in 1952 and was a Rhodes Scholar at University College, Oxford. He received his Doctoral degree specializing in internal medicine and cardiology at Oxford University in 1955.
Academic career
Evans was a research fellow at Harvard Medical School from 1960 to 1961, he then returned to Toronto as an associate professor at U of T's faculty of medicine. He also worked as a cardiologist at Toronto General Hospital during this period, apparently the only time that he practised medicine.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
At the relatively young age of 35, Evans was selected as the founding Dean of McMaster University's new Medical School.
Politics
In a 1978 federal by-election, Evans ran for a seat in the House of Commons as a Liberal in the Toronto riding of Rosedale, but was defeated by former Toronto Mayor David Crombie.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Honours and awards
- 2007 – He was awarded the Henry G. Friesen International Prize in Health Research<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- 2005 – He was inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame
- 2000 – He was inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame
- 1992 – He was awarded the Gairdner Foundation Wightman Award<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- 1991 – He was made an Honorary Fellow of University College, Oxford<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- 1991 – He was made a member of the Order of Ontario
- 1978 – He was made a Companion of the Order of Canada<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Honorary degrees
Evans received 15 Honorary Doctorates, including:
- Template:Flagicon 1972: Dalhousie University, Doctor of Laws (LLD)
- Template:Flagicon 1972: McMaster University, Doctor of Laws (LLD)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Template:Flagicon 1972: York University, Doctor of Laws (LLD)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Template:Flagicon 1973: Memorial University of Newfoundland, Doctor of Science, (DSc)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Template:Flagicon 1974: Queen's University, Doctor of Laws (LLD)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Template:Flagicon 1975: Wilfrid Laurier University, Doctor of Laws (LLD)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Template:Flagicon 1978: Yale University, Doctor of Laws (LLD)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Template:Flagicon 1978: Johns Hopkins University, Doctor of Humane Letters (LHD)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Template:Flagicon 1980: University of Toronto, Doctor of Laws (LLD), honoured for "Service to the University"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Template:Flagicon 1981: Maastricht University, honored for "Education innovation"<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Template:Flagicon 1996: University of Calgary, Doctor of Laws (LLD)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Template:Flagicon 2005: University of Alberta, Doctor of Science, (DSc)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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- Template:Flagicon 2009: Lakehead University, Doctor of Science, (DSc)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
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References
External links
- Canadian Who's Who 1997 entryTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore
- Archives of Hamilton Health Sciences
- John Robert Evans archival papers held at the University of Toronto Archives and Records Management Services
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Template:Presidents of the University of Toronto Template:Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Template:Authority control
- 1929 births
- 2015 deaths
- Alumni of University College, Oxford
- Businesspeople from Toronto
- Canadian corporate directors
- Canadian cardiologists
- Canadian Rhodes Scholars
- Canadian university and college faculty deans
- 20th-century Canadian businesspeople
- Companions of the Order of Canada
- Liberal Party of Canada candidates for the Canadian House of Commons
- Members of the Order of Ontario
- Presidents of the University of Toronto
- University of Toronto alumni
- Members of the National Academy of Medicine
- Ontario candidates for Member of Parliament