Item - Item 3 - Photograph of John Davies alongside three staff members

John Davies was Humber’s third President (2007-2012). Described by his colleagues as a 'transformational leader', John Davies brought to Humber vast experience in education: “Davies trained as a geography teacher in his native Britain and came to Toronto with his wife (also a teacher) to attend graduate school. Here he began a long career in the public school sector, serving as a teacher, vice principal, principal, superintendent and director of the Toronto Board of Education. What began as a job that would afford him ‘flexibility and a decent salary’ became a career driven by a passion for student achievement.” (Grzetic, 2012).

July 1, 2007, was the day when John Davies became Humber College’s third President, succeeding Robert “Squee” Gordon and after being vice president of finance and administration for five years. President Davies plan at the time was to continue the growth that his predecessor had started. He also had plans to expand the applied degrees and reach out to the community. In his own words, “Humber will continue to push ahead on that polytechnic vision. We need to get more applied degrees and push ahead with development of buildings, particularly at Lakeshore and Orangeville.” (quoted in Dillon, 2007)

John Davies retired from a long and accomplished career in 2012 leaving behind a legacy of new buildings (including an expanded Learning Commons, and a new Media Studio at the Lakeshore Campus, a new Centre for Urban Ecology at the North Campus), along with increased student enrollment and greater connections and partnerships to the local community. As was noted at the time of his retirement: “Davies finishes his five-year role as president at the end of June after 10 years with the college (the first five as vice president of finance and administration) marked by significant contributions to the surrounding north Etobicoke community” (Grzetic, 2012).