The Quiet Revolution had a tremendous influence on Jacques Lessard (HEC Montréal 1970), leaving him with a profound sense of community and a lifelong desire to create change. Inspired by a commitment to help younger generations succeed, he decided to engage in a meaningful act of generosity to develop thoughtful, informed leaders at this time of geopolitical turmoil.
“We need well-trained executives to be able to address the economic and social challenges that we’re seeing more and more of. With this newest revolution driven by artificial intelligence, and mounting global tensions, the alarm is sounding. Education is our best bet for safeguarding our collective future, increasing our nation-wide productivity and remaining competitive on world markets.”
Jacques Lessard (HEC Montréal 1970), retired financial manager
Lessard humbly acknowledges that his career successes, and the confidence and passion he brought to his professional endeavours, were due in large part to what he got out of his time at HEC Montréal. Thinking back on some of the family trips they have taken, he, Lyne and Martin agree:
“If you consider what some of the most prosperous countries on the planet are, the ones with the highest standard of living and greatest life expectancy, they invariably have the best schools and universities. HEC Montréal is one of these leading institutions of higher education. If the Jacques Lessard Foundation can help in attracting more students to HEC Montréal by removing some of the barriers that tend to keep talented candidates from less privileged backgrounds away, we will have accomplished what we set out to do.”
This major contribution has earned Lessard a spot on HEC Montréal’s prestigious Cercle du Directeur.
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“Amid a backdrop of global uncertainty, Mr. Lessard’s generous donation represents everything we could hope for: a thoughtful gesture of support for the next generation of business people and an inspiring vote of confidence in our ability to build a stronger and more resilient world. Drawing on his extensive experience and insight gleaned over the course of his decades-long career, he is making a visionary investment in the future. In the coming years, his donation will put hundreds of talented students on the path to success and benefit Quebec as a whole. And for that, we are sincerely grateful.”
Michel Patry, President and Chief Executive Officer, HEC Montréal Foundation
