UBC Tribute to David McLean

Portrait of David McLean

It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of David McLean, OBC, LLD ’94, a remarkable business leader and ardent supporter of UBC. On behalf of the entire university, I would like to offer to my sincere condolences to David’s wife Brenda and the entire family.

After moving from Alberta to Vancouver, David founded the McLean Group in 1972, marking the beginning of a remarkable legacy. His drive for innovation and business acumen played a pivotal role in shaping the entrepreneurial landscape of British Columbia. David’s leadership extended beyond his own ventures; he significantly influenced the broader business community through his tenure as the chair of the Vancouver Board of Trade and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and through his work with the Canadian National Railway Company as a Director and chair of the Board of Directors.

David played an active role in community development and made generous contributions to organizations across British Columbia and Alberta though the McLean McCuaig Foundation, which has supported education, healthcare and the environment. In recognition of his contributions, he was appointed to the Order of British Columbia in 1999.

The generosity of David and his family has made a lasting impact on UBC. His philanthropy and volunteerism, spanning more than four decades, has touched countless lives on campus, and advanced the creative and performing arts, athletic achievement, and student leadership through the David McLean Family Leadership Award. The breadth of David’s generosity includes the Faculty of Arts, the Peter A. Allard School of Law, the UBC Sauder School of Business, the UBC Thunderbirds and many others. UBC scholars, artists, athletes, and future leaders of tomorrow have all benefitted from the McLean family’s foresight and outstanding support.

David served as the chair of the UBC Board of Governors, and as a member of the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Graduate Studies Advisory Committees to help strengthen the university’s mission of providing a transformative education. UBC was proud to confer David with an honorary degree in 1994 to recognize the incredible contributions he made to UBC, the wider community, and the economic prosperity of the province. 

As an exemplary entrepreneur and philanthropist, David leaves behind a legacy of leadership and visionary thinking that helped strengthen UBC as a world-class institution. We know we will be joined by organizations and individuals across the province in mourning such an accomplished business and community leader.

Benoit-Antoine Bacon
President and Vice-Chancellor