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Old Boys' News

43rd Annual Montréal Reunion becomes a global affair

Thirty-one Old Boys ranging from the Class of 1951 to 2018, from Australia, Norway, London, Pasadena, Marina del Rey, Vancouver and places in between, along with 10 staff members, attended the Annual Montréal Reunion, which took place online on October 1, 2021.
 
For those who could not attend, we invite you to watch the YouTube Premiere video. 


 
 
Old Boys’ Association President Josh Wisenthal ‘99 welcomed the group with a nod to the classes ending in 1 and 6 which are celebrating milestone anniversaries this year. Mr. Wisenthal invited attendees to reach out and connect with fellow Old Boys, though he brought the following note of inclusivity in his message: ‘‘We know that many Old Boys have a strong relationship with the school and their classmates. But not every Old Boy feels that way. We want to reach out to those alumni and learn how we can work together to improve our network so that it is more accessible and engaging for a broader spectrum of members.’’
 
Headmaster Mike Downey updated the group about the school’s new strategic plan in the wake of becoming fully private after forgoing all government grants. He explained: ‘‘As a result, our enrollment has increased to over 540 students and we’re accepting a more diverse group of students (culturally and socio-eonomically), a more true reflection of the world we live in. Times are changing and I’m proud that our school’s vision and mission can continue to evolve to be better aligned with our world.’’
 
Mr. Downey also expressed delight at seeing Middle and Senior School students play sports for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Co-Chairs Vince Guzzo ‘86 and alumni parent Mark Smith introduced The Path Forward Campaign, the school’s newest campaign to fund the school’s privatization and endowment. See their video clip here
 
Director of Advancement Sharon Cozens spoke of how important relationships are to the school and the lives of Old Boys.

Craig Shannon ‘71 recounted memories of his time and proposed a toast to the school. Watch Craig’s toast here.
 
Director of Annual Giving Mary Ann Cloherty updated attendees on upcoming events, including the next reunion, which will be held online for the Central and Western Canada chapter on October 13.
 
Before the group split into breakout rooms, Yan Besner ‘96 spoke on behalf of his graduating class: ‘‘Over the past 25 years, just dropping the name of our school, being an Old Boy, has for me, as I’m sure for all of you, led to making new connections and creating incredible opportunities. When meeting someone, it’s an instant validation of who you are.’’ 
 
You can watch Yan’s speech in full by clicking here.
 
Mr. Wisenthal proceeded to host the Annual General Meeting of the OBA (see the approved slate of Directors for 2021-2022 here) before attendees found their way to their respective breakout rooms, which were organized by decade.Many Old Boys found their classmates while others made new connections.
 
The guest list included:

Class of 1951: David Seymour; Class of 1953: Anthony LeMoine; Class of 1955: Commodore Dennis Reilley; Class of 1956: Ditlef Knudsen, Nicholas LeMoine and George Windsor; Class of 1969: Brian Ludgate and H. Stewart Patch; Class of 1971: Alan Forster, John Leopold and Stephen Ludgate; Class of 1976: Ross Nordin and Dr. Ian Ross; Class of 1978: Michael Whitehead; Class of 1981: Ian Aitken and Timothy Shorter; Class of 1983: Geoffrey Moore; Class of 1990: Warren Samberg; Class of 1996: Joseph Ayas, Yan Besner, Noah Bloom, Graham Colby, James Seguin and Matthew Singerman; Class of 1998: Sean McKinnon; Class of 1999: Josh Wisenthal; Class of 2011: Kyam Shell-Schnitzer; Class of 2005: Justin Kuzmicki; Class of 2011: Jacob Cohen, Sean Hatzigeorgiou, Fernand Le Fèvre and Adam Shiri;  Class of 2018: Aria Khiabani. 

Headmaster Mike Downey, Neil Banerjee, Mary Ann Cloherty, Sharon Cozens, Julia Fekete, Pete Govan, Irina Kondratieva, Mike Maurovich, Chantal Sneath, Jean-Pierre Trudeau and Richard Wills also attended.


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