Bragg Family Foundation makes major contribution in memory of David Rodd
A major contribution from the John and Judy Bragg Family Foundation, made in memory of their lifelong friend and respected P.E.I. business leader David W. Rodd, will support human health research facilities at the University of Prince Edward Island's Atlantic Veterinary College. On this floor, researchers work diligently in world-class laboratories to find solutions to human health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, metabolic disorders, epilepsy and kidney disease.
'We thank the John and Judy Bragg Family Foundation for this generous gift to UPEI in support of the capital expansion of the Atlantic Veterinary College,' says UPEI President Wade MacLauchlan. 'This donation is an excellent illustration of John and Judy Bragg's philanthropic leadership and their support for education, health research and science in Atlantic Canada. We are proud to have the name of David Rodd, a great Atlantic Canadian business and community leader, associated with AVC at UPEI.'
A pioneer in the tourism industry on P.E.I. and in Atlantic Canada, Rodd passed away in 2006 from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. He was John Bragg's roommate in their senior years at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick and Judy Bragg's first cousin. It was through Rodd that John Bragg met Judy (MacLean) Bragg, originally from Summerside, P.E.I., and the three continued a lifelong friendship.
'This generous forward-thinking support from the John and Judy Bragg Family Foundation is significant,' says Dr. Don Reynolds, Dean of AVC. 'It will enable us to advance the science needed to make groundbreaking health discoveries that will have an impact on the Atlantic region and around the world.'
UPEI was recently named by RE$EARCH Infosource the top Canadian undergraduate university in research income growth and research intensity growth from 1999 to 2009. RE$EARCH Infosource is Canada's leading provider of research intelligence for business and higher education.
The David W. Rodd Health Research Floor is located in the AVC Research Complex, which opened in June 2008. The $20-million complex was built as part of AVC's soon-to-be-completed $45-million expansion and renovation infrastructure project to meet growing demand for its globally recognized research and service programs.
Established in 1986 as the veterinary college serving Atlantic Canada, the Atlantic Veterinary College is committed to improving the health and well-being of animals and humans through excellence in education, discovery, professional practice, and dedicated service to the four Atlantic provinces. AVC is an active industry partner, providing the world-class research and services needed to grow the Atlantic region. AVC aims to raise $8.5 million by June 2011 in partnership with Atlantic Canadian leaders to fully fund its capital expansion program.
Background
John and Judy Bragg:
John and Judy Bragg are the founders of The Bragg Group of Companies in Oxford, Nova Scotia. One of the most successful family enterprises in Canada, the Bragg Group of Companies has grown from a modest blueberry farm into the world's largest producer of wild blueberries and the biggest supplier of frozen carrots in Canada and the U.S. The Bragg Group also includes a building-supply chain, a company that recycles aircraft de-icing fluid from airports around North America, and the largest privately owned cable-TV company in Canada.
Their four children-Lee, Matthew, Carolyn and Patricia-are all closely involved in the family business. In recognition of their business success and succession planning, the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise named the Bragg Group of Companies the 2009 Canadian Family Enterprise of the Year.
The Braggs are also leading philanthropists through the John and Judy Bragg Family Foundation, supporting education, health research, science and nature conservation. They have contributed to a number of universities, including Mount Allison where they met as students, UPEI, St. Francis Xavier, Dalhousie and others. At UPEI, they have supported the David Rodd Scholarship, the Fulbright Chair in Nutrisciences and Health, and now the Atlantic Veterinary College through the establishment of the David W. Rodd Health Research Floor in AVC's Research Complex.
Other major beneficiaries of their philanthropy include the Nature Conservancy of Canada, the Nova Scotia Science Discovery Centre, the Multiple Sclerosis Scientific Research Foundation, various hospital foundations, autism research, rare bird appreciation and numerous other causes. In both their business and philanthropic work, they are deeply committed to the success and sustainability of rural communities in Atlantic Canada.
John Bragg has been awarded four honorary degrees from universities in the Maritime provinces, most recently St. Francis Xavier (2009) and Dalhousie (2008). Judy Bragg received an honorary degree from UPEI in 2010.
David W. Rodd:
David Rodd (1940-2006) was a pioneer in the development of the tourism industry in Prince Edward Island and Atlantic Canada. He was a member of the Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame, received the first-ever (P.E.I.) Premier's Award for Tourism, and was named the 2002 Atlantic Canada Tourism/Hospitality Entrepreneur. He served on the boards of numerous tourism-related organizations, including as director of the Tourist Industry Association of Canada.
Rodd graduated from Mount Allison University in 1962 with a Bachelor of Arts and returned to the family business in 1966. Under his leadership, the family tourist business grew from one motel in Charlottetown into the Rodd Hotels and Resorts, the largest privately owned hotel chain in Atlantic Canada.
Rodd was well regarded as a community leader, volunteering with numerous organizations including Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Canadian Cancer Society and the Canadian Heart Foundation. In May 2006 he was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Prince Edward Island.
He is survived by his wife Linda, and children Mark, Christina, Kris and Summer.
David W. Rodd Health Research Floor
AVC Research Complex
18,300 square feet of research labs and offices located on the second floor of the AVC Research Complex
Floor dedicated to advancing human health through world-class research into conditions such as kidney disease, heart disease, stroke, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, metabolic disorders, epilepsy
Home to outstanding researchers passionate about helping people affected by these diseases, including
Dr. Sunny Hartwig
Dr. Tarek Saleh
Dr. Andy Tasker
Proud to have health research floor named after the late David W. Rodd, respected business and community leader here on PEI and across Atlantic Canada
Research Complex opened in June 2008 as part of AVC's $45-million expansion and renovation project driven by increasing demand for AVC's globally recognized research and service expertise.
