Rady family gifts $30M to University of Manitoba health sciences

The University of Manitoba has received the largest philanthropic gift in its 139-year history a $30-million donation from philanthropistsErnest and Evelyn Rady,through the Rady Family Foundation.

In honour of the gift, the university's faculty of health sciences will nowbe known as the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences and doctors will now graduate from theMax Rady College of Medicine.

Ernest Rady, who holds commerce and lawdegreesfrom the U of M, was born and raised in Winnipeg but now lives in San Diego, where he founded American Assets financial services and is the former part-owner of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres.

Heis the son of Rose and Max Rady, for whom the RadyJewish Community Centre is named.

"Perhaps the most important lesson I learned from my parents was the joy of giving back and making a difference," Radytold doctors graduating Thursday at the university.

"In that same spirit of wanting to make a difference abigdifference I decided to make a gift to myalma mater, and specifically to the faculty of health sciencesin honour of my parents.They taught me the values of hard workand of giving back.

"The College of Medicine is where my father got his start and allowed him to make a difference in the lives of so many people here in Manitoba, so this college is of particular significance to me and my sisters."

Rady andhis sisters,Marjorie Blanksteinand Mindel Olenick,previously gave the college of medicine $904,985 to establish theMindermar professorship in human simulationin 2009.

The latest donation comes one month after the university received a $10-million gift fromthe RichardsonFoundation.

That money is earmarked foressential classroom and laboratory upgrades across the U of M's Fort Garry and Bannatyne campuses.

At that time, it was the largest philanthropic gift announced for theuniversity'sFront and Centre campaign,which launched inNovember 2014 with theaimto raise $500 million.

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