VICE-PRESIDENTS (ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE):
D.R. MACKAY (Brandon College 1947-1967; Brandon University 1967-1972)
Donald Ross MacKay was born in Weyburn, Saskatchewan. He came to Brandon College in 1936, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1939 or 1940. From 1940-1947, MacKay served in the Canadian Army Canada and overseas. In September 1947 he was appointed Registrar-Bursar at Brandon College. During his career he also served as University Comptroller, Public Relations Officer, Director of Development, Secretary to the Board of Governors, Secretary of the Board of Directors, Secretary to Senate and Assistant to the President. He also served on the Brandon College Expansion Committee, the Hales Museum Committee and was the Chairman of the Athletic Directorate. MacKay retired from the University in 1984. After his retirement he served on the Brandon University Foundation Board of Directors. In recognition of his service to the University MaKay was presented with the Alumni Award in 1974 and with the Distinguished Service Award in 1981 for his contributions to society. MacKay's additional community involvement included the Centennial Auditorium Committee, the Brandon Schools Orchestral Band Association, the Planning Committee for First United Church - St. Paul's Church (what became Central United Church), the Manitoba Heart Foundation, the Kiwanis Club, the Wally Byam Caravan Club, Nitecappers and Northview Pools Inc.
MacKay's career at Brandon College and Brandon University was unprecedented in the breadth of administrative responsibility. As a result, records created during his tenure as Comptroller almost certainly also reflect his responsibilites beyond the Comptroller's Office.
Don MacKay died on April 2, 1990. He was predeceased by his first wife Gwen Dobie, with whom he had four children: Joan, Holly, Ross and Jane. He left behind a second wife, Mona.
CARMAN RUST (1973-1976)
Carman Frederick Rust was born in Brandon, Manitoba on August 27, 1935. He graduated from Brandon College in 1949 with an Arts degree. Rust completed his C.A. in Winnipeg in 1964, and from 1964-1969 he worked as an accountant with Donovan, Stone & Co. in Brandon. In 1969 he was hired as Assistant Comptroller under D.R. MacKay at Brandon University. He became Comptroller in 1973 and retired in 1976. Rust served as a Lieutenant in the Canadian Forces Supplementary Reserve and was a past President of both the Kinsmen Club of Brandon and the Brandon Golf & Country Club. He was married and had 3 children. Carman Rust died in Brandon on February 7, 2001.
ROSS EASTLEY (1976-1987)
Ross Eastley graduated from Brandon University in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then articled as a C.A. student with Donovan, Stone and Company, receiving his Chartered Accountant's degree in 1972. Eastley was hired as an Associate Accountant at Brandon University in 1973. He later became Accountant and was Acting Comptroller in 1976; in 1977 he became Comptroller, responsible for the accounting offices and ancillary enterprises. In the years following, Eastley became responsible for other areas such as the computer centre, the physical lant and personnel. After his job expanded in terms of responsibilities his title was changed ffrom Comptroller to Vice-President. Eastley also taught introductory accounting to students participating in Brandon Univeristy's Continuing Education program. He resigned from his position as Vice-President (Administration and Finance) in August 1987 to enter into private practise as a chartered accountant.
During his time at Brandon University, Easltey, along with Terry Mitchell, created TKM Software Limited, a venture that developed library software. In addition to his accounting practice, Eastley continued his work in this area following his departure from Brandon University. Since June 2005, he has held the position of Secretary-Treasurer of the Western School Division in Mordon, MB.
LARRY DAWSON (1987-1996)
Larry Dawson received his B.Sc. and his M.B.A. from the University of Alberta. He obtained a Registered Industrial Accountant certificate from the Society of Management Accountants in Manitoba.
Dawson was appointed Vice-President (Administration and Finance) of Brandon University on November 1, 1987. Prior to that appointment he held the post of Chief Financial Officer for East Kottenay Community College in Cranbrook, B.C. He had also been an instructor at the University of Alberta, Simon Fraser University and the University of Nairobi, Kenya.
He left Brandon University in 1996 to accept the position of Vice-President (Administration and Finance) at Mount Royal College in Calgary. After a brief period in the United Arab Emirates, Larry Dawson returned to Calgary, and at present (January 2006) he and his wife Barb continue to live there.
SCOTT LAMONT (1996-present)
No biographical information yet.
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of records created and collected by the Office of the Bursar/Comptroller/Vice-President (Administration and Finance). It includes correspondence, financial information, reports, newsclippings, photographs, reference materials, lists, memos, blueprints, newsletters
Notes
A partial inventory for the sub-series exists as a Word document. In the years initally following the change from "Bursar" to "Comptroller" the terms were sometimes used interchangably. All files marked "Personal - D.R. MacKay" have been removed and placed in MG 1 Brandon University Teaching and Administration at 1.7 D.R. MacKay. Biographical information in the History/Bio field was taken from Brandon University calendars (1967-2006) and biographical files located in the McKee Archives. Partial biographical information for Larry Dawson was taken from an article in "The Quill" (September 24, 1987).
RG 6 Brandon University fonds
Series 4: Office of the Vice-President
Arrangement
Where there was no obvious arrangement, the files in the sub-series have been arranged chronologically. Original order was maintained in all other instances.
Robert (Bob) Troy Blair was born on March 11, 1930 in Brandon, MB. His first six years were spent in Alexander, MB, where his father and uncle operated a grocery store. In 1936, his family moved to Souris, MB, where his father ran a grocery store. Blair received his primary and high school education, with the exception of Grade 12, in Souris.
Blair remembers his school years in Souris as mainly happy years. He was involved with both piano and organ music lessons. he was never interested in physical sports with the exception of golf. World War II broke out in September of 1939. Souris became the site of #17 SFTS and home base for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Many of the service men came from England, Australia and New Zealand. Blair's mother always entertained at least two for dinner every Sunday. Rationing of sugar, tea and coffee, butter and meat became a way of life. Blair had the job every Saturday of pasting the ration coupons into booklets. It was also when he was in Grade 6, that Blair realized he was more attracted to boys than to girls. Perhaps it was because so many attractive airmen surrounded him!
In November of 1947, the Blair family relocated to Alexander where Bob Blair finished his Grade 11. This was not a good year due to bullying. In September of 1948, Blair moved to Winnipeg to attend United College for his Grade 12. Upon completion of Grade 12, Blair remained in Winnipeg until June 1950. he worked at a number of businesses - Gestetner, Eaton's Mail Order shoe department, Maple Leaf Milling, and the drug store in the Medical Arts Building. In September 1950, he entered Brandon College. Blair was very active in extra-curricular affairs while at Brandon College; particularly drama. Following his B.A. he enrolled in the Education Faculty, having decided to become a teacher.
Blair's teaching career spanned 34 years. All but one year was spent in the Brandon School Division. On his first day of teaching in the Division he met the man with whom he would spend the next 46 years. He was primarily a teacher of English and Music. A highlight of his career was exchange teaching in Sacramento, California in 1961. Orientation for exchange took place in August in Washington, D.C., where Blair had the opportunity to meet President J.F. Kennedy. He vividly recals the morning that JFK was assassinated on November 22, 1963. In September 1965, Blair assumed the principalship of Park School and in September of 1969, the same position at George Fitton School where re remained until his retirement in 1989. He was a member of the Brandon Picnipals' Association, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and servedas President of the Brandon Teachers' Association. Among his major accomplishments during his time as principal were the introduction of a centralized school library in both Park and George Fitton Schools and the integration of special needs students into regular classroom situations wherever possible. He was made a Life Member of the Manitoba Teachers' Society (Brandon) in June 1990. Following his retirement Blair worked as a Library Automation Consultant (1989-1993).
Blair also had numerous community involvements during his time in Brandon. he was active in the Brandon Little Theatre (Best Actor Award, Manitoba Drama Festival for One Act Plays in 1963), the Brandon Festival of the Arts, the Eckhardt-Gramatte National Music Competition, and Arm Industries to name a few.
Following the death of his partner in 2001, Blair moved to Saskatoon to live with a younger gay couple. He has been active in volunteerism: as an Ambassador for the Saskatoon Airport Authority, assistant with the Saskatoon Health Region's Immunization Clinics, information clerk for the Festival of Trees, data entry clerk for the Saskatoon Music Festival, on the Board of the Saskatoon Jazz Society, and Hospitality Coordinator for the Saskatoon Jazz Festival.
As of October 2013, Bob Blair continues to live in Saskatoon, SK.
Custodial History
Records were in Blair's possession until he donated them to the Mckee Archives on Homecoming weekend October 2013.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of two scrapbooks containing 145 photographs and ephemera (play and graduation programs, tickets, pins, newspaper clippings) documenting Bob Blair's days at Brandon College. Social events and extra-curricular activities are heavily featured in the two scrapbooks. Also included are graduation portraits for the Classes of 1951, 1952 and 1953. Of the 145 photographs all are black and white except for two photos of the Class of '53 reconvocation (May 1993), and one from the Class of '53 reunion (2003).
