Honorary Degree Recipients

Peter Armstong

Peter Armstrong is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Armstrong Group, owner and operator of the award-winning Rocky Mountaineer and other associated tourism and hospitality businesses.  Since its inception in 1990, the organization has evolved from a small entrepreneurial dream into one of Canada's leading tourism providers. The first acquisition was the federal government’s fledgling and subsidized tourist train through the Canadian Rockies, which is now known across the globe as the luxurious Rocky Mountaineer, offering four unique Western Canadian rail journeys. Over the years, Rocky Mountaineer has been honoured with numerous accolades and in 2011, received the most awards for service excellence than any other year in its history. Some of the awards include a sixth World Travel Award in 2011 as "World’s Leading Travel Experience by Train” and a 2011 Condè Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Award for being one of the “Top 5 Trains in the World.”

Mr. Armstrong was born in St. John, New Brunswick and has been an active resident of Vancouver for over 45 years. He attended St. George’s School, BCIT’s Hotel Management Program and the University of British Columbia.  He participates on many industry and community Boards including as the President of the Non-Partisan Association Board as well as a Trustee on the Vancouver Police Foundation.  He has been inducted into the Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame and the Canadian Railway Hall of Fame. He was also named British Columbia’s 2007 Tourism Leader of the Year and has received his ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors.  He is a recipient of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Tourism and Hospitality as well as the Canadian Venture Capital Association’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Peter Brown

Peter M. Brown was born in 1941 in Vancouver where he lives today.  After attending the University of British Columbia, he entered the investment business with Greenshields Inc. in 1962.  Today he remains Founder and Honorary Chairman of Canaccord Financial Inc. which he founded in 1968.  Today, Canaccord services private clients and investors through 23 wealth management office located in Canada, Australia, the UK and Europe.   Canaccord Genuity, the international capital markets division, operates in 12 countries including Canada, United States, UK, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and Barbados.

Peter Brown is currently serving as Chairman of the Board for the Fraser Institute and Vice Chairman of the Investment Industry Association.  Mr. Brown is British Columbia’s representative on the Advisory Committee to the Canadian Securities Transition Office to lead the transition to a single Canadian securities regulator.  He is a Member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Federal Minister of Finance and is also currently serving as a federally appointed Lead Director and Member of the Finance Committee for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic & Paralympics Games which successfully brought the Vancouver 2010 Olympics to Canada.   Recently, the Business Council of British Columbia appointed Mr. Brown to their Board of Governors.  Peter Brown is the Chair of the Vancouver Police Foundation and Honorary Chairman of the fund drive for the Emily Carr University of Art & Design.

He has served on the boards of numerous private sector and crown corporations over the years.  Formerly, he was a Director of the Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project Limited & Pavilion Corp (both Crown Corporations).  Among his attainments, he was the past Chairman of the University of British Columbia, The Vancouver Stock Exchange, B.C. Place Corporation and B.C. Enterprise Corporation (both Crown Corporations).  He was also the Vice Chairman of Expo 86 Corporation. 

Mr. Brown is a recipient of the B.C. Chamber of Commerce Businessman of the Year award; the B.C. & Yukon Chamber of Mines Financier Award and the Pacific Entrepreneur of The Year Award for 2001.  In 2002 he received the Distinguished Service Award by the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada.  In January 2003, Mr. Brown received a Commemorative Medal for the Golden Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.  In June 2003, he was awarded the Order of British Columbia.  The Brotherhood Inter-Faith Society recognized Peter Brown as their Person of the Year in February 2004.  In the spring of 2005, Mr. Brown received a honorary degree (Doctor of Laws) from the University of British Columbia.  In 2007, he received the Distinguished Graduate Award from St. George’s School and the Ted Ticknor Award for Exceptional Contribution from Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver.  In 2009, Mr. Brown received the Fraser Institute’s T. Patrick Boyle Founder’s Award.  In 2010, Peter Brown was inducted into the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame recognizing his entrepreneurial spirit and contribution to Canada’s mining industry.  He also became a Honourary Member of the Vancouver Police Pipe Band in 2009 and received the first ever civilian commendation from the Vancouver City Police. Ernst & Young recognized him with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010 and in May 2011 he was inducted into the Business Laureates of BC Hall of Fame.