Dave Angus will serve as the 15th chancellor of the U of M, with his three-year term set to start on June 1.

The announcement was made by U of M president and vice-chancellor Michael Benarroch on Friday, March 14 at the State of the City luncheon hosted by the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce.

After graduating from the Asper school of business in 1982, Angus was president and CEO of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce for 17 years before becoming president of employee benefits company Johnston Group, according to a press release.

“Through my involvement in the community, particularly in the Chamber of Commerce, I saw how impactful the University of Manitoba is and developed a deep appreciation for its stature among universities across Canada, and internationally,” said Angus in a statement.

“There are so many layers to the impact of this university and if I can play a role in spreading that message and bringing people to the university through partnerships, then that’s a role I am honoured to play.”

In 2017, Angus was awarded the Order of Manitoba and was cited as being “instrumental in the creation of Winnipeg’s World Trade Centre” and having played a “key role in the work of the Winnipeg Poverty Reduction Council,” according to the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba website.

The chancellor is a volunteer role that serves as the ceremonial head of the university, in charge of conferring all degrees and diplomas at convocation ceremonies.

The chancellor is also a member of the board of governors and the senate, serving as an ex-officio member of various committees.

Angus will succeed Anne Mahon who has served as chancellor since 2019 and was re-elected to a second term in 2022. Mahon previously announced that she would not be seeking another term.