Molson family and Molson Coors donate $3.5 million to Campus Montréal, with $2 million earmarked for the Carabins

MONTREAL, March 27, 2015 /CNW Telbec/ - The Molson family and the Molson Coors Brewing Company have pledged $3.5 million to Campus Montréal's joint fundraising campaign benefiting HEC Montréal, Polytechnique Montréal, and the Université de Montréal.

The greater part of this amount, $2 million, will be allocated to the Université de Montréal's Carabins sports program. The largest donation ever made to a francophone university sports program in North America – next to Robert Panet-Raymond's ($750,000) and Guy Fréchette's ($500,000) – it will secure the future development of the Carabins by providing enhanced academic, athletic and medical support to the student-athletes enrolled in this, one of Canada's leading varsity programs.

The Molson Family Foundation is contributing $500,000 to the Université de Montréal's kinesiology clinic for its health and sports performance laboratory. Jacques Gresset, head of the Department of Kinesiology, noted that "this donation will go towards purchasing new scientific equipment to assess the athletes' physical and cognitive abilities, training new kinesiologists, and funding student scholarships."

In addition to Molson Coors' becoming the Carabins' official brewery partner, the company is giving $660,000 to the Institut québécois pour les familles en affaires [Quebec institute for business families]. Operating under the aegis of HEC Montréal, the institute will support family-owned businesses with succession plan preparation, as well as corporate governance, management, and business development.

Brothers Geoff and Andrew Molson are extremely proud to be part of the large Carabins community. "The reason I accepted to co-chair the Campus Montréal fundraising campaign is because I firmly believe that we all have the responsibility and ability to change things to improve the society we live in," said Geoff Molson, President and CEO, Club de hockey Canadien, Bell Centre and evenko. "I'm immensely pleased with the contribution my family and Molson Coors are making, but I'm even more thrilled to be able to help talented young men and women excel in their academic and athletic pursuits and realize their full potential."

Explained Andrew Molson, chairman of RES PUBLICA and vice-chairman of the board of the Molson Coors Brewing Company: "As a seventh-generation member of the Molson brewing family, whose ancestor John Molson founded the brewery 229 years ago, I know that giving back to the community is in our DNA. It's also the secret of our longevity as a company and our success as one of the world's largest brewing companies. We have a collective duty to help new generations of entrepreneurs flourish and understand that taking risks is never an excuse to give up, but an additional reason to persevere. We also need to encourage business families to plan their future over the long term to ensure their company's survival. This is why we've earmarked a portion of our donation for HEC Montréal's entrepreneurship and family business support program."

Patrick D'Anjou, Vice-President of Sales, Quebec, Molson Coors Canada, added: "The agreement with the Carabins that we're announcing today is part of our commitment to the varsity sports program, which helps the student athletes at Campus Montreal's three institutions fulfil their personal, academic, and athletic potential. Our aim is to reflect a positive image of the areas in which Montreal and its academic community shine. We're thrilled that Molson Coors will be associated with the Bleus in the coming years."

For Guy Breton, Rector of the Université de Montréal, "the Molson family demonstrates outstanding leadership. Geoff Molson's support as Campus Montréal's co-chair demonstrates his renowned family's strong social commitment and their deep understanding of what it takes to build a healthy society."

Underscoring the philanthropists' leadership in the business community, Michel Patry, Director of HEC Montréal, stated that "investing in family entrepreneurship reflects how important the growth and longevity of family-owned businesses is to the Molson family and Molson Coors. Their donation is a testament to their desire to help address the challenges of continuity and renewal that multi-generational family businesses face."

"The Molsons are builders," added Christophe Guy, Chief Executive Officer of Polytechnique Montréal. "They realize the importance of supporting the Carabins varsity sports program so that all student athletes in all disciplines are able to fulfil their academic and athletic goals. Moreover, they, along with Molson Coors, recognize both educational excellence and a university's contribution towards a healthy society."

"The Carabins teams and the entire campus are over the moon with today's stunning announcement," said Manon Simard, director of the Université de Montréal's athletics program. "Such a generous gift is a tangible sign that tells us we need to continue nurturing our youth and our talent." Manon Simard, who is herself a former member of the Canadian and Carabins swim teams, and has been the program's director ever since it was revived 20 years ago, declared that "it's truly inspiring to know that the Molson family believes in us. Their investment is of enormous value and will allow us to go so much farther... we're truly grateful to the Molsons for this incredible boost!"

SOURCE Campus Montréal

Image with caption: "Geoff and Andrew Molson surrounded by student-athletes expressing their gratitude for the historical $ 2 million donation to the Carabins Excellence in Sports Program. (CNW Group/Campus Montréal)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20150327_C7921_PHOTO_EN_13651.jpg

Carabins, Benoit Mongeon, Communications coordinator, Carabins, Université de Montréal, Tel.: [phone] or Mobile: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]; Molson Family and Molson Coors, François Lefebvre, Manager, Corporate Affairs, Quebec and Atlantic Canada, Molson Coors, Tel.: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]; HEC Montréal, Laurence Plourde-Mainville, Public relations advisor, HEC Montréal, Tel.: [phone], extension 1805, E-mail: [email protected]; Polytechnique Montréal, Annie Touchette, Senior advisor, Communications and Public Relations Department, Tel.: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]; Université de Montréal, Mathieu Filion, Senior advisor, Communications and Public Relations Department, Tel.: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]