Contacts:
Ryan & Keith Beedie: Contact Mat Wilcox, 604.828.7007; mwilcox@wilcoxgroup.com
Andrew Petter, SFU President, 778.782.4641; petter@sfu.ca
Daniel Shapiro, Dean of SFU Business, 778.782.4183; daniel_shapiro@sfu.ca
Derek Moscato, Director, Marketing and Communications, SFU Business, 604.671.4567; derek_moscato@sfu.ca
Don MacLachlan, PAMR, 604.763.3929; donmac@sfu.ca

Simon Fraser University’s business school has enjoyed a rich and progressive history – marked by the introduction of innovative business education programs, growing impact globally in management research, and a close relationship with the business community in Vancouver and beyond.

1965.     Simon Fraser University opens its doors. The school of business is housed in the Department of Economics and Business within the Faculty of Arts. Graduates are awarded a Bachelor of Arts in Business.

1968.     To meet the needs of working professionals in Greater Vancouver, SFU launches the Executive Master of Business Administration, the first EMBA program in Canada.

1982.     The business discipline at SFU grows to sufficient size to become its own distinct faculty, creating the Faculty of Business Administration, and the Bachelor of Business Administration degree.

1999.     The Graduate Diploma in Business Administration is established to provide a graduate level core for non-business undergraduates.

2000.     The Management of Technology (MOT) MBA is launched—focused specifically on candidates from engineering and science backgrounds with experience in the technology sector.

2002.     The undergraduate BBA program opens a second location at the SFU Surrey campus, with regular concentrations in marketing and finance, plus two new concentrations in entrepreneurship and innovation management.

2004.     Permission is received from the BC Ministry of Advanced Education to launch a PhD in Business Administration program at SFU.

2005.     SFU opens the Segal Graduate School of Business building in the heart of Vancouver’s downtown financial district, named for Joseph Segal, longtime university supporter and chancellor emeritus. The award-winning heritage facility centralizes all graduate business programs together with a dedicated Career Management Centre.

2005.     To meet growing global demand for skilled risk-management professionals across the full spectrum of financial and regulatory institutions, the Master of Financial Risk (MFRM) program is launched.

2005.     SFU Business entered the Top 100 World Rankings of Business Schools, published by The University of Texas at Dallas, based on research contributions for the previous five years. The school has maintained a strong position on the survey since.

2006.     The business school is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

2007.     The business school launches its innovative, full-time MBA program— geared for early career graduates from a diverse range of backgrounds.

2009.     The business school receives accreditation from EQUIS (the European Quality Improvement System), a leading international accreditation for business schools. By doing so, the school joins an elite group of business schools worldwide with both EQUIS and AACSB accreditations.

2010.     The journal International Business Review places SFU Business among the top 40 business schools globally for international business research.

February 9, 2011

                   In recognition of alumnus Ryan Beedie’s donation, the business school is named the Beedie School of Business.