TORONTO–Ian Ihnatowycz, founder of Acuity
Investment Management Inc., and his wife, optometrist Dr. Marta Witer, have
donated $5 million to The Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) in
The Ihnatowycz-Witer
donation will help build the Conservatory’s new home and preserve its heritage
building. About $1 million will go towards an elite Piano Scholars Program.
In recognition of their
contribution, the historic wing of the Royal Conservatory (now comprising
McMaster Hall and Mazzoleni Hall) will be named Ihnatowycz Hall. The wing will be part of the new TELUS Centre
for Performance and Learning. In addition, The Royal Conservatory of Music
Artists Diploma piano program will be known as the Ian Ihnatowycz Piano Scholars
Program.
“Our gift affirms our
deeply held view that the arts are essential means for the social, intellectual
and spiritual development of all people. Great civilisations are inevitably
defined by their artistic legacy and the programs of the Royal Conservatory
have helped some of our greatest performing artists to emerge and add a new
dimension to the lives of millions of people,” said Ihnatowycz.
“The Royal Conservatory
of Music holds many fond memories for our family,” said Ihnatowycz. “My wife
and I studied piano there and the Conservatory played an important role in our
children’s music education,” he added.
Ihnatowycz’s ties to the
Conservatory will be strengthened even further as he has joined its Board of
Directors.
Ihnatowycz is President
and Chief Executive Officer of Acuity Funds Ltd. and Acuity Investment
Management Inc. Acuity provides discretionary investment management services.
As one of
Under Ihnatowycz’s
stewardship, Acuity’s assets under management have grown to $7 billion.
Dr. Marta Witer has
worked in private practice as a Doctor of Optometry for more than 25 years. She
is a past President of the Vision Institute of Canada and sat on the Board of
Directors of the Ontario Association of Optometrists.
Both Dr. Witer and Mr.
Ihnatowycz have been involved in numerous education and community initiatives
and are active members of the Ukrainian-Canadian community.
Founded in 1886, The RCM
is