12.04.2012

Wolf Haessler donates $1 million

Wolf Haessler, the founder and previous owner of Canadian aerial lift manufacturer Skyjack has donated $1 million for engineering at the University of Guelph.

The donation was revealed at a celebration of a $22.5 million, 5,000 metre expansion to the university’s Engineering Complex yesterday, which added design laboratories, an expanded machine shop and new classrooms.
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Wolf Haessler

Haessler’s donation is intended to support further expansion and renovation of the complex, as well as provide 20 scholarships each year over the next five years through the new Haessler Family Engineering Scholarships programme.

Speaking at the event he said: “Many of you here who don’t know me very well can be forgiven upon learning of this announcement for thinking that I am someone who is either unusually loaded or has lost his marbles. Over the last few years I’ve come to the happy and somewhat surprising realisation that the happiness and material welfare of my immediate family cannot be much improved by spending more money on ourselves. While the university and its students can expect the reasonable probability of a good return through enhanced opportunities in learning.”

Haessler, who completed an engineering degree at the university in 1966, also suggested that the university give serious consideration to using some of the funds to establish alumni-student mentorship and engineering management programmes to better serve the practical application of engineering solutions.

The university, located in Skyjack’s home town, has been very successful in recent years – engineering wise. It has tripled its undergraduate enrolment over the past four years from 400 to 1,100. Almost doubled the graduate student population from 250 to 450, expanded faculty numbers from 29 to 38, and doubled its support staff. It also attracts around $11 million in research funding.