Di Grappa leaves McGill for private sector position

After a 30-year career in higher education, including more than five years in his current role as McGill’s Vice-Principal (Administration and Finance), Michael Di Grappa has accepted a senior position with Canderel, a Canadian real estate company based in Montreal, Principal Suzanne Fortier announced on Tuesday, March 29.

By McGill Reporter Staff

After a 30-year career in higher education, including more than five years in his current role as McGill’s Vice-Principal (Administration and Finance), Michael Di Grappa has accepted a senior position with Canderel, a Canadian real estate company based in Montreal, Principal Suzanne Fortier announced on Tuesday, March 29.

“Mr. Di Grappa has been a highly effective member of our management team, helping the University plan for the challenges of teaching, learning and research in the 21st century,” Principal Suzanne Fortier said in a message to McGill staff. “He has successfully led major initiatives such as approval of the deferred maintenance and Information Technology investment program and a $160-million bond issue this past January.

“He has overseen the latest round of labour negotiations, and the possible acquisition of the former Royal Victoria Hospital site. He has also created and led a talented and effective management team in Facilities Management, Financial Services, Human Resources, Information Technology, Internal Audit and Investments. Please join me in thanking Mr. Di Grappa for his professionalism, leadership, wise counsel and important contributions to the University, and in wishing him well in the next chapter of his career.”

Prof. Fortier said she has instructed Secretary-General Stephen Strople to strike an Advisory Committee for the selection of a new Vice-Principal (Administration and Finance). Information regarding the nomination and application processes, as well as opportunities for input from the community, will be forthcoming.

Di Grappa said that after 30 years in the university sector (25 of them at Concordia, where he also served as Vice- President in charge of Administration and Finance) it was time to try something new.

“I’m very excited by this chance to move in a different direction,” he said. “I think I’m at a stage in my life where it’s very hard to turn down such an interesting opportunity.

“I have enjoyed my time at McGill and have had the opportunity to work with many talented colleagues, who I will miss a great deal. Together, we’ve tackled some pretty amazing projects and made some progress toward solving some of the University’s significant challenges. I am sorry I won’t be up close to see the results, but will certainly be paying attention from afar,” Di Grappa said, adding that he was grateful for the confidence placed in him over the term in which he guided the Administration and Finance team.

Prof. Fortier indicated that Prof. Morty Yalovsky has agreed to take on the role of Interim Vice-Principal (Administration and Finance). Yalovsky has spent more than 40 years at McGill, including serving as Vice-Principal (Administration and Finance) from 1999-2006 and Interim Dean of the Desautels Faculty of Management from 2014 to 2015, and his current position as the Faculty’s Vice-Dean (Programs). Yalovsky will become Interim V-P Designate on May 2, while Di Grappa’s term as V-P will end on June 13.

 

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Giovanni (John) A. Di Battista
7 years ago

Orchestrated the reduction in contributions to employee pension plans from a high of 2 to 1 (employer:employee) to 0.75 as of 2014 without any consultation/negotiation with employees. These savings/claw backs resulted in a significant operating budget surplus for the University with Mr. Di Grappa insisting this was unforeseeable (i.e., unintended). The economy had already rebounded 2 years previous as did government spending in the education sector and university pension investment returns.