Welcoming Tom Hewitt as the President of the Bruyère Foundation
09/07/2021
After a comprehensive national search, we are delighted to announce the appointment of Tom Hewitt as the President of the Bruyère Foundation effective September 7, 2021. Tom's appointment is poetic as he began his fundraising career as the first head of the Saint-Vincent Hospital Foundation. His return to the Bruyère family brings him full circle.
Tom joins us at an important juncture as we embark on an ambitious journey to re-envision how we deliver our services through a historic hospital redevelopment process.
He has told us that Bruyère's ambitious and transformative plan for renewal captured his imagination. He looks forward to working with the hospital leadership and all those who care about the organization to raise the bar for the next generation of patients to an unprecedented level.
Tom is an accomplished executive with experience in a university setting as well as several hospitals with academic affiliations. He brings a wealth of experience in fundraising and has been associated with donations in excess of $700 million to four distinct charities. One of the best executives in a competitive industry, we are confident Tom will build on the work we have done to share Bruyère's inspiring mission and bring the Foundation to new heights.
Most recently, Tom served as the Chief Development Officer at Queen's University and helped lead a half-billion campaign for his alma mater. Prior to that, Tom worked as President of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute Foundation for ten years and launched a $100 million campaign to create the largest ever endowment for cardiovascular medicine. A recipient of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Ottawa Chapter, Tom is a recognized leader and brings a result-oriented, strategic approach to his work.
Tom is involved as a volunteer in several charitable endeavors including being a founding member of the Canadian Career Apprenticeship Initiative and a committee member for the Black Opportunity Fund, established to combat the impact of anti-Black racism in Canada.
He joins the Foundation as current President Peggy Taillon moves into a new role as the VP Strategy, Communications, Engagement, Development, and Integration at Bruyère. During her tenure at the Foundation over the past six years, Peggy ushered in significant initiatives to promote Bruyère's mission and strengthened the Foundation's financial position and business model.
We are excited to embark on this new phase of Bruyère's journey and are grateful to Peggy for her tremendous contribution as she hands over the baton to Tom. Join us in welcoming Tom to the Bruyère family.