We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

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Performance

Four decades in the automotive retail business have taught Bob Verwey a lot about success.

The president of Owasco watched his Whitby-based business grow from a single Volkswagen dealership to include five divisions today. His secret? Building a great team.

“A dealership is more than selling and repairing cars,” Bob explains. “Finance, marketing, human resources, and project management are incorporated into your day-to-day operations, and to grow we have to find talent.”

Some of that talent comes from the university’s Faculty of Business and Information Technology. In 2013, the dealership became an internship host, giving students the opportunity to test-drive their knowledge in a real-world setting. From the front office to the collision repair shop floor, they experience every facet of the business.

And, our students have proven to be a valuable resource to the business and many have accepted full-time positions after graduation.

“These students have proven to be bright, confident, independent thinkers and doers,” says John Fledderus, Vice-President and Deputy. “We are proud to be a part of the university community and to fund a cause we are passionate about––student success.”

To support success, Owasco established a scholarship to reward Accounting and Finance students for academic excellence. The award has grown over the years and encourages them to be future leaders.

“We serve the community and we believe in being good corporate citizens,” Bob says. “Together we are growing the next generation of leaders for the automotive industry.”