(From left to right) David Atkinson, president of KPU, and Lloyd Craig, Coast Capital Savings’ president and CEO, celebrate a KPU-Coast Capital partnership, including a $1-million gift from Coast Capital Savings and naming rights to all four KPU libraries.
For immediate release
January 29, 2009
Surrey, B.C. – KPU's efforts to build on its new university status has received a significant boost thanks to $1 million from Coast Capital Savings.
The $1 million gift is part of a partnership that will lead to collaboration between the two organizations on several fronts. It marks milestones for both organizations, being the largest single donation received by KPU in its history and Coast Capital's single biggest community investment to date.
"We are deeply grateful that Coast Capital Savings has chosen to support KPU and education," said David Atkinson, president of KPU. "This generous donation occurs at a transformational time for our university. This visionary gift will set the course for KPU as we forge our future as Canada's finest undergraduate university, committed to our students' success."
In recognition, Coast Capital Savings will receive naming rights to all four KPU libraries, including its new state-of-the-art Surrey campus library.
"With Coast Capital's strong business and community roots in Surrey, Richmond and Langley, all of which are communities with KPU campuses, we're excited to see KPU, a proud, locally based educational institution, become one of B.C.'s newest universities, and we want to contribute to its success," said Lloyd Craig, Coast Capital Savings' president and CEO. "Helping young people acquire the vital educational and career skills to become successful leaders and contributors to society is one of the priorities of Coast Capital's community investment strategy and our $1 million funding for KPU is part of that commitment."
Other educational programs that Coast Capital Savings supports include annual awards and scholarships for students attending various institutions, a youth leadership initiative and partnerships with the University of the Fraser Valley and Camosun College.
The KPU-Coast Capital partnership will include opportunities for the university's faculty and Coast Capital Savings to work together in knowledge sharing, research, talent recruitment, as well as continuing and co-op education programs.
Jeff Norris, executive director of the KPU Foundation, said the institution's new, cutting-edge Surrey library, will serve as an appropriate symbol of its new status and ongoing commitment to academic excellence, adding that granting Coast Capital naming rights to the facility is a fitting way to acknowledge the credit union's generous investment.
Coast Capital Savings is Canada's second largest credit union with total assets under administration of $11.9 billion, 380,000 members and 51 branches in the Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island regions of British Columbia. Product innovations from Coast Capital Savings include Canada's first free chequing account from a full-service financial institution and the first business account in the country to offer unlimited transactions for a flat fee. The credit union was named one of BC's Top 50 Employers in 2009, is one of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies and the recipient of the Canadian Co-operative Association Innovations in Co-operative Governance Award. Coast Capital Savings has also been designated a Caring Company by Imagine Canada. To learn more, visit www.coastcapitalsavings.com.
Established in 1981, KPU has grown considerably over the past 27 years to offer 135 programs to more than 17,000 students annually, with 1,500 employees on four campuses. KPU is one of the largest employers in the B.C. Lower Mainland and was named as one of the top 100 employers in Canada this past year and one of B.C.'s top 40 employers for 2008.
KPU's mission is to create an exceptional undergraduate learning environment committed to preparing learners for leadership, service and success. KPU has a mandate to develop and offer baccalaureate degrees that will prepare students for fulfilling careers. http://www.kpu.ca
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For more information about Coast Capital Savings, please contact:
Divine Agodzo
Manager, Media Relations
Coast Capital Savings
Tel: 604.517.7549
divine.agodzo@coastcapitalsavings.com
OR
For more information about KPU, please contact:
Peter Chevrier
Director, Marketing & Communications
KPU
Tel: 604.599.2286
peter.chevrier@kpu.ca
KPU Library has been officially renamed Coast Capital Savings Library.
Coast Capital Savings president and CEO Lloyd Craig discusses the vision shared by
Coast Capital and KPU, and the significance of their partnership.
Left to right: KPU Foundation executive director Jeff Norris, Coast Capital Savings
president and CEO Lloyd Craig and KPU president and vice-chancellor David W. Atkinson.
On behalf of KPU, president David Atkinson accepts
a gift of $1-million from Coast Capital Savings president and CEO Lloyd Craig.
KPU president David Atkinson and Coast Capital Savings president and
CEO Lloyd Craig shake hands to mark the beginning of a remarkable partnership.
KPU-Coast Capital partnership celebrations continue in the evening.
Food served at the evening celebration.
Guests socialize and mingle as they join KPU to celebrate a new partnership with Coast Capital Savings.
KPU business student and Coast Capital Savings employee, Gena Porcina, speaks
about benefits of the KPU-Coast Capital partnership.
President David Atkinson presents a memento to Coast Capital Saving's
president and CEO Lloyd Craig to express KPU's heartfelt appreciation.
KPU's Arioso Strings provides wonderful music for the evening.