Dr. Stanley Hamilton is a respected professor emeritus at Sauder School of Business whose contributions go well beyond the academic world and leave an indelible mark on the arts, urban planning, industry governance and property tax reform.
For over 40 years he inspired thousands of students who now play significant roles in communities, in both the public and private sectors. He was engaged in UBC’s diploma, continuing and community programs; in regulatory and industry governance; pension plans and trusts; and in the expansion of UBC as he co-chaired and managed construction for the new UBC campus at Robson Square.
More broadly, British Columbians have a more equitable and efficient property tax system due to his work on property tax reform over the past decades; better communities through his contributions to planning development commissions; and better economies through his contributions to industry governance and regulation.
After his retirement, Hamilton volunteered his business and project management acumen to help transform the arts landscape, spearheading significant projects. For example, he helped acquired a sponsorship to pay off the mortgage on Vancouver’s Stanley Theatre. He led a team of staff and volunteers to locate and secure the BMO Theatre Centre, home of Bard on the Beach and Arts Club Theatre Company. For over three years he was its volunteer project manager for its construction. He served as a board member and chair of the BC Arts Council, where he ensured its stabilization and the commitment of unprecedented funding for artists.
Hamilton also provided counsel to other arts organizations, a First Nations trust, and local and provincial government agencies and was a significant donor to arts organizations. He and his wife founded the Arts Club Silver Commissions Project, which has developed the work of over 17 local professional playwrights and contributed to the creation of a Western Canadian theatrical cannon.
His peers in the business community have recognized his contributions with honorary memberships in their national, provincial, and community organizations. His service at UBC’s Sauder School was recognized with the establishment of the Stanley Hamilton Award, awarded annually to an outstanding student and the Stanley Hamilton Professorship.