Community icon Mel Cooper appointed Chair Emeritus for the TELUS Victoria Community Board
Under Cooper’s stewardship, the TELUS Victoria Community Board has given over $5 million in support to 436 Vancouver Island charities
Victoria – Today, TELUS is celebrating the incredible contributions and legacy of Mel Cooper, Vancouver Island’s most passionate philanthropist and founding chair of the TELUS Victoria Community Board, by appointing him as Chair Emeritus. Cooper has led the TELUS Victoria Community Board since its inception in 2007, guiding the board to contribute over $5 million to 436 charitable organizations across Vancouver Island over the past 13 years. While Cooper has made the personal decision to retire as Board Chair, his contributions have been so significant that TELUS asked him to remain as Chair Emeritus, ensuring the community board and community at large will continue to benefit from his philanthropic experience and guidance.
“It is with gratitude, respect and admiration that I extend my heartfelt and enthusiastic best wishes to my dear friend Mel Cooper as he transitions from the role of Chair of our TELUS Victoria Community Board, into the esteemed position of Chair Emeritus,” said Darren Entwistle, President & CEO, TELUS. “As our inaugural Chair, Mel infused our TELUS Victoria Community Board with an unparalleled level of compassion, and I can say without reservation that Mel’s passion, work ethic and commitment to our heartfelt ‘we give where we live’ philosophy has left an indelible impact on tens of thousands citizens in Victoria and beyond.”
Cooper was born in St. John’s Newfoundland, and made the big move from coast to coast to attend the University of British Columbia in 1950. His storied career in broadcasting began in Port Alberni; however many British Columbians will most fondly remember Cooper as the vice president of Expo 86. For Cooper, doing good in business and in the community have long been mutually inclusive. His enthusiasm for local, regional, and national charities and non-profits have helped countless individuals on the Island and across the country. Cooper is a born leader and humanitarian, earning too many awards and accolades to count, including the honour of both the Order of Canada and British Columbia.
Cooper will continue to consult on TELUS Ocean, TELUS’ new commercial development in Downtown Victoria, where his decades of business experience are invaluable to the project. In addition to his Chair Emeritus role, Cooper will continue to support CFAX Santas Anonymous, a charity he helped found more than 40 years ago.
In recognition of Cooper’s new appointment and longstanding commitment to the community, TELUS is donating $20,000 to CFAX Santas Anonymous. Additionally, the TELUS Victoria Community Board has created the Mel Cooper Social Innovation in Giving grant, an annual $20,000 grant given to a charity making incredible change in their community.
For the latest information about how TELUS gives back visit telus.com/givesback.
About TELUS
TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a dynamic, world-leading communications and information technology company with $15.3 billion in annual revenue and 15.7 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video and security. We leverage our global-leading technology to enable remarkable human outcomes. Our longstanding commitment to putting our customers first fuels every aspect of our business, making us a distinct leader in customer service excellence and loyalty. TELUS Health is Canada's largest healthcare IT provider, and TELUS International delivers the most innovative business process solutions to some of the world’s most established brands.
Driven by our passionate social purpose to connect all Canadians for good, our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to give where we live has inspired our team members and retirees to contribute more than $700 million and 1.3 million days of service since 2000. This unprecedented generosity and unparalleled volunteerism have made TELUS the most giving company in the world.
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Lena Chen
TELUS Public Relations
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