UPEI extends condolences upon the passing of honorary degree recipient Robert K. Irving
The University of Prince Edward Island community was saddened to learn of the passing of Robert K. Irving, LLD, on Tuesday, May 19, at his home in Moncton, New Brunswick, after a courageous battle with cancer. UPEI extends deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.
In 2014, UPEI awarded him a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, in recognition of his business leadership, philanthropy, and contributions to the community in various sectors.
Dr. Irving was a well-known Canadian industrialist and Co-Chief Executive Officer of J.D. Irving, Limited, responsible for several businesses within the Irving Group of Companies including consumer products in tissue and diapers, frozen food processing, transportation, and courier services, as well as industrial human resource services.
He was also president of Cavendish Farms, PEI’s largest private-sector employer and North America’s fourth largest producer of frozen potato products, and he owned the Moncton Wildcats team, which plays in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
Highly involved in the community, Dr. Irving supported a wide variety of youth education and literacy programs and was also an active fundraiser and champion for community health and development. In recognition of his vast contributions, he received the “Builder of Youth Lifetime Achievement” award from the Boys & Girls Club of Moncton (2011); was named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Clubs of Greater Moncton (2014); and received the Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick’s Champion of Literacy Award (2016) and the rare centennial Paul Harris Fellowship Award (2020). He was inducted into the New Brunswick Business Hall of Fame and the Canadian Agriculture Hall of Fame and will be inducted posthumously into the PEI Business Hall of Fame on May 21.
In 2021, J.D. Irving, Limited donated $2.5 million to the Canadian Cancer Society to establish the Excellence in Cancer Research Fund, affirming the company’s and Dr. Irving’s longstanding commitment to invest in research in Atlantic Canada.
Dr. Suzanne Kresta, Dean of Sustainable Design Engineering at UPEI, said, “Dr. Irving’s support of a transformative gift to the Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering in 2017 laid the foundations for outstanding and leading research in agriculture and potato processing by our two Cavendish Research Chairs, Drs. Aitazaz Farooque and Senthilkumar Thiruppathi. This contribution also supports our many design clinic projects, which bring young engineering students into direct contact with the business culture at Cavendish Farms and other Irving enterprises.”
The gift from Cavendish Farms also provides funding to the Faculty’s Engineering Success Centre, which was a key factor in 10 per cent of the FSDE student body qualifying for the national Canadian Engineering Competition this past year. These students returned home with three first place finishes across the eight competitions at the event.
Dr. Thiruppathi, Assistant Professor and Cavendish Farms Research Chair in Sustainable Food Automation, added, “I would like to express my sincere condolences on the passing of Dr. Irving. His vision and leadership, along with his strong belief in industry–academia collaboration, have had a lasting impact on engineering research at UPEI.
“With the support and continued commitment of the Irving family, my research program has grown into a very active and productive effort, enabling meaningful applied research in potato storage and processing. His legacy will continue through the strength of the research programs, partnerships, and people he supported. He will be deeply missed.”
The official obituary released by J.D. Irving, Limited, can be read here. Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later date.
