Fred Withers has been retired for nearly ten years now, but that doesn't mean he's been taking it easy. As a partner of Ernst & Young Canada, Withers spent 37 years with the firm before stepping away in 2014. But since then, he hasn't slowed down. In addition to being father to four daughters and husband to fellow UBC rowing alumna Dr. Kathy Jones, Withers lends much of his time and expertise to supporting causes and foundations that are close to his heart. He has served as chair on a number of boards including the Vancouver Symphony Foundation, the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Vancouver and the Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation.
"I like to say I'm rewired as opposed to retired," as he reflects on his busy schedule.
The UBC Rowing Alumnus has always felt strongly about the importance of giving back to the community, and the UBC community, in particular, has benefited from his time and generosity.
Withers has been active at UBC for years, even prior to retirement, as a member of the Sauder School of Business Faculty Advisory Board (2004 to 2014) and he served as Vice Chair of the Board from 2007 to 2014. Now, Withers is the esteemed Chair of the UBC Alumni Association Board of Directors, and most recently played a pivotal role in the selection process and naming of UBC's new president.
"It was a very interesting process to be a part of. UBC is so well regarded that it was an attractive position with applications coming in from all over the world. There was a lot of diversity. We ended up having a great short list, but we were all unanimous in our final decision."
Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon was pronounced as the new UBC President and Vice-Chancellor this summer. An accomplished researcher and teacher, Dr. Bacon was previously the President and Vice-Chancellor of Carleton University in Ottawa. After interviewing him and getting to spend a day learning more about Dr. Bacon, Withers felt confident he was the best choice for UBC.
"He knows the Canadian University landscape which is a huge advantage. I think he will be very student focused and he cares very deeply about the experience that students have. Benoit has also very open about his own struggles and advocates for open conversations about mental health. And I think that will be something students will connect to. I also know that he is young with a whole career ahead of him and I think he should give UBC the consistency it needs in a leader."
Withers lights up when speaking about his alma mater. He loves visiting the ever-changing UBC Campus and staying connected to his fellow rowing and Thunderbird Athletics alumni. He laughs when reflecting on how he first got his start in rowing.
"I started rowing at university in the winter of 1974. I lived in Totem Park residence at the time and I was in my second year, when a guy I lived with dragged me along to rowing practice. He ended up quitting but for me, it stuck!"
Withers would continue to row for the Thunderbirds until 1977 when he graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. He would then go on to compete for Canada, rowing at the 1977 Rowing World Championships and the 1979 Pan American Games, where he won a silver medal with the Men's eight.
"I have so many fabulous memories from my rowing years and just being back on campus brings back so many of them. Rowing up Indian arm and back, that trek out to Burnaby Lake…and I even got the chance to travel to Egypt and row on the Nile. The boats they gave us there may have been from around the turn of the century, but what an amazing experience."
It is those kinds of memories, along with the friendships made and life lessons learned, that continue to help Withers find success in his personal and professional life.
"Being on the rowing team gave me an immediate sense of team and community, a very close community. And, I learned so many life skills during those years, like team building and how to balance being a student and an athlete. I really learned how to manage my time. A big part of any success that I had in my career and in business came about due to the skills I learned during my time at UBC."
