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Robert Hung-Ngai Ho

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Robert Hung-Ngai Ho
Born1932 (age 91–92)
Hong Kong
EducationB.A., 1956, Colgate University
M.A., 1958, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
Occupation(s)philanthropist, journalist
SpouseGreta
Relatives
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese何鴻毅
Simplified Chinese何鸿毅
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinHé Hóngyì
Yue: Cantonese
JyutpingHo4 Hung4 Ngai6

Robert Hung-Ngai Ho CM OBC (born 1932) is a Chinese Canadian-American philanthropist and former journalist.

Early life and career

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Ho was born in Hong Kong in 1932[1] to one of the richest families in then-British colony.[2] Ho's grandfather, Robert Ho Tung, was a prominent businessman and philanthropist.[3] Although born into a religiously Buddhist family, Ho did not become religious himself until adulthood.[4]

Ho graduated from Colgate University in 1956 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 1958 with a Master's degree in journalism.[3] He then worked for The Pittsburgh Press, National Geographic, and Hong Kong's Kung Sheung Daily News, then owned by the Hotung family.[5]

Philanthropy

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He moved to Canada in 1989, settling in West Vancouver, British Columbia.[6] There he established the Tung Lin Kok Yuen Canada Society in 1994, named in honour of his grandmother, Lady Clara Hotung (born Cheung Lin Kok);[7] the Vancouver Tung Lin Kok Yuen temple was consecrated in 1995. He further founded the Tung Lin Kok Yuen Canada Foundation in 2005 to fund Buddhist studies.[8]

In 2005, Ho launched the Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation, which encourages younger children to learn about Chinese culture.[2] The following year, he donated $4 million to the University of Toronto to fund Buddhist studies programs[3] and another $4 million to the University of British Columbia (UBC) for the same purpose.[9] In 2008, Stanford University renamed its Buddhist Studies Center in his honour after he donated $5 million.[8]

In 2009, Ho donated $15 million towards the establishment of a research centre at Vancouver General Hospital for the Vancouver Prostate Centre, the Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, and the Ovarian Cancer Research Initiative.[10] As a result of his philanthropy, Ho received an honorary degree from Hong Kong University in 2009,[1] from UBC in 2012[11] and from Hong Kong Baptist University in 2015.[12] He was also named Member of the Order of British Columbia in 2013[13] and Member of the Order of Canada in 2018 in recognition of his philanthropic work.[14][15]

In 2019, Ho donated $15 million to his alma mater Colgate University to establish the Robert Hung Ngai Ho Mind, Brain, and Behavior Initiative.[16] He and his wife Greta also donated $10 million to Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver to help build a mental health centre.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Robert HO Hung Ngai". hku.hk. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Treasuring China's own". usa.chinadaily.com.cn. December 19, 2013. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c Woodward, Jonathan (April 3, 2006). "A billionaire's largesse flows to U of T". Globe and Mail. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  4. ^ Keung, Nicholas (August 26, 2006). "Billionaire's boost to Buddhist studies". buddhistchannel.tv. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  5. ^ "Unity in diversity". casotac.com. 2006. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  6. ^ Seyd, Jane (September 28, 2014). "Family's legacy of giving carried on". North Shore News. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  7. ^ Larry DeVries; Don Baker; Dan Overmyer (January 1, 2011). Asian Religions in British Columbia. University of British Columbia Press. p. 261. ISBN 9780774886324. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  8. ^ a b "Hong Kong-based Ho Family Foundation gives $5 million to expand, strengthen Stanford Buddhist studies program". news.stanford.edu. June 24, 2008. Archived from the original on July 21, 2010. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  9. ^ "UBC Creates First North American Contemporary Buddhism Studies Program With $4 Million Gift". news.ubc.ca. February 2, 2006. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  10. ^ "$15 MILLION DONATION LAUNCHES THE ROBERT H.N. HO RESEARCH CENTRE AT VGH". vchri.ca. March 20, 2009. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  11. ^ "Dr. Robert Ho". graduation.ubc.ca. 2012. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  12. ^ "HKBU to confer honorary doctoral degrees on four distinguished persons". bunews.hkbu.edu.hk. October 12, 2015. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  13. ^ "2013 Recipient: Robert H.N. Ho – West Vancouver". Order of British Columbia. 2013. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  14. ^ "Robert Hung-Ngai Ho Invested into the Order of Canada". gg.ca. February 26, 2020. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  15. ^ Walden, Mark (January 3, 2019). "Robert Hung Ngai Ho '56, H'11 Appointed Member of the Order of Canada (C.M.)". colgate.edu. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  16. ^ "Colgate University Receives $15 Million From Alumnus". philanthropynewsdigest.org. February 1, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  17. ^ "The 150 Leading Canadians For Mental Health: Robert Ho". give.camh.ca. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
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