Angela Liddon, Young Alumni Award

Angela Liddon graduated from the University of Guelph in 2006 with a BAH in Psychology. She is the founder of the popular plant-based blog, Oh She Glows, two internationally bestselling cookbooks, and an award-winning recipe app. After earning her master’s degree in social psychology, she worked as a child development researcher before leaving her field to pursue a new dream.

Angela launched the Oh She Glows blog in 2008 as a way to chronicle her recovery from over 10 years of disordered eating and how she became more connected to the food on her plate. She gained a loyal following as the food-as-lifestyle movement was taking off. She also launched a business – Glo Bakery – hand-making more than 500 of her famous vegan Glo Bars each week and selling them a the local farmer’s market and online.

As her relationship with food continued to improve, she fell in love with how much energy she had eating a plant-based diet. Angela developed healthy and accessible recipes that appealed to her growing audience. Not only did she teach herself how to cook, but she also learned how to style and shoot food photography. In 2010, after finishing in the top 3 of an international food blogging competition, Angela was approached by an editor from a major publishing house, inquiring whether she wanted to write a cookbook. She closed her bakery to focus on her blog and cookbook development. The Oh She Glows Cookbook hit the shelves in 2014 and is a New York Times Bestseller and a Chapters/Indigo Book Of The Year. It features more than 100 plant-based recipes (including 85 gluten-free recipes) using accessible, whole food ingredients. The book also contains over 100 full-page, full-colour photographs shot by Angela. Her goal is to inspire people to embrace more plant-based foods in their diets without feeling the least bit deprived.

The Oh She Glows Cookbook is now printed in several different languages including English, Chinese, Slovak, Spanish, Hungarian, and German. Angela continues to connect with men and women all over the world who attribute their life-changing habits — like losing weight, shifting to a plant-based diet, reducing meat consumption, and following their passions — to Oh She Glows.

Angela’s second cookbook, Oh She Glows Every Day, was published in 2016 and became a New York Times Bestseller. Both her book and her blog, OhSheGlows.com, received gold prizes in the Taste Canada Awards. Combined, Angela’s cookbooks have sold over 1 million copies. In 2016, she also launched The Oh She Glows Recipe App, featuring over 150 of her most popular plant-based recipes and stunning food photography. Her recipe app won a prestigious 2019 Webby Award for Best Food and Drink App and demo versions are featured in Apple Stores across North America.

In 2018, Angela was selected as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women and recognized for her entrepreneurship and inspiring influence across the country.

Tony and Anne Arrell, Alumni of Honour

Tony and Anne Arrell are passionate community champions — embodying qualities of leadership, citizenship, creativity and inclusion — who have changed so many lives on so many levels. Their story began at the University of Guelph. Tony graduated in 1967 with a B.Sc., and the following year received his MBA at the Schulich School, York University. Anne graduated in 1968 with B.H.Sc. and did her teacher training at summer school for 3 summers!! Those were the days when teachers were in short supply!

Tony trained as an investment analyst, and had top executive positions with several investment firms before establishing Burgundy Asset Management Ltd in 1992. Burgundy has grown to employ 160 people, managing $34 billion for institutions, charitable foundations and wealthy families. Burgundy follows a long-term, value philosophy and does intensive research on public companies around the world. The Firm’s long term investment record and its record of client retention, have set it apart in the investment field in Canada. Tony is Chairman of the Board of Burgundy today. Anne taught secondary school for 7 years for the Hamilton and Toronto Boards of Education where she became Department Head before ”retiring” to rear their four children. Anne has played a significant supportive and advisory role in the development of Burgundy Asset Management over the past 27 years by helping to plan and host many events over the years.

The Arrells have actively “cow-calf beef farmed” for over 40 years in the Dundalk and Creemore areas. Both Anne and Tony have had the opportunity to apply some of their learnings from Guelph! I suspect there isn’t too many Bay Street workers that take holidays to seed and hay! Weekends and summers are spent at the farm. Their 3 daughters Laura, Ashleigh and Nicole and 4 grand-daughters and one grandson also enjoy spending time at the farm. Unfortunately, their only son Cameron died from Cystic Fibrosis in 1992.

Together, Tony and Anne have honourably served their community and given generously of their time and talent and financial support to numerous not-for-profit organizations. Tony has served as Chairman of the Board of the Canadian Opera Company, St. Michael’s Hospital Foundation and Bishop Strachan School. He was a founding director of the Canadian Coalition for Good Governance; Governor of the University of Guelph, and is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Schulich School of Business. In recognition of his many contributions to Canada, Tony received the Order of Canada in 2016. He has an honorary doctorate from both Schulich School of Business at York University and the University of Guelph. Anne has volunteered extensively serving on the Boards of Timothy Eaton Memorial Church including Chairman of the Sanctuary Guild and Executive Chair of seven UCW Groups, Extendacare, Arts Access Foundation and active member of Cystic Fibrosis Canada, St. Michael’s Hospital Women’s Health Committee, National Ballet of Canada, Garden Club of Toronto, and many other local organizations.

With a mandate to support health and education, the Arrells founded the Arrell Family Foundation, giving generously to St. Michael’s Hospital, Collingwood General and Marine Hospital, Cystic Fibrosis Canada, Parkinsons Canada, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Ronald McDonald House, New Circles and other organizations. Two years ago, the Arrell Family Foundation made a $20-million gift to the University of Guelph to establish the Arrell Food Institute, with a vision to build on Guelph’s considerable strength in food research. The Arrells have also been long time donors for generous Arrell Scholarships to support students at U of G.

The Arrells take great pleasure in mentoring young people. They have mentored many high school students from Mexico, sponsored singers in the Canadian Opera Ensemble, sponsor a dancer in the National Ballet of Canada, and provided personal mentoring and financial assistance to several Syrian families during their transition to life in Canada. They also sponsor and mentor several university students through Ray’s Place in Creemore. Tony and Anne feel strongly that they have been fortunate in life, and that they should use their resources to make a better world.

Nancy Brown Andison, Alumni Volunteer

Nancy Brown Andison is a respected and committed volunteer who has tirelessly served the University of Guelph and many other organizations. She graduated from the University of Guelph with a B.Sc.Agr. in 1979 and went on to do an MBA at Queen’s University. She is also a graduate of the Chartered Directors Program at McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business. Nancy joined the University of Guelph Board of Governors in 2014 and has demonstrated energy and passion in her service. As Chair of the Finance Committee she provides guidance and oversight for some of the most critical issues facing the University, particularly given the climate of fiscal uncertainty. Nancy served as the Board’s representative on the University Senate, as a member of the Audit and Risk Committee, the Governance and Human Resource Committee and the Pensions Committee. She has also been the Board’s representative on both the President’s and the Provost’s Appointment Review Committees.

In 2015, Nancy worked in earnest as a member of the President’s Strategic Renewal Advisory Committee, helping steer the process and renew the University’s strategic plan for the first time in 20 years. Nancy was a driving force behind the Class of OAC ’79’s 25-year reunion project and currently their 40th year reunion project. Early in her career, she also served on the University of Guelph Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Building Committee for the University’s Alumni House.

Outside of the University, Nancy’s aggie spirit shines through — she serves on the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (RAWF) Board of Directors and is also chair of the Royal’s Agriculture & Food Committee. For 18 years Nancy has been a Board Member and Treasurer of Farm Radio International a Canadian based charity which provides educational agriculture and food broadcasting to farmers in Africa. She has previously served on the Ontario 4-H Foundation, been a 4-H Club Leader as well as a board member and volunteer for community library and arts’ organizations.

With a distinguished career including national leadership positions at PricewaterhouseCoopers and IBM Canada, Nancy made important contributions to policy and strategy relating to food, agriculture, forestry, environment, transportation and trade.

Nancy has hired and mentored several OAC graduates and was recently named Distinguished Alumna by the Department of Food, Agriculture and Resource Economics for her contributions to agriculture & food economics and policy in Ontario and Canada. Despite her many responsibilities and commitments, she finds time to volunteer as a guest speaker in OAC undergraduate classes. The University is fortunate to have alumni volunteers like Nancy — her longstanding commitment and dedication are an inspiration to the entire community.

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