Nov. 11, 2013
Three outstanding graduates of The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering were recognized Wednesday, Nov. 6 at the 2013 Engineering Alumni Association awards ceremony. The reception and dinner was hosted in the Great Hall of Hart House.
Terence Michael (Mike) Branch received the 7T6 Early Career Award. The award honours a member of a class celebrating 10 years since graduation who is distinguished in their profession and community.
Mike Branch (CompE 0T3)
In less than 10 years, Mike has turned Inovex, a computer software company that he founded with classmate Bob Bradley, from a home-based operation to a vibrant company that develops software applications focused on the healthcare, energy and environmental sectors. Under his dynamic leadership, the Inovex team has developed solutions that help health care facilities collect and analyze patient information and help municipalities comply with the Ontario Green Energy Act. Inovex recently won two silver Stevie® Awards in the 2013 International Business Awards for its first ‘software as a service’ product, Maps BI.
Even as Mike has been expanding his company, he has never stopped giving his time and expertise back to U of T. He has been a member of the Engineering Alumni Association board since 2007 and served as president from 2011 to 2013. As a member of the College of Electors, he participated on the search committee that selected David Peterson as Chancellor of the University of Toronto.
Mike began his volunteer leadership as a student, serving as vice-president external of the Engineering Society. He and his company continue to support academic excellence and innovation. Mike has participated in entrepreneurship panels at U of T and supported the multi-university, student-run NSpire Innovation Network. His volunteerism extends beyond engineering to support youth drama programs and career development workshops for at-risk high school students.
Two notable ECE alumni were inducted into the Engineering Alumni Hall of Distinction this year: Anthony Lacavera and Lee Lau. The Hall of Distinction features an assemble of extraordinary alumni, selected for membership by their peers for lifelong accomplishments. These graduates’ performances have defined what is most exemplary inU of T Engineering alumni and in the profession. Its members’ careers stand as examples, adding a sense of reality to the aspirations of subsequent generations of U of T Engineering students. Located in the Sandford Fleming Building, the Hall of Distinction is a familiar presence in the lives of students and is a destination for alumni and their families.
Anthony Lacavera (CompE 9T7)
Upon graduation, Anthony and several classmates saw potential in the newly deregulated telecommunications industry. They created Globalive Communications with the goal of bringing new technology and software solutions to traditional voice and data services.
Offering long distance and operator solutions to hotels and hospitals, Globalive — with Anthony as Chairman and CEO — captured more than 90 per cent of the hospitality market within three years. It launched OneConnect to take advantage of voice services over the Internet, and it created a new wireless service — eventually named Wind Mobile — which was the first new wireless network to be built in North America in 25 years.
Anthony’s energy and stature continues today. He is embarking on a new venture through Globalive Capital, investing in technology and telecom companies to take the success of the Globalive operating platform even further.
In 2007, Anthony created the SHAMBA Foundation, a unique charity dedicated to helping other charities with their fundraising and organizational efforts. To date, SHAMBA has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for guest charities like Little Geeks, POGO, Habitat for Humanity, the Speech Foundation and the Ontario Crafts Council.
Anthony’s interests extend into the arts: in addition to co-producing the all-African-American revival of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof on Broadway in 2008, he is a founding member of the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Galleria Italia.
Lee Lau (ECE 7T7, ECE MEng 8T2)
With the advent of the graphics card to display high-quality graphics on computers, the race was on to produce cards that were progressively more versatile and powerful. A successful participant in that quest was ATI Technologies Inc., co-founded by Lee in 1985.
Lee realized it was the ability to develop special-purpose microelectronic chips that would make ATI competitive. He teamed up with the Microelectronics Development Centre (MDC) — an organization established at U of T Engineering — to assist in the fast-growing business of chip design.
ATI became one of the two top suppliers of leading-edge computer graphics hardware in the world. Since selling the company, Lee has become an investor, encouraging new entrepreneurial ventures ranging from mobile robotics to colour-changing soap. He enjoys working with young U of T entrepreneurs through the Rotman School of Management’s Creative Destruction Lab, the Next 36 and The Entrepreneurship Hatchery.
Philanthropy is important to Lee and his wife, Margaret. They have a long history of significant contributions to U of T and have helped build three new buildings, two in Engineering and one at the Rotman School of Management. They sponsor an endowed research chair in Lee’s home department, The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, and fund research being conducted by the Faculty of Medicine. They also support local hospitals and foundations including Princess Margaret Hospital, the Hospital for Sick Children, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and the Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation.
ECE is deeply proud to count these three exceptional individuals among its graduates.
For a complete list of award descriptions and 2013 recipients’ biographies, visit the Engineering Alumni & Friends website.
More information:
Marit Mitchell
Senior Communications Officer
The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
416-978-7997; marit.mitchell@utoronto.ca