As a mechanical engineering student at McGill, Tom Assimes leapt into university life, taking part in intramural sports and extracurricular activities.
A few decades later Assimes, BEng’90, is again actively involved at McGill, this time as president of the McGill Alumni Association (MAA).
The MAA boasts a network of 325,000+ alumni around the globe. Founded in 1880, the MAA aims to enable alumni and friends of McGill to maintain their contact with the University and each other for their shared benefit and for the continuing vital support and advancement of McGill.
Assimes began his two-year term as MAA president in September 2024. His connection to McGill and downtown Montreal runs deep in tangible ways, from familial ties to infrastructure. Early on, he worked for his father’s ornamental steelwork company, whose work can be found in prominent buildings in the downtown core.
Assimes is currently chief financial officer at Atomic Energy of Canada Limited and has built a successful career in the infrastructure field, helping companies develop and finance large capital projects, such as Montreal’s soon-to-be completed light-rail network – the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) – that he helped get off the ground.
Infrastructure projects can be personal, he notes, which is the case for him with the REM since it will impact the Montreal suburb where he grew up –Town of Mount Royal – as well as his alma mater.
The REM’s McGill station, scheduled to go into service in a few weeks time, will bring students a few steps from the Roddick Gates. “McGill is going to become much more accessible to people from the South Shore and West Island including Macdonald Campus,” he says.
We spoke to Assimes recently about his volunteer participation with the McGill Alumni Association.
Why did you choose to study at McGill and what was your experience like?
McGill has been an important part of my life literally since birth. My mother started her residency training in anaesthesia at McGill a few weeks after I was born. My father completed his graduate diploma in civil engineering at McGill. My brother and many of my childhood friends went here. McGill was just a natural fit.
My years at McGill were transformative. I loved the four years I was here. The education was second to none. The friendships and community were equally impactful. Most importantly, I met my wife Christine (Florakas, BSc’92, MedResident’98) on campus.
Why did you decide to volunteer with the MAA?
I’ve always been a big believer in education and wanted to engage with McGill. I initially got involved with the McGill Alumni Leaders Advisory Council, an ad hoc committee of the MAA. One of the first events I went to was an MAA-organized dinner where we were trying to connect students with the business community to help them transition into the next phase of their lives. I’ll never forget that evening; the students were great. Much better skills than we ever had at their age.
I was asked to become an alumni ambassador of McGill24, the University’s annual day of giving. I got hooked after McGill24. For me it’s all about participation in giving, not the size of the gift, it’s what it means to people who give. Donors find what they want to support and they give with all their heart.
What have you concentrated on during your first year as MAA president and what priorities will you focus on for the rest of your term?
Alumni have always had an important voice at McGill and continue to play an active role in McGill’s future. Our voices should be heard and this means nurturing strong relationships with McGill’s senior leadership and partnering with the University Advancement team to engage and involve alumni in the life of the University.
As a board, we need to stay laser focused on the three pillars of our strategic plan: improve diversity and inclusion, encourage giving, and undertake outreach with our branch and constituent associations around the world. Progress on these three pillars has underpinned much of our success over the last few years and I suspect will continue to drive success in the future.
In May, McGill launched Make your mark, the next phase of its fundraising campaign. Alumni play a vital role in helping the next generations of McGillians.
What are the ways that alumni can support McGill’s mission?
Get engaged. Start with an alumni event on campus or in your region to reconnect with McGill or volunteer to mentor a current student. You may not run into your classmates, but you will meet alumni – and students – who really inspire you.
The University has ambitious goals that it cannot meet without the support of alumni. The funding pressures are unprecedented and have the most impact on students, who need our support the most.
Life gets busy for all of us. What are the benefits for graduates to stay in touch with their McGill alumni network?
Apart from the opportunity to reconnect with classmates, it’s an opportunity to give back by being a volunteer and meeting other McGillians. The MAA gets involved in a spectrum of key initiatives whether it be academics, athletics, and/or student life. We welcome new volunteers, the very fabric of our alumni community.
You’re not just giving of yourself; you’re taking something away with you and you get to meet all these interesting people. Event participation, volunteering, giving – it all adds up to building a healthier McGill. This is a place where you can have an impact. Your voice can be heard.
