Cristall receives BU Foundation Apex Award

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This article was published 22/12/2021 (1731 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Jeff Cristall is the latest recipient of the Brandon University Foundation’s Apex Award, which is designed to recognize “outstanding leadership and service” through the school’s major fundraising group.

Cristall served as the president of the BU Foundation from 2015-17 and was responsible for securing funds to help finance research, facility upgrades, library resources and student scholarships.

According to current BU Foundation president Dwight Conroy during Tuesday’s announcement, Cristall nearly doubled the organization’s total assets through his work with the board, which will “continue to pay direct dividends to students forever.”

Brandon University president David Docherty said he believes Cristall is more than deserving of the Apex Award, since he perfectly embodies the school’s aim to foster comprehensive community engagement among its students, staff and alumni.

“I remember he was the very first person to respond to our call to help replenish the student emergency fund when the pandemic first hit,” Docherty said in Tuesday’s news release.

“His passion is incredible — we count ourselves lucky that he has chosen to give so much of his time and efforts back to the service of Brandon University.”

Tuesday’s news release also detailed Cristall’s extensive history with BU that dates back to the 1960s, where he first served as an assistant to the water boy at Brandon College Caps football games.

“Coach Doug Steeves lived down the street and I tagged along with him to some games,” Cristall recalls. “Next I remember … playing the national anthem in the school band at the sod-turning for the then-new Brodie science building.”

After graduating from high school, Cristall eventually found his way back to BU, where he carved out some time to attend class in between fulfilling his responsibilities on the student council, residence council, science council and various other extracurricular activities.

“While at BU, I worked as the student trainer for the hockey team for a while, and also in the computer room feeding punch cards through the then-modern computer we had,” he said.

Cristall went on to become an accountant after graduating with a bachelor of science degree in 1978, although he remained an active member of the school community.

Between 1989 and 1995, Cristall joined the university’s board of governors as a representative of the school’s Alumni Association, where he got to witness Clark Hall and the Brandon College Original Building undergo major renovations.

After serving on several planning committees and working groups, Cristall’s collaborative relationship with the university reached its pinnacle after becoming a member of the BU Foundation and eventually its president.

“The faculty and staff and students of BU make it such a very special place,” he said in Tuesday’s release.

“The people who I met from all areas of the university show us how we can see things from a different viewpoint and still agree on a great result.”

The BU Foundation presented its Apex Award to Cristall in a private ceremony prior to Tuesday’s announcement.

Outside of Cristall, the foundation has presented the Apex Award to other former board members such as Garry Miller in 2011 and Pat Britton in 2014.

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