Member of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: May 7, 2015
• Invested on: February 12, 2016

For his innovative advancements in communications technology and for his many philanthropic endeavours.

One of the co-founders of Research In Motion (RIM), Doug Fregin has revolutionized the global telecommunications industry and changed the face of Ontario’s Kitchener-Waterloo region. As RIM’s vice-president of operations, he pushed the envelope in state-of-the-art cellphone design by adopting new printed circuit board and component packaging technologies for fabrication in the first smart phones. Known for his modesty, he has used his success, often anonymously, to support several initiatives in Africa and to fund the creation of the University of Waterloo’s Nanotechnology Program. As the managing director of Quantum Valley Investments, he has continued his support for innovation and for the next generation of high-technology entrepreneurs.