Release Date: October 13, 2010
Media Contact: Dale Johnson, External Relations
E-mail: Dale.Johnson@uregina.ca
Phone: 306-585-5439
Mobile: 306-536-4312
Fax: 306-585-4997
University of Regina honours Tom Shepherd for volunteer contributions to football

Tom Shepherd, a chartered accountant and past president of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, will be recognized for his commitment to strengthening community on October 16, 2010, when the University of Regina awards him an honorary doctor of laws degree as part of the 2010 fall convocation ceremonies at the Conexus Arts Centre in Regina.

Shepherd is best known for volunteer work with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Since he began as a volunteer in 1966, Shepherd has served as a director, treasurer, and president of the Roughriders. He was a member of the Annual Dinner Committee, known as the Plaza of Honor dinner, from 1966 to 2010. He was chair of the Executive Game Plan for fundraising.  He was a member of the Management/Executive Committee from 1981 to 2002. He was founder and president of the Friends of the Riders Touchdown Lottery from 1986 to 2010. During that time, the Lottery raised more than $13 million to keep the team in the province. He was a director of the 1995 Grey Cup and the 2003 Grey Cup.

Shepherd has been honoured in many ways because of his extensive work with the Roughriders.  He was named the 1980 Roughrider Volunteer of the Year. He won the 1992 Canadian Football League Commissioner's Award. He was inducted into the Roughrider Plaza of Honor in 1995. Shepherd is a member of the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

Shepherd was born and raised in Regina and earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree at the University of Saskatchewan in 1966. He obtained his Chartered Accountant's designation in 1968 and worked at the accounting firm of Clarkson, Gordon & Company in Regina from 1966 to 1972. He joined Cairns Homes/Developers, now Dundee Realty, in 1972, and rose through the ranks to become senior vice-president before retiring in 2008. He served as director and treasurer of the Regina Rams football club from 1970 to 1976. He was also director and treasurer of the Gord Currie Youth Development Fund from 1977 to 2001.

Shepherd has been recognized beyond sporting circles, when in 1996 he was awarded the Chartered Accountants of Saskatchewan Distinguished Member Award, and in 2005 he was honoured with a Province of Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal.

The University of Regina is pleased to recognize Tom Shepherd's contributions to the community by awarding him an honorary doctor of laws degree.

Previous recipients of U of R honorary degrees include former Saskatchewan premiers Tommy Douglas (1978), Allan Blakeney (1993) and Roy Romanow (2005); former Saskatchewan Lieutenant-Governor Lynda Haverstock (2006); Saskatchewan artist Joe Fafard (1989); hockey great Gordie Howe (1997); Saskatchewan philanthropist and patron of the arts Jacqui Shumiatcher (2002); The Princess Royal, Princess Anne (2004); Regina entrepreneur Frederick Hill (2005); Regina Symphony Orchestra conductor Victor Sawa (2006); internationally renowned speed skater Catriona Le May Doan (2007); and paralympic athlete Lisa Marie Franks (2009).