Explore moments from
the first 100 years

“I found that once I started thinking about how economic growth can transform societies, it was difficult to think of anything else.”

International changemaker

Inaugural ICBC

Up and away: Doug Wightman, BCom'04

1998

Bachelor of Commerce Curriculum, 1998

Student Spotlight: Zain Safdar, BCom'18

Student Spotlight: Heather Evans, BCom'16

“Douglas Peters, BCom'63, a future cabinet minister, did not go to university directly out of high school.”

Better late than never

“Bram Warshafsky and Rachel Zimmer, BCom'10: Marketers were being asked to do more with less.”

5Crowd Inc

1949

At the close of the decade, Senior Matriculation followed by four years of study were required in the Commerce program.

Four years of study is required

Frosh week changes

Open for business: moving into Goodes Hall

1948

Due to postwar growth and financial assistance to veterans, the School experienced record enrolment, and professors were required to teach special sessions during the summer months to accommodate the large contingents.

Postwar growth

Niu Body's natural, vegan skincare: Connie Lo, BCom'15

70s Snapshot

Student Spotlight: Kanak Nagee, BCom'18

Parallel paths at Loblaw

What women want: Joanna Griffiths, BCom'05

1914

Between the years 1908 and 1914, the Department of Political and Economic Science at Queen's consisted of two men, Dr. O. D. Skelton and Dr. W. W. Swanson.

Banking courses launch

Goodes Hall Expansion

1959

Dunning Hall opens on the corner of University Avenue and Union Street.

Dunning Hall opens

A new home for the School of Business

1974

The Donald Gordon Centre for Continuing Education opens.

The Donald Gordon Centre opens

“Within six weeks, Michael Organ's, BCom'88, website had more online traffic than the United Way.”

Helping busy people make a difference

The Gist: making sports inclusive

Early Nineties Memories from Commerce: Tracy Jenkin, BCom'94

Award winning teacher: Yolande Chan

The class of 1948

Opening of 'The Commons'

A vintage summer

“Time Auction makes it 'more enticing for people to get involved and help others.'”

Time Auction

Marketer, mentor, legend: Ken Wong inducted into the Marketing Hall of Legends

Lloyd & Co. Bespoke Tailoring: Talon Lloyd, BCom'15

Dean, teacher, researcher, leader: John Gordon on over 25 years at the School

“Nancy Jenkinson, BCom'82: I’d never really lost the dream that I was going to end up in the mountains.”

Reigniting career passion

1921

First Chartered Accountant extension courses are offered, making Queen’s the exclusive provider of CA education in Ontario and elsewhere.

Chartered Accountant extension courses

A master of reinvention: Gord Ray, BCom'93

Memories of the Thrifty 30s: John Welch, BCom'38

Remembering Bill Miklas

Case competition team to Dallas, TX

John Purkis, BCom'48, on the Class of '48

Young Urban Farmers: Chris Wong, BCom'07

Commerce founder: Professor O.D. Skelton

The computer lab opens

Fun in the craft brewing scene: Ryan Peterson, BCom'13

The evolving news business: Michael Nowlan, BCom'82

Mel Goodes and Warner-Lambert pledge $1 million to the School of Business

Ecovention: Jennifer Wright, BCom'93

Business Graphics Centre opens: Michael Organ, BCom'88

“Jonathan Suter, BCom'05: I believed there had to be a better way.”

SimpleTax

A gap year in Africa: Clarisse Lau, BCom'09

Neil Pasricha remembers The Commerce COMMrade

Student Spotlight: Erin Palmeter, BCom'18

Student Spotlight: Paul Vollmershausen, BCom'18

Across the continents: Rahim Lalani, BCom'11

Management simulation lab at work

Memories from the 70s

437 Swimwear: Hyla Nayeri and Adrien Bettio, BCom'17

From accounting to the CFL: Danny Brannagan, BCom'09

The Lawrence legacy

Going global

“Forever glad that I was 'Feeling fine in '89' as a Commie.”

Pat Baldwin, BCom'89, remembers his days in Commerce.

2004

Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility (and Centre for International Management) are established.

Two new centres are established

Halfpipe hopeful: Jeff Batchelor, BCom'12

AutoShare: Kevin McLaughlin, BCom'89

Memories from the 90s

Frosh week cheer

Unata: Chris Bryson, BCom'06

Dean: Margot Northey

“Helen Bronskill, BCom'48: The war was over, the world was our oyster, and everyone was going to be alright.”

Memories from a women in Commerce in the 40s

80s Snapshot

Pursuit of happiness: Neil Pasricha, BCom'02

Goodes Challenge kicks-off

Chefs Plate finds success: Patrick Meyer and Jamie Shea, BCom'11

"Master Teacher" Bill Cannon

“The difference with the 30% Club is that it’s a campaign.”

A seat at the table

1949

Bachelor of Commerce Curriculum, 1949

Bachelor of Commerce Curriculum

Change agent: Tanya van Biesen, BCom'91

#StillHaveMyFroshWeekTee: Peggy Steele, BCom'99

2002

Goodes Hall opens, named to recognize benefactor Mel Goodes, BCom’57, LLD’94.

Goodes Hall opens

Student Spotlight: Hannah Gardner, BCom'18

Prof. Frank Collom with School of Business secretaries

“Chris Labelle, BCom'14: Winning the pitch competition validated all of our hard work.”

Mosaic

Digital nomad: Vanessa Cotlar, BCom'15

“Dave Wilson, BCom'64: I didn’t care much about getting into Berkeley, but I did care about marching at half time.”

Tricolour Award Winners

Concussion recovery technology: Colin Harding, BCom'17

CBC's Next Great Prime Minister Competition: Robert Marsh, BCom'07

John Abbot, BCom'72: My BCom made me a better artist

Smith School of Business Announcement

Student Spotlight: Aysha Tabassum, Comm'22

The great British bake shop: David Caldana, BCom'99

Making waves: Janet Longmore, BCom'79

1925

Dr. W. A. Mackintosh succeeds Dr. Clark as the Director of the School of Commerce and Administration.

Dr. W. A. Mackintosh becomes Director of the School

An unexpected career move: Eva Wong, BCom'00

Commerce's first home: 75 Union Street

Message from Commerce Department Head W.A. Mackintosh

‘Water Bowl’ of ‘38

“Bob Shoniker, MBA'70: Up to 1968, Commerce was part of Arts and Science. I was part of the group that created the Commerce Society.”

Creating the Commerce Society

30s Snapshot

Teaching award winner "energized": Peggy Cunningham

“Though it originally started as a fun side project, Derek Szeto, BCom'05, ran RedFlagDeals.com throughout his undergraduate degree and decided to pursue it full time after finishing school.”

Group buying power

“His on-air talent combined with his business acumen eventually attracted the attention of producers for the Oprah Winfrey Network.”

Ready for his close-up

ICBC 20 during Ice Storm '98

Career Mashup: Vanesa Cotlar, BCom'15

60s Snapshot

1922

The 1920's were a period of growing pains for the newly formed School of Commerce and Administration.

BCom convocation hood is bordered with green silk

Gerald Sutton's 40s snapshot

“Merv Daub, BCom'66: We were just in front of the more radical wave of the sixties. Guys were starting to grow their hair long. I wore a beard, which was unheard of in Commerce, and certainly unheard of on the football team.”

Memories of the 60s

“Inspired by his time working for his dad in real estate after graduation, Sam Battista, BCom'16, launched PropertySpark with two friends, including Matt Graves, BCom'18.”

PropertySpark

Memories of the 80s

“One of the highlights of Peter McConaghy's, BCom'07, work was seeing directly how the people of Tajikistan benefited from the bank’s microcredit activities.”

A year in Tajikistan

Foodies without borders: Erin Maynes, BCom'07

Favourite professors from the 40s

1963

The School of Business officially becomes a separate faculty with its own Dean.

School gets its own dean

“Its innovation, CNC Assembly – a flexible, high-speed assembly technology – was the subject of an episode of ‘How It’s Made’ on the Discovery Channel.”

Transformix, from humble beginnings to manufacturing success

“When she heard Jeremy proclaim that electric bikes were the next big thing, she immediately got to work.”

Amego Electric Vehicles

MobyTrip travel app: Misha Plotkine, BCom'10

1960

Launch of the MBA program.

MBA program launches

White hat brigade

Flight to freedom: Miriam, Humaira and Trina Ghiacy

Vacation Fund: Erica Pearson, BCom'14

“Commerce students were encouraged to vote in a referendum asking students to support the levying of an optional fee that would raise $1.2 million in support of the Goodes Hall building expansion.”

Commerce students support Goodes Hall building expansion

1984 crest painting

Hayley Rushford, BCom'15, and Prof. Kate Rowbotham

1945

Although the forties began with rising enrolment numbers, the war soon took its toll.

War took its toll

“David was given the opportunity to choose one of three 'once in a lifetime' experiences.”

Gold Business Winner

1916

O. D. Skelton convinces Queen's alum Dr. W. C. Clark to join him in the Department of Political and Economic Science.

Department of Political and Economic Science grows

25 years of ComSoc

Bella bikes: Helen Vasilevski, BCom'92

1919

Launch of the first business degree program in Canada – Queen’s three-year Bachelor of Commerce – the genesis of Smith School of Business.

First business degree program in Canada launches

1937

Queen’s Board of Trustees votes to create a separate School of Commerce and Business Administration.

A separate School of Commerce and Business Administration is created

RateHub on Dragon's Den

Student Spotlight: John Sibbald, BCom'18

Time capsule dedication

“A single course in Commerce by visiting professor Vladimir Popov inspired a lifelong fascination with Russian history and culture in Jeremy Estabrooks, BCom'98.”

A Russian detour

Getting an edge: Emmanuel Genene, BCom'20

ICBC: five years of tradition

Queen's Entrepreneurs' Competition (QEC) celebrates 25 years

Ice Storm '98

COMMitment dinner 2005

70s recollections

Marilyn Shurtleff and Marjorie Peart retire

Queen's Small Business Consulting wins big

Memories of the 50s

If you don’t succeed at ICBC, try try again!

Queen's Marketing Association's Resource Centre opens

Frosh week chorus line

Warner-Lambert pledges $1 million to the Commerce program

New technology supports BCom Plus

Student Spotlight: Dakota Lavery, Comm'20

50s Snapshot

2015

On October 1, 2015, the School adopts a new name – Smith School of Business.

Smith School of Business

Considering different perspectives: Stephani Kingsmill, BCom'88

“One of Gannon Jones', BCom'94, proudest accomplishments was SunChips' involvement in rebuilding the sustainable community of Greenburg, Kansas, after a devastating tornado in 2008.”

Working for the greater good