Madam
Chancellor, on the recommendation of the Senate of the
University of Guelph, it is a great honour to present to you the
candidate
Quentin
William Johnson
for the degree of
Doctor of Laws, honoris
causa.
An advocate and
consultant for a world-wide flour fortification program, Quentin
Johnson has established programs that have either directly or
indirectly improved the lives of nearly thirty percent of the
world’s population. Over the past thirteen years he has been
involved in the introduction of micronutrient food fortification
in more than eighty one countries, and his efforts in many of
the poorest countries in the world have dramatically advanced
the health of countless women and children.
Mr. Johnson
received his professional training in milling and baking in
Great Britain. In 1998, he decided to use his experience to
create a consulting firm that could improve the lives of people
around the world. Since then he has acted as an expert
consultant with a range of United Nations agencies, national
donor aid agencies and various non-governmental organizations to
promote the use of flour fortification to combat the serious
nutritional deficiencies found in many developing countries.
Though his work is not without personal risk, Mr. Johnson has
never doubted its critical importance. The introduction of iron,
folic acid, and vitamin A in the diet of the general population
has resulted in major declines in the rates of birth defects and
premature deaths.
Throughout his
career, Quentin Johnson has demonstrated his leadership in his
passionate campaign to help create local competencies within
economically marginalized populations to better their lives on a
sustainable basis. His effort towards engagement of flour
millers, in particular, has been a key ingredient for
sustainability of the project. He has worked tirelessly to
convince senior officials of the need and benefits of adopting
flour fortification. Mr.
Johnson also assisted in the actual implementation of the
fortification efforts at the local level, demonstrating an
impressive degree of cultural sensitivity and innovation. His
technical rigor combined with a vision and passion for his work,
along with experience and credibility in both the public and
private sectors, have allowed him to gain the trust of all
parties involved in his work.
More recently,
Mr. Johnson has been the Coordinator of the Technical Training
and Support Group of the Flour Fortification Initiative, an
international network of private sector industry, public sector
and civil sectors promoting flour fortification worldwide.
His international
dedication and accomplishments symbolize this university’s
commitment to internationalism, and a belief that individual
leadership grounded in scientific knowledge can truly make a
difference in the global community.
Millions of
people are living healthier lives because of Quentin Johnson’s
work. For his
passion and commitment to improving the well-being of the world
it is my great honor, Madam Chancellor to ask you to confer upon
Quentin Johnson the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris
causa.
Read
Convocation Address given 24th February 2011
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