Impact of Giving
ALUMNI NEWS MAGAZINE | Summer 2022
Habib Dable (BBA'91, MBA'94) has had a profoundly successful career. The former president, U.S. pharmaceuticals for Bayer and former president and CEO of Acceleron Pharma has come a long way from his childhood in Fredericton and his education at UNB, but family and home remain of prime importance to him. So, when he and his wife, Hiroko, considered establishing a scholarship for business students at his alma mater, they wanted it to honour his father, Joseph, whose hard work and entrepreneurial business acumen have been a lifelong inspiration for Habib.
The Joseph M. Dable Scholarship will be awarded annually to an upper-year student enrolled in the bachelor of business administration program on the Fredericton campus who has demonstrated a strong interest in entrepreneurship. Valued at the cost of tuition, this award is the most prestigious scholarship exclusive to UNB’s faculty of management. The first scholarship will be awarded in the fall of 2022.
Born in Lebanon, Joseph Dable arrived in New Brunswick at the age of 19, speaking a little English and a little more French. His French skills led him to barber school in Moncton, after which he found himself apprenticing at the on-base barber shop at CFB Gagetown. Within a few months, the owner of the shop retired, and Joseph took it over as his first business venture. He continued as the barber on base for over 50 years.
That first business was followed by a variety of entrepreneurial endeavours. From barbershops to retail clothing, from a mechanic’s shop to a pub (Griffin’s Pub in Oromocto, which he co-owns to this day), Joseph is a strong advocate for branching out into new and unfamiliar territory. Taking chances is key, he says, and equally important is the willingness to put in the hard work. There have been many long days over the course of his 60-plus years in business.
“I have always admired my father’s resilience in overcoming challenges, whilst always upholding the highest levels of integrity,” says Habib. “He taught me to work hard, seek opportunities, and not be afraid of risk.”
Of this scholarship, Dr. Devashis Mitra, dean of UNB’s faculty of management, says: “UNB’s faculty of management is a centre for experiential learning and entrepreneurial thinking, so it means a great deal to us to have our successful alumni like Habib give back in this way. This scholarship in Joseph Dable’s name will open up tremendous opportunities for a new generation of entrepreneurial leaders.”
Photo: Joseph and Habib Dable
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