Christopher Bratty, a prominent business leader and philanthropist, urged graduands to embrace success and adversity as he accepted an honorary doctor of laws degree during a 91ɫ Spring Convocation ceremony on June 12.
Bratty, president of land development and investments at the Remington Group, was introduced by Faculty of Education Dean Robert Savage as a distinguished real estate executive and philanthropist whose work has helped shape urban development and support education across Ontario.
Savage also highlighted his longstanding connection to 91ɫ, including through the RP Bratty Family Foundation’s $10-million gift to help establish the University’s Markham Campus, as well as its support for initiatives in health care, the arts and education.
Bratty began his address to Faculty of Education graduands by recalling a formative moment from nearly 40 years ago, when he said he was a similar age to many of the graduating students.
At that time, he and his brother had started a home building company, building and selling six houses. “In the process, we made more money than we ever thought we’d make in our whole lives, and we were astounded by that,” Bratty said.
Flush with achievement, they made a conscious decision not to, as he put it, “fall prey to material trappings.” They did not spend the money on cars, watches or trips, instead keeping it and investing it back into their business.
The following year, however, brought a reversal. A real estate crash left them with three of the houses returned and they found themselves back in the same financial position they had started from.
“The point of the story is that you need to be prepared in your life going forward for both success and adversity,” he told graduands. “Those are the things that are going to come to you, that’s the only thing I can guarantee will happen in your life.”
Reflecting on that experience, Bratty said he learned to be wary of the characteristics that can follow success, noting they are not always the qualities worth striving for.
He also emphasized the role of adversity in shaping how people respond to challenges. “It’s the adversity that teaches you where you need to be headed, where you need to go and how to overcome the challenges in your life.”
From that setback, he said he learned humility and adaptability, as well as resilience, describing it as an opportunity to be resilient in the way of the world.
Looking ahead, Bratty told graduands that navigating difficult times will be one of life’s central challenges. He encouraged them to remember that “persistence is greater than force,” adding that “the great rivers of the world teach us all that.”
He prompted students to take on challenges and to do things they may be hesitant to try. “I urge you to try things that are difficult. I urge you to do things you’re afraid of doing, because all of those things will make you stronger,” he said.
Closing his remarks, Bratty said he was excited to see what graduates would make of their lives and how they would shape the world.
He ended with a final reflection: “There’s three kinds of people in the world: those that make it happen, those that watch it happen, and those that say, ‘What the heck just happened?’”
He encouraged graduands to be among those who “make it happen.”