Norman Steinberg: philanthropist, leader, health care champion

This fall, Norman Steinberg stepped down as Chair of the MUHC Foundation after many years of dedicated service.

Community involvement has been a constant in Norman Steinberg’s life. From working with local arts organizations to chairing the MUHC Foundation’s Board of Directors, his volunteer work and philanthropy have left a mark on Montreal.

A lawyer by training, Norman worked at law firm Norton Rose Fulbright for over 40 years, eventually becoming Global Chair of the firm. Throughout his career, he volunteered with the MUHC Foundation, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the Centaur Theatre and Centraide, to name a few. He also sat on several corporate boards.

As Norman steps down from his role of Chair of the MUHC Foundation, we look back on the impact he has had on the foundation, the MUHC and the health of our community.

Norman’s involvement with the MUHC goes back to 2008, when he volunteered with the Best Care for Life Campaign, which raised funds to build the MUHC Glen site.

“Volunteering with Best Care for Life was incredibly meaningful. To be part of building a new, state-of-the-art hospital for our community, from the ground up, was an amazing experience,” says Norman.

It was during this time that he met Julie Quenneville, who became the MUHC Foundation’s President and CEO in 2015.

“Julie is an incredibly determined individual, and passionate about serving the community. I knew from the beginning that we would accomplish great things together,” says Norman.

Little did they know how invaluable their partnership would become.

“Norman changed the course of my life,” says Julie. “He recruited me to lead the MUHC Foundation, and throughout our years working together he has been dedicated to supporting the hospital and the health of our community. Working alongside him has been a privilege."

After years of working with the MUHC Foundation in various capacities, Norman became Chair of its Board of Directors in 2018. As Chair, he put the MUHC Foundation on the map by creating a board of talented and committed individuals with a wide range of perspectives.

“The first thing that I wanted to do as chair was create a board that was more representative of the different communities in Montreal,” says Steinberg.

Today, the MUHC Foundation’s board represents a breadth of fields and expertise, and has more women than ever before.

Norman is a passionate advocate for the outstanding work of the MUHC, opening doors that helped make the MUHC Foundation the powerhouse of fundraising it is today. Not only did he cultivate new support, he strengthened the relationship between the hospital and the foundation to ensure the MUHC Foundation meets the MUHC’s most pressing needs.

“I loved meeting with donors and prospective donors, and opening doors that led to transformative gifts in support of research and patient care,” says Norman.

Ever an advocate for better health care, Norman is proud to have contributed to Montreal’s reputation as a world-class centre for health care.

“One of the collateral benefits of building the Glen site is our ability to attract the best health care researchers and doctors to the new facility. Not only does this impact our delivery of health care in Montreal, it makes our city one of the leading places in the world for health research,” says Norman.

The success of Norman’s leadership can be seen in the numbers: the foundation is now raising nearly four times the amount it did in 2015, with 27 million raised this past year. He attributes this success to the combination of a strong board and the care taken to recruit a talented team of fundraising professionals.

“I am so proud of what I have accomplished as Chair of the MUHC Foundation—of every door I opened, every dollar I raised. It was a privilege to serve the MUHC and our community, and I leave this seat knowing that I made a difference,” says Norman.

Though he is no longer Chair of the MUHC Foundation, Norman has no plans to slow down. He remains Vice-Chair at BFL Canada, and volunteers as Co-Chair of Women in Governance and Chair of the Board of the Governors of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. He also sits on various other corporate boards.

A passionate volunteer and skilled fundraiser, Norman has left a mark on the MUHC Foundation that will be felt for decades to come. We are forever grateful for his many years of service.