Logue, Ottis

CONVOCATION, OCTOBER, 1996
OTTIS LOGUE
to be Doctor of Science

One of the greatest tributes any person can receive in life is the sincere praise of his friends and colleagues. Ottis Logue enjoys precisely this kind of reputation and one could easily rely on the words of his many friends in honoring him today. Some of his admirers are, like himself, professional engineers who see in his work the highest standards of engineering excellence. They speak of his dedication to the profession and applaud his continuing commitment to professional organizations. Others are fellow class¬mates from his UNB graduating class of 1946, who see him as one of their most illustrious and most accomplished colleagues. Others know him for his dedication to the community, and for his tireless efforts on behalf of people, especially young people, through Rotary, the YMCA, the Chamber of Commerce, and the University. They describe him with such words as "tenacious," "dedicated," consistent," "a take-charge fellow," "a man who can create order, efficiency, and stability." It is clear that his friends and colleagues see in him a man of enormous strengths. Even a cursory glance at his career shows that they are right in their appraisal.

Ottis Logue is a native of Saint John whose early life, as for all of his generation, was shaped by the twin catastrophes of Depression and War. Adversity, however, taught him, as it did so many others, the values of thrift, hard work, and a determination to succeed. And for the particularly clever, as he was, it brought out the ability to be innovative and creative, to accomplish a lot with few resources, to look for solutions where others saw only problems. In a word, he was cut out to be an engineer; more than this, a very good engineer. He attended UNB and graduated at the top of his class, winning the prestigious Ketchum Gold Medal which he values to this day. He won a Beaverbrook Overseas Scholarship to study at the University College, London, and returned to Canada to work in Saint John and briefly in British Columbia before returning to complete his Master's degree at UNB and work as a construction engineer.

It was then that he found his niche in the young firm of Associated Designers and Inspectors, the Fredericton operation created at first as a part-time venture by friends and colleagues at UNB, and then given permanence and stability when Ottis Logue became its first full-time employee, partner, and manager. These were heady years for a young man in a budding company, years which fortuitously offered enormous opportunities in the construction field. Ottis Logue proved his worth: he chased contracts, coordinated design work, supervised construction projects, and tried to keep the customers happy. Among them were the University of New Brunswick, now entering its building boom as enrolments soared. Among them also was Lord Beaverbrook, interested not only in his University projects but in a host of other philanthropies including the Playhouse. When ADI was reorganized in the 1960s, he became president and he retired in 1984 as Chief Executive Officer.

Ottis Logue's partnership with ADI is, of course, an essential part of his life's story, but it is only one of the partnerships that define the person. The other is his marriage to Marjorie who, with him, should share the honor that this occasion permits. Like Ottis, she started a small project and built it into thriving concern: she managed the University Bookstore from its modest beginnings in the bottom of the old Forestry Building to the thriving enterprise it is today. Together Ottis and Marjorie Logue have contributed as much to UNB as any couple you might name. And both deserve the heartfelt thanks of this institution.

Today, Ottis Logue has more time for his favorite pastimes. He loves the outdoors, hunting and fishing are passions, and he is an ardent conservationist. But his dedication to his profession and to his university are as strong as ever: he presides still over the engineering iron ring ceremony in Camp IX, he meets with Beaverbrook Scholars to perpetuate the tradition of aiding worthy students, and when the class of '46 began planning its fiftieth reunion, it was to Ottis Logue that they turned for their organizer on the spot. The reunion was last month, and it was a marvelous success. But it must be said that it succeeded because of the thoroughness of an engineer who believes in planning every detail. The Alumni Office reports that he began the planning three years ago, and he never let up until the thing was done. Anyone who knows Ottis Logue knows that this is what you get when you turn to him for help. From his colleagues, and perhaps today especially from his fellow alumni, it is time to say thank you.

From: Honoris Causa - UA Case 70, Box 3