Les Mandelbaum

Torontoʼs Humber College has awarded Les Mandelbaum, co-founder and president of Umbra, a 2012 Board of Governorʼs Honorary Degree. Mandelbaum received an honorary bachelor's degree in applied studies.

The award is the highest bestowed by Humber College. It recognizes Mandelbaum for his success in the fields of design, innovation and business, according to Umbra. 

“I am grateful to receive this honor from an institution that has trained so many talented designers who have given Umbra and the world such outstanding products,” said Mandelbaum. “We need educators like those here at Humber who listen and adapt to our fast changing world.”

John Davies, Humber president said, "Humber is pleased to recognize Les Mandelbaum with an honorary degree at the college's 2012 spring convocation. Mandelbaum's vision and dedication to designing widely-known sustainable, useable and functional products should serve as an inspiration to graduates as they work towards becoming the next generation of design and business leaders." 

Umbra has had a long-standing relationship with Humber College. Its design team has worked with the schoolʼs industrial design program, judging various competitions and events as well as offering outstanding Humber students internships. Umbra employs several Humber alumni, the company noted.

Umbra designs have achieved renown. The Garbino can, designed by Karim Rashid, resides in the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, for example. The Umbra Balloona chair, designed by Natalie Kruch, is part of the Philadelphia Museum of Art's Decorative Arts & Design Departmentʼs permanent design collection.