Five members of the McMaster community are among the newest appointments to the Order of Ontario.
The 2025 recipients of the province’s highest civilian honour include McMaster faculty member Philip J. Devereaux, graduates Jean-Robert Bernier and John L. Semple, and honorary degree recipients Joe Mancinelli and Claudette McGowan.
The Order recognizes Ontarians from a wide range of fields who have made profound contributions to the province and beyond through their achievements and service.
These five appointees with ties to McMaster, and 25 other individuals, will be invested at a ceremony in Toronto later this year.
Philip J. Devereaux | Faculty of Health Sciences
Philip J. Devereaux is a professor in the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI) and professor of cardiology in the Department of Medicine. Devereaux is the pre-eminent scientist who developed the area of modern perioperative care — the care of patients around the time of and after surgery — with contributions that have improved care for millions of patients in Ontario, Canada and globally.
His landmark trials reshaped cardiovascular risk management, bleeding prevention and postoperative monitoring, influencing international guidelines. The founder of Canada’s first Division of Perioperative Care, he has published extensively, secured significant research funding and leads national efforts to modernize clinical trials.
Devereaux also leads the Accelerated Clinical Trials (ACT) Canada Consortium, which aims to change the global landscape of clinical trials by finding efficiencies, building trial capacities and ensuring everyone has equal access to participation in trials relevant to their health.
John L. Semple | MD, 1980
John L. Semple is a pioneer in reconstructive surgery who has elevated patient care in Ontario and internationally through decades of groundbreaking innovation.
At Women’s College Hospital, he established a program tackling systemic inequities, while his advanced tissue reconstruction techniques transformed outcomes worldwide.
An OCAD University alumnus, he champions the importance of art and design in surgery. He continues to drive medical progress, research and equitable access to care.
Jean-Robert Bernier | MD, 1990
Jean-Robert Bernier was Canada’s 38th Surgeon General and NATO’s chief medical adviser as chair of its Surgeons General Committee.
Originally from Sarnia, Bernier graduated from the Royal Military College in 1982 and served in Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry before studying medicine at McMaster, followed by a rotating internship at York-Finch General Hospital through the University of Toronto.
He was head of the Royal Canadian Medical Service, commander of the fully integrated military health system, and chair of NATO’s Health, Medicine and Protection research committee.
Appointed as an Honorary Physician to Queen Elizabeth II, Bernier has also served on the Council of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the Governing Council of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the board of the University of Ottawa Institute for Mental Health Research, and the NATO Science and Technology Board.
Joe Mancinelli | Honorary degree, 2017
Joe Mancinelli, who received an honorary degree from the DeGroote School of Business, is International vice-president and regional manager for Central and Eastern Canada of the Labourers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) and has redefined Ontario’s labour landscape through bold innovation.
He has pioneered inclusive apprenticeship programs that opened opportunities for youth, newcomers, women and Indigenous peoples and has driven community renewal through affordable housing, health-care facilities and heritage restoration projects that balanced economic growth with cultural preservation.
Among Mancinelli’s contributions to Hamilton are several redevelopment initiatives, including restoring the former CN Rail Station into LIUNA Station, redeveloping the historic Lister Block in the downtown core, and contributing to the creation of multiresidential developments across the city, as well as the long-term care facilities.
Under Mancinelli’s leadership, LiUNA also contributed $1 million to McMaster to establish a chair in Global Labour Issues, named in honour of his father Enrico Henry Mancinelli.
Claudette McGowan | Honorary degree, 2024
Claudette McGowan is chief executive officer of Protexxa and a trailblazer in cybersecurity innovation and inclusion working to drive transformation of Ontario’s digital security sector.
A former global technology executive at two Canadian banks, she has advanced human-centered security solutions and broken barriers by ensuring that technology solutions protect people, privacy and trust.
Through initiatives empowering women, youth and small businesses, she is helping to shape digital resilience worldwide.
McGowan received an honorary degree from the DeGroote School of Business in 2024 and was appointed to the Order of Canada last year.