A Tribute to Dr. The Hon. Rae Davis

NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | SUNDAY, MAY 23, 2021 13 TRIBUTE TO DR RAE DAVIS V I EXPRESS heartfelt condolences to the immediate and extended family of Dr Rae Davis on his pass- ing on April 19, 2021. I will always remember Dr Davis as a gentle giant whose presence elicited admiration for his brilliant intellect, wisdom, and vision but who was not intimi- dating. I had the privilege of work- ing closely with him during the 10 years he served as president of the University of Technology, Jamaica from 1996-2006. He was humble and respectful to staff. He cared about people and supported their advancement, and I am grateful for personally experiencing his kind- ness, accommodation, and support. UTech, Jamaica benefited tremen- dously fromhis stewardship. He was someone who had novel concepts of how things could be improved, and this was evident during his dec- ade-long tenure. His footprint and legacy are not only etched in the evidence of the tremendous devel- opment of the physical campus, but also in the collective memories of all who had the honour of working with him. As an engineer, hewas systematic, well organised, attentive todetail, and forward looking, which was very ev- ident from the plans that he laid and theway inwhich theywere executed. He led the institution with distinc- tion in its transition from the College of Arts, Science and Technology (CAST) to university status and was instrumental in establishing the uni- versity’s governance framework. Also notable under Dr Davis’ stewardship was the formulation of the plan for the upgrading of the facilities of the university. Under his watch, the UTech Enhancement Project was conceived. Resulting from this project, the university now boasts the beautiful Shared Facilities Building with state-of-the- art lecture theatres, classrooms, and computer laboratories. The institution’s sewer system, water, electricity supply, and campus road network were also upgraded under the Enhancement Project. It was under Dr Davis’watch, too, that the legendary Dennis Johnson, who, sadly, recently passed as well, was appointed as director of sport. This strong alliance saw the genesis of the development of the institu- tion’s sports programme and the development of its enviable rep- utation as a powerhouse in athlet- ics in collegiate and international sports, which produced outstand- ing Olympians such as Asafa Powell, Sherone Simpson, and others. Dr Davis will be greatly missed, but may the example of his life and his legacy continue to live on. PROF COLIN GYLES President (Acting), University of Technology, Jamaica Dr Rae Davis congratulates a graduate.