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Bluesman turned entrepreneur to receive honorary doctorate

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A Vancouver bluesman is going to the head of the class.

Tom Lavin of the legendary Powder Blues band is getting an honorary doctorate from University Canada West.

“It’s everything just to hear that guitar ring,” he once sang and it’s true Lavin was once best known for his guitar playing.

But he has also been a venture capital consultant, the CEO of several public companies, and the founder of a private college.

His advice to the grads of today is to stay curious and stay skeptical.

“There’s something to be said for ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ but I think every single process and every single business always can stand to be questioned by a skeptical mind,” he explains.

Lavin adds learning and personal growth are lifelong quests.

“School is only a starting [point] even if you graduate magna cum laude. I think the most important thing is [to] create a vacuum in yourself for information and always be curious.”

Lavin will receive his degree this Friday during a ceremony at Vancouver’s Italian Cultural Centre.

“My mother always wanted me to become a doctor and now she can say ‘my son, the doctor.’ I’m happy for her!”

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