Award-winning USask alumnus appointed to Order of Canada

University of Saskatchewan (USask) graduate Wayne Brownlee (BSc’75, MBA’77) has been appointed to the Order of Canada in honour of his leadership in Canadian business and philanthropy.

In an interview with the Green&White, Brownlee described it as “a terrific honour.”

“It is greatly appreciated, but any one person is part of a bigger story,” he added, acknowledging the support he’s received over the years at his job and within the philanthropy community.

“It takes a larger number of people to make things happen,” he said. “So, I’ve been very lucky to work with some very good people in my job, and I’ve really enjoyed doing various things in the community and working with some great people.”

The Order of Canada is one of the country’s highest honours and recognizes people who have made extraordinary and sustained contributions to the nation. On Dec. 31, 2025, it was announced that Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, had made 80 new appointments to the Order of Canada, including six Companions, 15 Officers, and 59 Members. 

Since its creation in 1967, more than 8,250 people from all sectors of society have been appointed to the Order. Brownlee was appointed as a Member of the Order of Canada.

An award-winning USask graduate, Brownlee earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology in 1975 and a Master of Business Administration degree in 1977. After completing university, Brownlee dove headfirst into his career, working with the Saskatchewan government for 12 years. In 1988, his career path led him to PotashCorp where he worked on transformational changes within the company, including its privatization and transition from a provincial Crown corporation into the publicly traded company. From 1989 through the remainder of his career he led the company’s business development activities, and in 1999 he assumed the additional responsibility of Chief Financial Officer.  His career culminated in the creation of Nutrien.

Brownlee retired in 2018 as executive vice-president and CFO of Nutrien after an illustrious career.  

“My hands touched many parts of the growth of the PotashCorp story and, once again, it was always a team effort,” he said.

Just as his business career has been impactful, so too have Brownlee’s philanthropic efforts. In 2024, for example, USask celebrated a significant gift from the Brownlee Family Foundation to support the establishment and operations of the Prairie Business Summit at the Edwards School of Business. The inaugural Prairie Business Summit was subsequently held in May 2025, uniting leaders, innovators, and visionaries from various sectors to connect, collaborate, and explore the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on growth. 

“It’s always fun to try and find something where you can make a difference,” said Brownlee, noting that he and his wife, Ina Lou Brownlee, look for areas where they can make a difference through their foundation. In the case of the Prairie Business Summit, they envisioned the event as a way to build relationships and to encourage collaboration between USask’s business school and the local business community.

Prior to being appointed to the Order of Canada, Brownlee was presented with a USask Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021 and the Saskatchewan Order of Merit in 2022.