Staying Sharp

By any measure, Ryerson alumnus Isadore Sharp has enjoyed tremendous success. Less than a decade after graduating in 1952 with a diploma in Architectural Science from what was then the Ryerson Institute of Technology, he opened the first Four Seasons hotel on Jarvis Street, just steps away from campus. He didn’t start off with the intention to build one of the largest and most iconic luxury hotel and resort chains in the world, but he soon discovered the market was hungry for what became the hotelier’s signature brand — casual luxury, where every guest is treated like a VIP.

With the support of his wife, Rosalie Wise Sharp, Isadore started developing more properties. Today, the company operates over 120 hotels and resorts around the world and is approaching its 60th anniversary. The Four Seasons brand has become synonymous with elegance and unparalleled service. The success has allowed the Sharps to do more in life than they ever imagined, including philanthropic work that helped transform the Terry Fox Run, hospitals, scientific research, both their alma maters, and of course, Toronto.

“The school was well known for architecture at the time,” says Lionel Schipper, Isadore’s childhood friend and former board member and legal counsel for The Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. “It was a natural place for him because, unlike his friends, he had a good sense of what he wanted to do and be. At Ryerson, he could follow the path he was interested in,” he adds.

That path also included sports. A talented athlete during his time at Ryerson, Isadore played on the varsity basketball, football, and hockey teams, and earned recognition as Ryerson's Athlete of the Year in 1951. He was inducted into Ryerson University’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017. He often credits involvement in sports for teaching him how to do well in business, to work as part of a team.

“I think Isadore is an incredible representation of Ryerson University and the alumni,” notes John Davison, Four Seasons Chief Executive Officer who also supports the university through Ryerson’s DMZ. “To me, Ryerson is a bit like Four Seasons. It’s entrepreneurial, it’s innovative, and it’s always expanding. Also, what the university has built — the buildings, the structure, a distinctly urban presence — has made it a part of the city, and made the city better.”

Isadore has generously shared his success with Ryerson, helping to build the university’s reputation and supporting a variety of initiatives over the last 30 years. The Sharps contributed to the renovation of the International Living and Learning Centre (ILLC) to help convert it into a student residence, and named the Four Seasons Hotels Seminar Suite in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. The Four Seasons Entrance Award, established in 1986, continues to support Ryerson hospitality and tourism students today.  

Rosalie and Isadore are also long-time supporters of OCAD University, where Rosalie is an alumna and was the university’s first Chancellor. In 1998, the Sharps helped OCAD to buy the building at 115 McCaul Street. Now the Rosalie Sharp Pavilion, it is home to the university’s Experiential Learning Centre. Their next gift to OCAD led to the creation of the famed Sharp Centre for Design, conceived by the late architect Will Alsop.

The Sharps’ most recent gift to Ryerson is in support of the Devon Lord Brooks Award, created in memory of Devon Lord Brooks, a dedicated student and passionate athlete who passed away unexpectedly at the age of 27. The award supports Ryerson student athletes who demonstrate academic excellence and financial need.

“I’ve learned a lot from the generosity and kindness of my grandparents,” says Julia Sharp about Isadore and Rosalie. “I’m always thinking of the impact my actions have on other people and trying to help out friends and the greater community as much as I can.”

Of course Ryerson University and OCAD U are just single stops along the Sharps’ journey. Those who know Isadore best attribute his success and Four Seasons rise to the top to his ability to lead people, stay true to himself, and be open to change — and to having Rosalie by his side every step of the way.

“My grandfather leads without ego,” says Emily Sharp, Isadore and Rosalie’s granddaughter who has worked with the company. “People work well for him because he trusts them and believes they will do their job properly if they are given the space.” She adds that Isadore is also always open to adapting to new ways of thinking, and taking new technologies on board. “He understands the need to grow and change with the world around us,” she says. “It’s an impressive quality for someone who has been in the business for so long.”

Greg Sharp, Isadore and Rosalie’s son and a member of The Four Seasons board notes, “He is the same guy all the time. Very present, very authentic. It’s just his nature.” Greg also points to Rosalie’s talents as an interior decorator and artist as a big factor in Four Seasons’ trademark style, combining luxury, fine taste and comfort.

“They both came from extremely hard working immigrant families, so they grew up with very little,” Julia explains. “They realized their current success and fortune is really very improbable, and that is not lost on them.” That reality prompted the title of Rosalie’s well-received memoir, “Rifke: An Improbable Life,” published in 2007. “They’ve made an amazing impact on our family, but also on the community and country as a whole.”

And Isadore and Rosalie are still making an impact, giving back and building strength in people and places here and all around the world.

Support Ryerson student athletes through the Devon Lord Brooks Award.