Founding Members
The BASF would not exist without the passion and leadership of its founding members. We recognize and celebrate their enduring contribution to our community.
Sylvia Piggott
It is with great sadness that the Black Academic Scholarship Fund announces the recent passing of its President, Mrs. Sylvia Piggott. She was one of the founding members of the BASF and its President from the inception. A McGill University graduate in Cultural Anthropology and Library and Information Studies, Sylvia had a distinguished career spanning the Bank of Montreal, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. Her extensive community involvement included presidencies of the Montreal Association of Black Business Persons and Professionals and the International Special Libraires Association, membership on numerous boards and committees, and speaking engagements across five continents. Her dedication was recognized through several prestigious awards, including the Distinguished Service Award of McGill Alumni Association (2019) and the Jon Cotton Dana Award (2005).
In her final years, Sylvia devoted herself to the Black Academic Scholarship Fund, providing scholarships to university and CEGEP students and championing mentorship programs in partnership with organizations such as Batshaw Youth and Family Centers and the Black Community Resource Center. As we mourn her sudden departure, the BASF is committed to honouring her legacy by continuing the work she so passionately pursued. Dear friend and colleague, you are gone but not forgotten. Rest in Eternal Peace.
Donations can be made in Sylvia’s memory on the Ways to Give Page.
Theresa Gayle Benedek
Theresa Gayle Benedek, a respected financial professional and passionate advocate for education and opportunity, passed away peacefully on February 21, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of excellence, generosity and leadership. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, she spent most of her adult life Montreal, where she built a distinguished career as a highly regarded money manager known for her integrity and disciplined approach. A proud founding member of the Montreal Association for Black Business Persons and Professionals (MABBP), she played a key role in fostering entrepreneurship and economic empowerment within Montreal’s Black business community. She also spearheaded the creation of the Black Academic Scholarship Fund (BASF), reflecting her deep belief in education as a catalyst for opportunity.
Beyond her professional achievements, Theresa was known for her warmth, elegance, and love of life : traveling the world, embracing new cultures or hosting gatherings filled with laughter and a welcoming spirit that made everyone feel at home. Theresa Gayle Benedek will be remembered for her intelligence, compassion and enduring commitment to uplifting others. Her legacy lives on in the many lives she touched and the institutions she helped build. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered. Rest in Eternal Peace.
Donations can be made in Theresa’s memory on the Ways to Give Page.
Kathleen Suite
Kathleen Suite is a graduate of Concordia University (BCom Finance & Accounting). After 20 plus years as a financial controller in two medium-sized private organizations, she now runs her own business, providing tax and accounting services to individuals, corporations and charitable organizations.
Kathleen is a firm believer in the principle of “giving back” to one’s own community and the wider community at large. She is especially passionate about education and how is impacts our youth. At BASF, she incorporates this passion as well as her accounting knowledge to ensure that the scholarship fund remains a viable and sustainable venture.
She has served as a past president, treasurer and member of the now defunct Montreal Association of Black Business Persons and Professionals, been financial warden of St. Gabriel’s Parish (St. Hubert, QC), and is now currently Secretary of Montméd Inc., a pharmaceutical distributor in Quebec.
Glen Gunning
Glen Gunning attended Kingston College and the Jamaica School of Agriculture before immigrating to Canada in 1970. In Canada, as a Chartered Insurance Broker (CAIB), he successfully practiced as a Life, Property & Casualty Insurance professional for 30 years. His involvement in the Montreal community has been extensive. He is a past President of both the Jamaica Association of Montreal and Montreal Association of Black Business Persons and Professionals (MABBP).
Mr. Gunning is a dedicated family man. He and his wife of 50 years, Dr. Pamela Gunning, and the proud parents of two accomplished daughters, Claudine and Roxane.
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