Bob Wasson (BA '77) was one of the top two-way talents in the country when he played for the York men's hockey team from 1974 to 1977. His best season was in 1975-76, when he was named an OUAA all-star and a CIAU all-Canadian, and he received OUAA all-star honours again the following season. In both years he finished as one of the top scorers in the country and in 1976-77 was second in league scoring. York finished first in regular-season league play twice and won three consecutive silver medals in the OUAA championship game in Wasson's three years with the program. He graduated as one of the top scorers in program history and remains among the team's top 20 in goals and total points.
Bob Wasson’s accomplishments as a hockey player at York represent just some of the many different successes he has achieved in his adult life.
A two-way forward who played for York from 1974-77, Wasson was one of the top players in the country while starring for the Yeomen. He earned OUAA all-star and CIS all-Canadian honours in this three-year career and helped the team advance to the league championship game in three straight seasons.
Before excelling as a hockey player with the Yeomen and for a decade afterwards, Wasson was a talented lacrosse player. As a junior he won the Minto Cup (the under-21 national championship) four years in a row and went on to play senior lacrosse in his hometown of Peterborough. He continued to experience national success at the senior level, winning four Mann Cup titles as Canadian national champion, and also played on Canada’s national field lacrosse team during this period. He represented his country at the world championships twice, in 1982 and 1986, before retiring from the sport, and was recognized for his accomplishments by being inducted into the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2003.
Although he was a gifted athlete from a young age, it was his schooling that Wasson chose to dedicate his time to.
“Even when I was playing Junior A hockey I was still more scholastic oriented,” said Wasson. “I took a full-year of classes at Trent University [while playing for the Ontario Hockey League’s Peterborough Petes] before coming to York. From very early on I decided that the school route was the best one for me.”
That proved to be a wise decision as Wasson went on to have an extremely successful business career after graduating from York in 1977 with a degree in economics. He began working at General Electric right out of university and spent seven years with the company before joining Appleton Papers. It was his job with Appleton that took him out of Canada, first to Wisconsin in the late ‘80s and then to Europe in the ‘90s. He remained in Europe after taking a senior executive role in the aerospace business and most recently relocated again to Chicago to serve as the President and Chief Financial Officer for John Crane.
Wasson credits his time spent at York with giving him the tools necessary to thrive in business both locally and abroad.
“There are three things in particular that I gained from York that have been beneficial to me in my professional career. First, the degree I got in economics was great for me. It was more general, not specifically business, and my classes gave me an understanding of how economies worked globally, which helped me succeed in different countries. Second, I learned through sport how to be a good team player and have a positive, winning attitude, and those attributes are imperative in business as well. And finally, a lot of the people in my life while at York, specifically the coaches, were great mentors to me. They were good people and very respectful of everyone and that was certainly a good life lesson.”
After a long and distinguished career, Wasson is recently semi-retired and planning his next adventure.
“I still have a lot of energy and a lot to offer. I’m stepping back now and seeing what else I’d like to do for the next 5-10 years. I’d like to try something different and I’m looking for a new challenge.”
Regardless of what he does next Wasson is sure to excel, just as he has in sport and life for the last several decades.
