Celebrating with Fred Martin in his retirement
For nearly 24 years, Fred W. Martin has served Grebel in fundraising and development. As the Director of Advancement, Fred has been a tireless advocate for Grebel, building strong relationships with donors, alumni, students, churches, and community partners. He played a key role in multiple capital campaigns, raising money to expand both the College and its programs. In his career, Fred has raised millions of dollars that have helped to create a strong foundation for Grebel. He has brought thoughtful vision to his work, connecting with donors who shared his hopes for what Grebel could become, and then together, they helped bring those ideas to life. Fred will retire from Grebel at the end of September 2025. Join with the rest of the Grebel community in wishing him well for the future!
Submit your well-wishes and blessings
Join us in Fred's retirement celebrations by submitting well-wishes, memories, or stories by using the form below. Submissions will be published to this page weekly.
Words of thanks and blessings
Submissions will be shared weekly on this page.
Dear Fred,
It has been wonderful knowing you as a student, a young professional and now as a mid/late career parent of 2. You've done so much for the college and been such an integral part of the Grebel community since a year or two before I finished my undergrad. We've had the chance to connect to discuss policy, support for Grebel and the future. I wish you all the best for your retirement and hope that there are many exciting adventures ahead for you and your family.
With best regards,
Patrick Quealey
Thank you for contributing so much to Grebel over the years. Appreciated your connection to us here on the Prairies. Congratulations and all the best. It won’t be same without you.
- Ken Grove
Happy retirement Fred! I will miss your smiling face, particularly at the Noon Hour Concerts! Wishing you joy and relaxation in this next chapter!!
- Anita Flootman Paterson
Excited to see what the next chapter brings you, Fred. More cycling, snowshoeing, skiing, folk music? I am grateful for our time working together. Your ideas and ingenuity often left me inspired and with a lot more work to do. Enjoyable work, of course! I was always encouraged by how you talked about Grebel, and the stories you would bring back about alumni. I also noticed how you were constantly curious about how students came to know Grebel, recognizing that it is such an influential place for their journeys, the origin story really does matter. Thanks for all you did and do! And all the best in retirement!
- Rebekah DeJong
Enjoy each and every day of your retirement, Fred! You deserve it! Thank you for your help and encouragement with our Rotary fundraising for Grebel! You will be dearly missed! Timothy and I wish you all the best for a happy and joyful retirement! ❤️
- Kathleen Dick
Fred, when I got my teaching job at Grebel, one of the things I looked forward to was working at the same place as you! It's been a pleasure being on the same team. I always appreciate your positive attitude, your hard work that helped keep us solvent, and your big picture thinking. I hope that retirement is filled with lots of adventures, some planned and some unplanned!
- Carol Penner
Brother Fred,
A race well run. Well done oh good and faithful servant leader!
- Rick Cober Bauman
It was truly an honour and a pleasure to work alongside Fred for those 24 years. He is a fount of knowledge, a wellspring of wisdom, a begetter of many creative ideas and a never-ending source of energy! Fred, with so many gifts, I wish you well as you enter the next phase of your career!
- E.P.2 (Paul Penner)
Fred,
Your accomplishments over the years at Grebel will benefit students for many years to come. Wishing you an enjoyable retirement, while not having to meet yearly budgets!
Congratulations and best wishes,
- Lynn Yantzi
Fred Martin: Fundraiser, College Colleague, Advocate, Leader, Master of Ceremonies, Band Member, Traveler, Music Lover, Purveyor of Culture, Father and Partner, Friend to Many. A man of many faces, gifts and talents. All the best in retirement!
- Mark Lichty
Fred - beyond your friendship, I've always looked to you as one with a rooted vision for schools like Grebel (and CMU) and with such skill in building trusting relationships with alum and donors. Your presence and work have been a gift. Congratulations - much joy in this new life chapter!
- Terry Schellenberg
Every blessing on this next stage of life! And, thank you for all the work and energy you have put into so many Mennonite institutions in your working career.
- Bev Suderman-Gladwell
I still remember on my first day at Grebel, I ran into you just by the caf, and you gave me a smile, handshake, and a wink. It left quite the impression. Running into you since has always been a highlight!
I am now doing similar work with an international school in Singapore, and I think about you and how you go about what you do quite often.
Thanks for being the kind, warm, easy going presence that we all needed and admired, don't be a stranger, though at Grebel being a stranger is next to impossible, I'll be back to visit for christmas, and would love to see you around then if you'll be in town,
yours truly,
Henry Stevens
Congratulations Fred! It won't be the same without you over in Grebel - it's been a constant since I started and that's been a while now too. Enjoy your much deserved retirement!
- Lauren Burgess
Thank you for your incredible service and work to develop and advance Conrad Grebel University College over the years. Blessings on your retirement with family and friends, playing some great music and having some quality travel plans. May your travel paths lead you to one of the beautiful countries on the African continent.
With gratitude,
Ndagire
Fred, building a community of supporters and alumni is one of the toughest jobs. So glad John saw you as that person. When he shared his choice with me I was a bit skeptical. Though I knew you were talented, I thought you were more of a party guy than a fundraiser. Boy was I wrong. Not about the party guy but about the fundraising guy. You did an awesome job! Year after year. If you compare Grebel to the other affiliated colleges, our fundraising is 10-fold. In large part because of you! Fred, wishing you an amazing next phase of life and know I will meet you at a party soon.
- Paul Born
Fred,
From the classroom antics at Rockway, to student life at CGUC; to connections at MCUSA events in your role as Development Director at Grebel, you have brought great energy and spirit to your life's work. Bravo for a job well done. Wishing you meaning, purpose, and joy as you transition in the next chapter in life.
- Louise Wideman
Fred, even while we were students at Grebel together, I noticed that your warmth and genuine smile drew people in and made them feel like they were a part of things. And ever since then, no matter what role you have taken on, or work you have dedicated yourself to, you always seem to put human connection and community building at the centre of it! And that has definitely shone though in your work at Grebel. You have brought such a beautiful, creative, dedicated and energetic spirit to your work, always pushing the Grebel community to think outside the box and to live boldly into its values.
Many blessings to you in this new season of your life. I know your gifts will continue to serve you well, wherever the journey takes you.
- Josie Winterfeld
Congratulations and all the best wishes for your well-earned retirement! It's been a pleasure to watch your many endeavours pay off at Grebel over the years.
- Ruth Steinman
Thanks, Fred, for all you did to sustain Conrad Grebel over the years, especially the Library and Archives. And thanks for introducing me to Gram Parsons!
- Sam Steiner
Fred. Wishing you God's rich blessings for the next phase of adventures. You have been a thoughtful, provocative and creative leader. Thanks.
- Ruth Boehm
Congrats and enjoy the next chapter!
- Janna Flaming
All the best as you begin this new chapter. I enjoyed the times we had to collaborate and talk during Everence Development Conf! Hope to cross paths again sometime.
Shalom,
Beryl Jantzi
Hi Fred, Congratulations and wishing you and your family well!
- Heather Taves
Our entire Waterloo campus has been enriched by your leadership and dedication to philanthropy, Fred. You will be dearly missed and definitely big shoes to fill. Congratulations on this well deserved next chapter in life.
- Dipali Batabyal
Fred there is so much that I could say personally but also on behalf of Mennonite Church Canada. What an incredible person you are. Deep integrity, a genuine love and hope for the church, a healthy amount of cynicism, and you have a sense of humour that makes all of it feel so joy-filled. Wishing you all the best, health, strength, imagination...for the path ahead. May God bless you and be with you every step of the way.
- Doug Klassen
Happy healthy retirement Fred, all the best.
- Pamela Renaud
Fred, Thank you for your important contributions to Grebel over many years. You have done a wonderful job keeping us connected. We have really appreciated hearing how we can best support Grebel's current students and build for the future. We wish you the best as you move on to new opportunities in retirement!
- Robert & Lorraine Klassen
Fred, I have always said that the smartest thing John Toews did before he stepped down as president was to appoint you! You have more than borne out that promise and potential and have contributed greatly to Grebel, not only in the considerable development and advancement benefits we enjoy, but equally in the spirit you have nurtured and spread here at Grebel. It has been a pleasure working with you and I wish you much joy and fulfilment in the next chapter!
- Laura Gray
I almost gave up on posting this well wish 'cause I couldn't verify which object moved differently! Does Fred Martin move differently? Almost always. His nonconformity is not always verifiable because he is so friendly, understated, and approachable. Thanks Fred, for being a colleague for two decades. You always pushed faculty, admin, staff, and students (sometimes grudgingly) to try something new and creative -- whether to raise funds, build community, or always be a better place where innovation meets tradition and where doing our best was always front and centre. With gratitude!
- Marlene Epp
Fred, you were valued and effective both within Grebel and in the community around Grebel. That’s because you were so engaged and active in both. And you were a champion of both. Those of us within Grebel knew that you understood and valued what was happening and that you were eager to share it with supporters. Those in the community knew that you understood their hopes for Grebel and that you would communicate them effectively. Thanks!
- Jim Pankratz
Dear Fred,
Congratulations! It is so wonderful to share this watershed moment with you — retirement from a meaningful and likely all-encompassing career. You have given so much over the years to Grebel. We appreciate all the dedication, care, enthusiasm and expertise that you have brought to your work. You are an inspiration in your care and leadership, so thank you!
We wish you and Wanda so much love in this next chapter, and we look forward to seeing where this path leads for you.
Lots of love, prayers and support,
- Julie & Russ