The founding Chair of the Department of Economics (1966-70), College of Social Science was Jack Skinner. He went on to serve as Dean for 10 years (1970-1981). On March 11, he celebrated his 100th birthday in Parry Sound.

DEF History: When Wellington College was established the Department of Economics had neither faculty nor program. Initial appointments of economists were made in 1965-66 in the Department of Social Science by M.H.M. Mackinnon, Dean of Wellington College. In the academic year 1966-67, the first year the Department of Economics appears in the University calendars as a distinct academic unit, a core faculty consisting of four economists had been appointed to the Department of Economics: Jack Skinner (Chair), Jack Madden, Carl Miller, and Gustav Van Beers.