The endowment was created in honour of Sam Bailey, a qualified heavy duty mechanic, automotive mechanic, and welder who taught heavy duty mechanics at VIU for many years. Bailey was a keen instructor and was also an active member of the Vancouver Island old car community.
After retiring from teaching, he co-founded the Pacific Coast Mustang Association and also established Centerline Appraisals, becoming a sought-after evaluator of collectible cars.
Bailey was most known for his love for mid-’60s Ford Mustangs.
