Niagara College has nominated six graduates for prestigious Premier’s Awards.
Presented annually to six recipients, the Premier’s Awards for Ontario College Graduates celebrate the outstanding contributions college alumni make to Ontario and throughout the world. Nominations are submitted from each of Ontario’s 24 colleges in six categories: Business, Creative Arts and Design, Community Services, Health Sciences, Technology and Recent Graduate. All of the nominees will be celebrated, and the six category winners announced, at a gala event in Toronto on Monday, Nov. 18, 2013, as part of the Colleges Ontario Higher Education Summit.
The College’s 2013 nominees include:
Business: René Galipeau, vice-chairman and CEO, Nuinsco Resources Limited and Victory Nickel Inc.
René Galipeau, Vice-Chairman and CEO of two public companies, spent his career solving problems and designing business solutions for dramatic turnarounds of mining companies around the world. Breakwater was $92 million in debt and losing $400,000 per month at its Honduras mine. René’s creative solutions resulted in eliminating debt and the acquisition of five mines in Tunisia, Chile, Baffinland and Quebec, increasing production from 48,000 to 400,000 tons of metal concentrate. When he took over Nuinsco, it was broke and delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange. Within months, the company was relisted and the stock increased from pennies to $4.40.
Creative Arts and Design: Peter Raymond, director of operations, CTV News Toronto
Peter Raymond works in a fast-paced, high stress world of television that never sleeps – and does it well. As technical producer for CTV at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, Peter was responsible for operations that ran 22 hours a day on five networks without a hitch. He did it again at the 2012 London Summer Olympics. Peter worked on the Royal Wedding of William and Kate, several federal elections, Juno awards and the coverage of numerous international stories. In his previous role as senior manager, Technical Development and Training, Bell Media, he was in charge of training hundreds of CTV staff across North America and is leading the conversion to High Definition.
Community Services: Peter Kormos (posthumous), politician
Peter Kormos leveraged his Social Service diploma into a career in law and politics to help peoples’ circumstances. As a criminal lawyer, he often defended down and out people with hopeless cases, and took on 50 per cent of his clients pro bono. He served 23 years as an MPP and 10 years as House Leader for the Ontario NDP Caucus. Peter was renowned for his effectiveness as an Opposition Critic for many portfolios, especially Justice, Human Rights and Poverty. He fought for what was right and just for all people, especially those who had no influence, wealth or position
Health Services: Kevin Smith, chief, Niagara Emergency Services
Kevin Smith started his career as a paramedic 21 years ago fresh out of Niagara College. He worked his way up to Chief of the Niagara Emergency Medical Services, responsible for providing emergency care to a population of 425,000 and overseeing a department budget of more than $36 million. Kevin leads a team of more than 280 Advanced and Primary Care paramedics, emergency medical dispatchers and administrative staff based at 17 ambulance stations across the region. His team handles 80,000 calls per year with 38,000 patients transported. Kevin is active in national, provincial and regional paramedic organizations.
Technology: Robert McNeil, president and general manager, NRB Inc. and NRB (USA) Inc.
Bob McNeil used his construction technology expertise and business savvy to grow the company started by his parents into an international player for industrial, commercial, institutional and retail buildings. NRB’s simplified modular construction process is a greener way to build, and rivals site-built construction for architectural detail and exceptional performance over time. Over two decades, Bob expanded the Grimsby operation and established a plant in Pennsylvania to serve the U.S. market. He increased staff from 30 to 175, sales from $15 to $50 million, and continues to embrace challenges to advance the company and the permanent modular building industry.
Recent Graduate: David Penny, executive chef
Chef David Penny has garnered a stellar reputation is a very short period of time. His name is often mentioned alongside the country’s top eclectic cuisine creators with his consistent use of fresh, local ingredients. Until recently, he worked as Estate Chef of the Great Estates of Niagara, where he led his team and oversaw all culinary experiences at Inniskillin, Jackson-Triggs and Le Clos Jordanne. He currently works as an executive chef in Burlington. He is in demand for offsite demonstrations at the LCBO and has been featured in such shows as CITY TV’s Breakfast Television, CHCH Morning Live, Fresh Life TV, The Wine Ladies Radio and Canada AM.
Congratulations to our NC nominees!
