Premier's Awards
Loyalist College Wall of Distinction
Premier's Award Nominees
2003 - 2006
Brian Stafford
Civil Engineering Technology, '74
As co-owner of EMS-Tech Inc., Brian Stafford designs self-unloading cargo ships. His award-winning company has expanded with offices on three continents. Two of the four patents that EMS-Tech holds are Brian’s inventions. In 2005, EMS-Tech received the Business Excellence Award from the Quinte and Area Business Achievement Awards. Most recent awards included two Ontario Global Traders Awards for the Eastern Region, Gold for Innovation and Silver for Market Expansion. In one year Brian made six trips around the world to offer his expertise and ingenuity.
William Westlake
Business Administration, '75
Along with a very successful career in financial services and insurance, Jim Westlake makes volunteering a major part of his life. As Group Head of Canadian Personal and Business Clients since 2004, Jim leads RBC Financial Group’s domestic retail businesses. He is the immediate past Chair of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. He is the immediate past Chair of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. In 2003, he received the Queen's Golden Jubilee medal for community service. In 2001, he was Campaign Chair of the United Way of Peel Region. Other former activities include Director of the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Chairman of the Ottawa Ronald MacDonald House and Chairman of Fundraising for Ottawa General Hospital.
Chris Grayson
M.R.C., '79
Chris Grayson works to make dignified choices available to our intellectually disabled communities. As the Executive Director of Community Living Campbellford/Brighton his agency has won the Donner Canadian Foundation Awards for excellence in the delivery of social services. In 2003, Chris was honoured with the first Provincial Leadership Award from Accreditation Ontario for displaying exceptional leadership. For two decades he has encouraged integrated communities and public acceptance for vulnerable people. He became a provincial lobbyist on issues germane to their rights and quality of supports and services.
Lana Slezic
Photojournalism, '02
Lana Slezic gives a voice to marginalized people through photojournalism. Since having her photos published in TIME, The New York Times and magazines across three continents, she embarked on a journey that depicted the difficult situations of women in Afghanistan. In 2005 Lana was chosen by an international jury as one of twelve young photographers worldwide invited to participate in the World Press Joop Swart Masterclass in Amsterdam. Recent awards include two International Photography Awards and Canada's Society for News Design Award for her work on Afghan women.
Suzanne Gingras
Nursing, '99
Following graduation from Loyalist in 1999, Suzanne Gingras moved to the United States to work in Phoenix and later San Diego, specializing in Pediatric Intensive Care in a renowned acute care unit. After this experience she became a “travelling nurse”, and has worked at various hospitals across the USA.
Her professional passion has led her to volunteer with the International Children’s Heart Foundation, as part of a medical team helping in the life saving cardiac surgeries performed by Dr. William Novick. These missions have taken her to Enugu, Nigeria and Minsk, Belarus. She credits Loyalist College with starting her on a rewarding career path.
Martin Seemungal
Television Broadcasting, '81
Martin Seemungal is a Foreign Correspondent for ABC News based in Rome covering stories in Africa, the Middle East and Italy. Since graduating from Loyalist’s Television Broadcasting program in 1980, his skill as an international and foreign correspondent have taken him around the world and earned him international acclaim as a broadcast journalist. Recently he was awarded an Emmy for coverage of conflict in Darfur on ABC World News Tonight with Peter Jennings.
Reg Person
Electronic Engineering Technician/Technology, '71/'73
Reg Pearson is responsible for the second largest caseload for conciliation and mediation in North America in his current role as Director of Labour Management Services for the Ontario Ministry of Labour. His career has been diverse and has taken him from leading technology training labs and technical support for Bell Canada to acting as a mediator at the Ontario Ministry of Labour to working as a Senior Industrial & Talent Relations Officer for the CBC.
Mary-Anne Sills
Mental Retardation Counsellor, '74
Mary-Anne Sills graduated from Loyalist College in 1974 in the Residential Counsellor - Mental Retardation Program. Her interest in helping people and commitment to making a difference in the world was nurtured during her time at Loyalist.
She was elected as a Member of Belleville City Council in 1988 and served as a councillor for fifteen years. In 2003, she was elected Mayor of the City.
Mary-Anne Sills has received a number of awards recognizing her community service, including the Belleville Citizen Award, and the Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship. She coaches the Belleville Bombers II softball team for special athletes.
Joe Roberts
Business Marketing, '94 / Business Sales '95
Joe Roberts overcame drug addiction to become the head of a multimedia development company, Mindware Design communications, in Vancouver. In less than four years, he led the company to an 800 per cent increase in business, making his first million dollars before he turned 35. Roberts was named one of Business in Vancouver’s 40 Under 40 Outstanding Business People and one of Maclean’s magazine’s 10 Canadians Who Make a Difference. Roberts is the founding member of Courage to Change, a foundation created to educate youth about drug and alcohol abuse. He speaks at high schools, prisons and organizations and is the author of two books.
Brian Hanson
Customs & Immigration, '99
Brian Hanson is a 1999 graduate of Law & Security, Customs/Immigration from Loyalist College. Upon graduating, Brian accepted a position with Canada Customs and Revenue as a Customs Officer in his native province of New Brunswick.
Brian was actively involved in numerous community fundraising events while at Loyalist and this involvement has grown to a passion for making a difference through community service. His work with the Missing Children Program has resulted in increased awareness of the program through his initiatives such as a community BBQ and the construction of missing children bulletin boards. He has also been an active volunteer with Big Brothers, Big Sisters and the Special Olympics.
Chris d'Entremont
Radio Broadcasting, '92
Chris d’Entremont was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in Nova Scotia in August 2003. He was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and Minister of Acadian Affairs.
A graduate of the Radio Broadcasting Program at Loyalist College, he has worked as a radio announcer, development officer and in the fishing and boatbuilding industries.
He has a keen dedication to his community, and has served as a volunteer with the Festival Acadien de Sainte Anne-du-Ruisseau, and the Rotary Club of Yarmouth. He is treasurer of the South West Nova Scouting Council, and treasurer and volunteer with the Eel Brook Fire Department.
Andrienne Fox-Kessic
Photojournalism, 2000
Adrienne is a member of the Bearskin Lake First Nation, a remote Aboriginal community in northwestern Ontario. With the support of her husband and three children, she registered in the Photojournalism program at Loyalist College.
Today she is editor and senior news writer for the Wawatay News in Sioux Lookout. She was recognized in 2003 by the people of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, with the Woman of the Year award, presented to Aboriginal women who succeed in achieving their goals despite their personal difficulties.
She has won several journalism awards at the provincial and national level.
Mike Ebbeling
Radio Broadcasting / Broadcast Journalism, 2000
Mike graduated from Loyalist in 2000 with Radio Broadcasting and Broadcast Journalism diplomas. While a student at Loyalist, he volunteered with the Quinte Red Devil Hockey program and had the opportunity to do the play-by-play for the Loyalist Basketball team on CJLX Radio. He also produced and hosted his own sports show on CJLX and co-anchored an Ontario Provincial election.
Mike is employed with CKDR Radio in the Northern community of Dryden, where he is the afternoon news anchor-reporter.
Lynn Haddrall
Print Journalism, '83
Newspapers prove their value in a crisis. The community can look to its local paper to explain what’s happening and to provide commentary. But sometimes, a crisis is so extreme it makes producing a newspaper almost impossible. Lynn Haddrall has experienced this situation twice in five years – in the ice storm of 1998 and the provincial blackout of 2003. Each time, Lynn was determined that readers would receive their local newspapers.
Lynn has led newsrooms to numerous national, provincial and regional awards, but considers the publication of papers during the ice storm and the blackout to be her outstanding achievements. Her team delivered the news against overwhelming odds in both cases.
Janet Baragar
Nursing, '76
Janet Baragar is Director of Maternal Child and Surgical Services for Quinte Healthcare, with responsibility for corporate administration and management for inpatient and ambulatory Surgical and Maternal Child services at three sites. Prior to her current position, Janet was the Program Director for the Maternal-Child area, and in this role provided project leadership for the enhancement and relocation of Maternal Child Services. This project involved the multimillion dollar capital redevelopment for Obstetrics and Pediatrics at Belleville General Hospital. The innovative single room maternity care design and collocation/enhancement of pediatrics involved several years of planning with community and stakeholder consultation.
Joy Peacock
Nursing, '01
In the four short years since Joy Peacock graduated from the Registered Nursing program at Loyalist College, she has achieved outstanding success both academically and professionally.
In her current position of Program Manager, Surgery at Kingston General Hospital, Joy is responsible for the development, co-ordination and education of patient care within the Surgical Program. She has also completed a Diploma in Critical Care Nursing, a Bachelor of Nursing Science degree and is currently enrolled in a Masters of Science program. Joy was awarded a Registered Nurses of Ontario fellowship and actively participates in a number of professional memberships.
