AC alumni celebrated at Premier's Awards
November 27, 2017
Six outstanding Algonquin graduates were among those whose achievements were recognized with nominations — competing in a field of 118 nominees across six categories: Business, Community Services, Creative Arts and Design, Health Sciences, Recent Graduate and Technology.
The awards, created in 1992, recognize “the important social and economic contribution that college graduates make to Ontario and throughout the world” and are determined by a panel made up of representatives from government, business, media, and healthcare.
Last night's gala was the highlight of the Higher Education Summit at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel. The Summit “is an annual high-powered event that explores the top issues affecting post-secondary education today”— this year’s gathering featured several high-profile speakers, including bestselling author Daniel Pink, former NASA chief scientist Ellen Stofan, and Wired magazine editor-in-chief Nicholas Thompson.
Though none of this year’s awards went to an Algonquin graduate, the achievements of all the alumni were celebrated.
Algonquin College Nominees (as they appear on the Premier’s Awards website)
Peter Tilley
Program: Business Management, 1984
Position: Executive Director, The Ottawa Mission
Category: Community Services
After a lucrative start in business, Peter Tilley listened to his heart and turned his considerable skills and drive toward serving those who struggle and too often live on the edge of society. Over the past 23 years, Tilley has touched thousands of lives while leading two of Ottawa’s highest profile not-for-profit organizations, the Ottawa Food Bank and — for the past four years — the Ottawa Mission. Along the way, he has overcome personal tragedies, won his battle with addictions and helped countless community organizations whenever they have asked. Because of Tilley, his community is a more caring community.
Loring Phinney
Program: Public Relations, 1988
Position: Vice-President, Corporate Marketing, Bell Canada
Category: Business
Loring Phinney’s cross-country career journey to become a senior marketing executive at one of Canada’s few billion-dollar brands has been full of “great experiences.” As vice-president of corporate marketing at Bell Canada for well over a decade, Phinney has directed the transformation of multiple sponsorship programs, including a $200-million investment in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, programs with professional sports teams and leagues, and world-class cultural festivals. As marketing lead for the Bell Let’s Talk campaign, he has helped stimulate a national conversation about mental health that has 82 per cent of Canadians believing that attitudes are improving.
Trent Correy
Program: Animation, 2009
Position: Character Animator, Walt Disney Animation Studios
Category: Creative Arts and Design
Trent Correy is proving Walt Disney’s statement that “dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." Correy dreamed of working at the studio where Walt Disney and legendary animators created magic. Now, he is part of the international animation team at Walt Disney Animation Studios in California. In only five years, he has helped the studio win three Academy Awards, along with many other awards, for the animated movies Frozen, Big Hero 6 and Zootopia.
Fred Montpetit
Program: Nursing, 2001
Position: Community Health Services Nurse, Island Health, Ucluelet and Tofino
Category: Health Sciences
Fred Montpetit has always embraced new opportunities, challenges and change, including changes of scenery. Within a year of graduating from college in 2001, he was nursing in a bustling emergency department in Manitoba’s second largest hospital. A year after that, he moved to Nunavut, where he quickly progressed from community health nurse to regional manager of Kivalliq Public Health to director of health and social services. In 2008, only a few years after moving north, he was named the first-ever chief nursing officer for Nunavut, where he was credited with pioneering new policies, processes and programs.
Steve Barkhouse
Program: Business Administration, 1988
Position: Owner and President, Amsted Construction, Owner, Restore-All Corporation
Category: Technology
Growing up in small-town Ontario, Steve Barkhouse learned how to work with his hands and help others in his community. Straight out of school and facing a soft job market in the construction industry, he started his own company. Almost 30 years later, Amsted Design/Build employs more than 60 people, has delivered thousands of projects, won numerous awards, contributed to a stronger community and offered opportunities to countless college students. Barkhouse has personally given back to his college by sitting on advisory committees and helping to raise millions of dollars to build a new centre of construction excellence.
Sutton McKay
Program: Hospitality Management — Hotel and Restaurant, 2016
Position: Co-Owner, Luxus Auto Care, Owner, Millen Solutions
Category: Recent Graduate
Sutton McKay is a young man on the move, seemingly without ever stopping. He is driven by an entrepreneurial zeal, a drive to innovate and a passion for helping others. During his two years at college, he championed the establishment of three new awards at his school to recognize academic excellence and support student success. Within two weeks of graduation, he had invested in a company in the automotive services industry, one of two companies he leads. McKay already owned and operated a successful technology company that develops solutions for small- and medium-sized companies.