And the winners are….

We’ve read and analyzed the carefully crafted nomination packages. We’ve tabulated the votes. And now we’re ready to announce the winners of the Brock University Alumni Association’s Alumni of Distinction Awards that will be held on Saturday, March 31.

The names of the recipients and a very brief description of their accomplishments are included below.

Rick Campanelli, ET Canada

Our MC for the evening will be Rick Campanelli (BPhEd ’94), former MuchMusic VJ, current entertainment reporter for Entertainment Tonight Canada and recipient of a 30 From the Past 30 Award – the original name for the Alumni of Distinction Awards when the BUAA celebrated its 30th anniversary in the 2006-07 school year. Campenelli was one of the recipients for his exemplification of Brock University’s core values – imagination, innovation and commitment.

Upon graduation, Campanelli entered the 1994 MuchTemp contest (and won!) where he was a MuchMusic VJ for about 10 years. Since 2005, he’s been an entertainment reporter for ET Canada.

Tickets are selling fast for the Alumni of Distinction Awards, so make sure to purchase them quickly. The new BUAA wines, in partnership with Creekside Winery, also will launch that night. If you attend the celebration, you’ll be able to try the Unoaked Chardonnay and the Merlot.

Event details
When: Saturday, March 31, 5 p.m.
Where: Amici’s Banquet Centre, Thorold
Cost: $65 per person
For tickets or additional information, please contact alumniassociation@brocku.ca or call 905-688-5550 x 4502
brocku.ca/alumni-association

The 2011-12 BUAA Alumni of Distinction Award recipients are:

Armstrong, Christopher (BSM ’05)
Vice President, Wasserman Media Group
Sport drives his professional career and his philanthropy.

Belicki, Kathryn (BA ’76)
Professor, Psychology, Brock University
As committed to her students as she is to her research.

Blazak, Gary (BA ’76)
Registered Professional Planner
Committed to professional planning, institutional advancement and coaching.

Bonner, Rick (BSc ’84)
President & CEO, Guinea Iron Ore Ltd.
Striking gold in both varsity fencing and mining companies.

Chesebrough, Jeff (BA ’98)
CEO, nGen – Niagara Interactive Media Generator
Helping to guide Niagara to a new knowledge economy.

Coorssen, Jens (BSc ’86, MSc ’89)
Foundation Professor of Molecular Physiology / Head, Molecular Medicine Research Group, University of Western Sydney
Researching ways to improve human health.

Dargie, David (BA ’68)
Director of Tournament Development, Evolution Golf and Event Management Inc.
A lifelong learner and a lifelong doer.

Daté, Anand (BBA ’96)
President & Founder, Ronin Group
Finding balance with HR firm and Brock alumni connections.

de Repentigny (Corbett), Lesley (BA ’83)
President & Founder, Drivewise
Making our skies and roads safer for us all.

Dominick, Stephen (BA ’82)
Professor/Program Coordinator, Digital Photography Program, School of Media Studies, Niagara College
Taking digital photography from the studio to the classroom.

Goodspeed, Peter (BA ’74)
Senior Reporter, International Affairs, National Post
Reporting international stories that define and inform our lives.

Grimes, David (BSc ’75)
President, World Metrological Organization
Shaping climate-related research and services as the world’s weatherman.

Hammond, Sam (BEd ’87)
President, Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario
Tackling important social and workplace issues in our schools.

Hong, Len (BSc ’73)
Former President & CEO, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
Sharing occupational health and safety resources with others.

Iannantuono, Albert (BA ’85)
President, CEO & Founder, Tri-Media
Taking pride in Niagara and encouraging others to do the same.

Ingram (Bowman), Wendy (BA ’67)
Board of Directors, Canada Art Foundation
From classroom to gallery, publishing and non-profit organizations.

Kompf, Michael (BA ’82, MEd ’83)
Professor, Faculty of Education, Brock University
Creating innovative programs for future teachers.

Kontkanen, Derek (BSc ’02, MSc ’05)
Winemaker, Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Winery
Uncorking international honours for a British Columbia winery.

Le Conte, Christopher (BRLS ’97)
President & Owner, SMART Watering Systems
Protecting our most precious resource, drop by drop.

Lejkowski, Paul (BKin ’03)
Owner & Fitness and Nutrition Specialist, Sport Balance & Nutrition
Building bodies, building confidence and building a business.

Leip, David (BSc ’90)
Senior Technical Staff Member, Head of Web Innovation, IBM
He’s as impressive on the dance floor as he is in the world of technology.

McRoberts, Scott (BSM ’03)
Director of Athletics and Recreation, University of Toronto-Scarborough
Transferring his expertise in sport management to the University of Toronto.

Munoz, Ben (BSc ’85, MSc ’87)
Director of Medicinal Chemistry
Taking pharmaceutical aim at malaria and other diseases.

Narbonne, Guy (BSc ’75)
Professor, Geological Sciences, Queen’s University
Discovering the history of life on Earth through geological science.

Pokorny, Patricia (BEd ’93, BA ’05)
Senior Manager Accessibility, Legal Department, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.
Removing barriers to accessibility at Ontario Lottery Gaming.

Power, Rob (BSc ’75)
Winemaker, Creekside Estates Winery
Creating “serious wine” and winning some serious honours.

Raakman, Elaine (BSM ’03)
Owner, Justplay Sports Services Civic Sport Group
Passionate about good sportsmanship and acts of kindness.

Sal Debus, Steven (BA ’94)
Founder & Director, Modrobes Inc.
His eco-friendly utility clothing line even impressed some dragons.

Salmon, Kirsty (BSc ’91, MSc ’94)
Head of Research, BP Biofuels
On the leading edge of producing bioethanol fuel from waste products.

Shelp, Barry (BSc ’74, MSc ’77)
Professor, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph
Researching production of our major crop plants and their stressors.

Smith, Fraser (BBA ’92)
Manager, Product Management, PayPal
Proving that a Canadian education has its place in Silicon Valley.

Smol, John (MSc ’79)
Professor, Queen’s University, Canada Research Chair in Environmental Change
Unravelling the causes of climate change through paleolimnology.

Spera, Ed (BA ’93)
Wildlife Artist
Capturing images of our world’s wildlife with paint.

Tinnish, Andrew (BRLS ’99, BSM ’01)
Director, Amateur Scouting, Toronto Blue Jays
Scouting for the next big phenom for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Tomek, Lydia (BSc ’04)
Winemaker, Hernder Estates Winery
Giving back to her community one sip at a time.