Alumni Awards

Phil White

Art Conservation Techniques, 1988

Phil worked as an independent artist and conservator creating sculpture, jewellery, and fine craft for private clients. One of these private clients was the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation which encompasses both the Museum of Civilization as well as the Canadian War Museum. This private work led to a conservator position with the corporation and after a short time, he was promoted to Collections Manager of Arms and Armour for the Canadian War Museum. In this position he was responsible for research, acquisition and preservation of artefacts which included firearms, edged weapons and armour spanning 500 years! When the museum relocated into a new building in May of 2005, Phil was appointed team leader, and was responsible for the preparation and installation of all permanent and temporary exhibits.

Later in 2005, the competition was announced for Canada's fifth Dominion Sculptor. This is the top position in Canada for sculptors, and only one of three official artist positions in the federal government.

Seventy-seven Canadian artists applied and three made the final shortlist. After extensive portfolio review and two interviews, Phil was appointed as Dominion Sculptor.

In this position, Phil is responsible for the design, creation and installation of all external stone and wood sculpture on Parliament Hill. His duties also include conservation and restoration. Much of Phil's time is spent carving in the "Centre Block". Rebuilt in 1916 after a fire, the architect left thousands of uncarved blocks to be completed by his successors. He has also worked on a series of stone portrait sculptures of key figures in Canada's railway history including Sir Sandford Fleming. His most prestigious project is a stone portrait of the Queen, which was unveiled in the House of Commons when she visited Canada in June of 2010. He has also completed two busts of Sir Sandford Fleming for Fleming College in an effort to bring students closer to the college's namesake and inspire the students through Fleming's passion. He was motivated by photographs of a young Sandford Fleming who was passionate about engineering and surveying. The sculptures are located at the Sutherland and Frost campuses, with the plaster casting on display at the Haliburton campus.

Ryan Bullock

Business Administration – Marketing '06 – Recent Graduate Category

After graduation, Ryan pursued his Bachelor of Business Administration at Trent University while also working part time at a small advertising agency. After completing his degree, he moved to Toronto to seek work at a larger firm. He accepted a position at McLaren McCann and was put to work on the Nestle Nutrition USA account. He handled all of the digital communications for the account, took on Carnation Instant Breakfast as well as Nestle Baby, World Vision and the McClaren McCann website.

After a year he accepted a position at kbs+p. He was put on the pitch team for the Colleges Ontario account. On the second pitch of his career, Ryan's team won the account and Ryan was put on the execution team. He is now the lead on the Colleges Ontario account and is working on a rebrand targeting middle income parents to change the mindset that a college education is inferior to university. Ryan is also the execution lead on The Keg Steakhouse and Bar account handling first the digital account and then leading their 40th anniversary community giving integrated campaign which led to being named the account lead on all integrated business for The Keg in 2011. He is also the account lead on The Dairy Farmers of Canada Real Cream and Milk Calendar accounts, Kamik Footwear and leading the digital strategy for Target Canada.

In 2011, kbs+p was scheduled to pitch to Kamik Footwear, the president of the digital division was on vacation and Ryan was put in charge of the digital pitch which they won. kbs+p now handles the entire Kamik account.

Patrice Chartier

Rehabilitation Assistant 1998 – Health Sciences Category

As a mature student, Patrice enrolled in the Rehabilitation Assistant program. He was inspired by a guest speaker who worked with patients with acquired brain injuries. After graduation, he worked with this professional for a year before opening his own business, "Helping Hands Rehabilitation". He specialized in children and youth who had been injured in motor vehicle accidents. His staff of seven provided physiotherapy, occupational therapy and personal support services for this vulnerable patient group. Leading the team, Patrice enjoyed working with the patients directly.

Patrice then accepted a position as territory manager for SCA Personal Care, a leader in adult incontinence products, Patrice was responsible for the territory east from Oshawa to Kingston and north to Bancroft. After winning several awards for top sales, Patrice was promoted to Regional Vice President covering Ontario and Manitoba. But he missed working with patients.

In 2009, Achieva Health approached Patrice to become their Vice President of Operations. After a three hour meeting, Patrice was floored by the services offered and how the field of long term care had changed for the better. However the market for providing rehabilitation services in long term care had changed and they needed someone who was strong in marketing. Patrice knew that the services offered by Achieva Health were something that he could promote and deliver. He now is responsible for the operation of rehabilitation services to over 250 long term care facilities, 100 retirement homes and 15 OHIP physiotherapy centres across the province.

Brian Horton

General Business '76 – Business Category

Brian began his career in the tax office at the City of Peterborough. He progressed quickly through the ranks, being promoted to Chief Accountant in 1981, then Manager of Finance in 1985. He became Director of Finance and Administration in 1995 and in 2007 he was named Senior Director of Corporate Services and Deputy CAO. In January of 2011, the CAO announced that she was leaving her position. It was no surprise when Brian was appointed as her successor.

As the city's top public servant, Brian is responsible to the Mayor and Members of Council for the administration, coordination and direction of all the affairs of the Corporation in accordance with the policies established by Council. With six departments heads reporting to him including Planning and Development Services, Legal Services, Treasurer and Corporate Services, Utility Services, Community Services and Fire Services, no day is the same for Brian. He has attended every council meeting since 1995 and oversees the direction of over 1,275 city employees. Peterborough is a vibrant and diverse community of approximately 75,000 people that includes a large senior population as well as a growing number of young families. The city has a university as well as a college which brings a whole different dynamic to local governance.

Unheard of these days, Brian has spent his entire career on the second floor of city hall; thirty-five years to be exact. Having the opportunity to work with wonderful people and work with each new council as they have been elected has been a highlight for Brian.

Mark Law

GIS – Applications Specialist '94 - Technology

Over the last 17 years Mark has pioneered and been a leader on location and geo-centric technologies. Immediately after graduation, while employed by the Ontario MNR and in partnership with Environment Canada, coauthored the digital mapping standards for riverine and shoreline hazard lands. These standards were then used in the multimillion dollar provincial floodplain digital mapping program. Mark also led the provincial MNR implementation of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to support the provincial Great Lakes shoreline management program with Conservation Authorities, municipalities and Ministry of Natural Resource Districts.

Mark left the MNR to work with ESRI, the GIS software leader, to be the Global Manager of ArcForest, which is a GIS based application for sustainable forest land management developed for Ontario. Following ESRI, Mark co-founded his own company called Orcatec based in Victoria, BC. Orcatec consulted on the implementation of GIS, software and Internet technologies for a wide range of agencies in Canada, the US and overseas. Sample projects included the selection and implementation of GIS technologies for BC Forests, GIS for land management planning for the Yukon government, GIS implementation for the City of Victoria and Internet projects for the US Army Corps of Engineers. Orcatec beat out several larger companies to win a CIDA project to define how computer based systems could be used to cooperatively manage the Zambezi River Basin in Africa. Orcatec worked with the different federal governments, NGO's and villages involved for over two years to develop the first ever digital mapping framework for the basin.

Mark then worked on a consulting project with Wild Tangent to define map centric applications in Internet browser games. Along with the COO of Wild Tangent, he co-wrote the patent for electronic mapping on the internet which includes many of the components contained in online maps today. The patent was later bought by Google.

Mark then led product management and international deployment of Maps and Directions on MSN for Micorsoft. He was also part of a small team that wrote a "white paper" for Bill Gates called Virtual Earth. Mr. Gates picked up the project and with Mark as the group product manager, the team created what we now know as Bing Maps and new geo-visual innovations such as three dimensional aerial views called "Birds Eye". Mark was then recruited by Yahoo! At Yahoo! he was involved in the creation and deployment of the global mapping platform used to produce Yahoo! Maps and Local and by most of the Yahoo! Channels and Yahoo! Mobile. As the Director of Audience Centric Targeting, Mark lead product management for geo-targeting and behavioural targeting used in online advertising and then content targeting. Mark then moved on to become the Vice President of Product for MapQuest, a subsidiary of AOL, where he led the product team in a variety of consumer and enterprise product innovations in local content, mobile geo-applications and online map advertising.

He has recently returned to Microsoft. As a Principal PM, Mark is charged with the challenge of the next generation applications for search and social on MSN.

Kris Nahrgang

Social Service Worker '92 – Creative Arts & Design

Kris worked in a body shop for sixteen years before returning to school after his doctor recommended he change careers due to injuries sustained through repetitive strain. That first Christmas money was tight, so Kris decided to buy some soapstone and carve gifts. He continued to carve as a hobby throughout his time in school.

While on placement, Kris wrote a program for Native inmates, on how to better acclimatize them in the correctional system. The programming included traditional Native teaching, art programs and aftercare for when inmates were released. The program was implemented and Kris accepted a position to work at another institution to implement the program after convocation.

Kris also created a healing program that incorporated traditional carving, smudging and counselling. He ran the full-time, eight week program out of the Peterborough Native Friendship Centre. Kris states, "When you carve, your conscious takes a back seat and your subconscious comes forward. Any issue that you are dealing with can be transferred to the stone. When the piece is done, you can put the stone and the issue away."

Kris continued to work on his own art and it was becoming more renowned. His paintings and carvings became sought after commissions and are part of the personal collections of George Bush Senior, Prince Andrew, Nelson Mandela, Anne Murray and Bill Cosby. In 1994, Kris was selected as one of four Native Canadian artists to represent the country in France during the 50th anniversary celebrations of the battle of Normandy. The artists' works were on display for two weeks with over 110,000 people visiting the exhibit.

Kris now focuses full time on his art and his duties as the Chief of Kawartha Nishnawbe First Nation. On council for 23 years and Chief for the past 13 years, there is no core funding for the council, so Kris' work is done on a volunteer basis. Through his role he has assisted Trent University in the repatriation of native artifacts and was granted a permit to search for artifacts in Ontario by Parks Canada.

Kris is now working with the Discovery Channel to put together a 13 episode feature called "Ancestor's Speak", travelling the globe and documenting artifacts. Shooting will begin in spring of 2012.

Jim McMullen

Fish & Wildlife Technician '79 – Community Services

Jim began his career in enforcement shortly after graduation working as a deputy conservation officer and then as a park warden. In August 1981, he was appointed as an Ontario Conservation Officer working in Maple and Chapleau.

In 1989, Jim was transferred to Parry Sound where he has remained as the sole Conservation Officer for over 22 years. Responsible for enforcing hunting and fishing regulations as well as boating and liquor possession and consumption regulations, Jim's primary focus relates to commercial and sport fishing. Jim is responsible for approximately 120 miles of coast line.

Jim also serves as an in-service Firearms Instructor. He is also involved as a Marine Instructor training Conservation Officers, Park Wardens, OPP and York Region Police Officers. He is widely recognized as an expert in the field of large vessel operation and on-water safety.

Jim is also the provincial director for "A" Operations, leading a 19 person team that directs air operations and logistical aspects of fighting large forest fires. This includes preparing a briefing status, coordinating the fuelling and maintenance of up to 30 helicopters and organizing over 550 firefighters.

During his career Jim has received a number of awards and commendations including, the Marine Professional of the Year Award, Conservation Officer of the Year Award, two lifesaving awards and recently received his Peace Officer Exemplary Service Medal

Jim also sat on the Ontario Conservation Officers Association from 1984 to 2010. During his two terms leading the executive team, one of the important initiatives brought forward by Jim was the appointment of Conservation Officers under the Small Vessel Regulations, an important public safety statute. This event increased marine law enforcement presence by about 40%, the largest single increase of marine safety enforcement in Canada.