Alumni of Distinction

2008 Alumni of Distinction

                      Gary Heagle

Electronics and Computer Technician, 1978
Electronics and Computer Technologist, 1980

Since graduating from Durham College's Electronics and Computer Technologist program in 1980, Gary Heagle has continued to advise and champion the college's programs and students. He has been instrumental in the college's pursuit of provincial and national accreditation for its engineering programs through his roles as a program advisory committee member and an Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT) college liaison.

For 20 years Heagle has been employed with Bell Canada as a customer systems engineer (CSE). During this time he has been involved in the design and implementation of domestic and global networks, co-presented Bell Canada's design of the Hwy. 407 system at a CSE conference and spear-headed the consultation, design and sale of Internet connectivity for the Mosport Edenfest Rock Concert.

Heagle has been licensed amateur radio operator since 1975and is member of the Repeater Technical Committee, which provides support and maintenance to four VHF/UHF repeaters in the Durham Region. Since 2004 he has held the position of chairman for the annual Hamfest (Radio Flea Market),operated by the Oshawa and Pickering Amateur Radio Clubs.

                       Kristi Honey

         Business/Accounting, 2004

Kristi Honey graduated from Durham College's two-year Business program on the Dean's List and President's Honour Roll. As a student she worked full-time, holding numerous positions with a consulting firm while completing her studies part-time and via correspondence courses.

A demonstrated leader, Honey completed her Bachelor of Management (Business) from Athabasca University in 2005 and her Master's of Business Administration from the University of Canada West in 2007.During this time she established Lakeridge Consulting Services, which was acquired within a few years of operation and is now called Summit Group Software. She is currently president of Summit,as well as Dynamic Trainers Incorporated, another company she established. In addition to being president of the multimillion-dollar companies, she is the only person worldwide to be certified by Microsoft Corporation to deliver the Microsoft Dynamic Training Skills classes.

The mother of two small children, Honey is an active director on Brooklin Day Nursery's board of directors. She is responsible for many areas, including financial decision making, employee relations and health and safety issues.

                  Robert Malcolmsom

Business Administration/Accounting, 1970

A student during Durham College's first year of operation, Robert Malcolmson graduated from the three-year Business Administration/Accounting program in 1970.

Malcolmson was employed at Thomson Newspaper Corporation for20 years, starting out as an accountant at the Midland Free Press and finishing as the publisher and general manager at the Halton Hills Herald. For the past10 years he has been employed at the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce as the chief executive officer and general manager. In this position he has increased membership by 60 per cent, initiated and produced Oshawa's first Visitors Guide and changed the monthly board publication to a tabloid style with a distribution of more than 5,400to local businesses.

Whether hiring students for field placements, contract positions or creating student bursaries, Malcolmson has supported Durham College throughout his career. He is an active member of the community, holding a life membership with the Kinsmen Club of Georgetown and has been involved with groups including the United Way,Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

 
                   Patricia O'Connor

                      Nursing, 1976

Upon graduation from Durham College's Nursing program in 1976, Patricia O'Connor completed the Emergency Medical Care Attendant certification. She was a member of the first group of paramedics trained in Ontario and become the province's first female paramedic in 1978. Later that same year,she completed her flight paramedic training and became part of the first air ambulance team in Ontario.Early in her career she joined the St. John Ambulance para medical program servicing remote Canadian Artic communities. In 1989, O'Connor was involved ina plane crash while en route to Pelly Bay, Nunavut. Waiting to be rescued, she performed her nursing duties under extreme duress and received a commendation for her actions. Recognizing the need for additional health-care support, she established her own air ambulance company, Medflight, in 1995.

O'Connor has spent more that 20 years flying to remote villages in Canada's north,providing care to patients or stabilizing them in preparation for flights to receive treatment in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. During this time she has continued her training in various aspects of nursing. She has provided lectures across Canada and is a founding member of the Canadian Association of Aero-medical Transport,a national organization for the development and promotion of aero-medical services in Canada.

O'Connor was recognized for her outstanding career achievements when she was named to the Order of Canada on December 28, 2007.

                 Stephen Reynolds

Sports and Entertainment Administration, 1974

A graduate from Durham College programs, Sports and Entertainment Administration Stephen Reynolds has worked at the City of Pickering, providing exceptional recreation programs for the city's residents for more than 30 years.

He is currently the division head for the Culture and Recreation department and is responsible the strategic development of recreational and cultural opportunities for the community, maintenance of facilities and the day-to-day leadership and administration for the department.

 Reynolds has remained involved with Durham College since graduating, offering field placement opportunities to students and as a former member of the Sports Administration Advisory Committee. Also an active community member, he has been involved in numerous committees including the Society of Directors of Municipal Recreation, Big Brothers of Oshawa/Whitby,Kiwanis Club of Whitby and St. Mark's United Church.

                    Janice Tanton

                Graphic Design, 1985

Since graduating from Durham College's Graphic Design program in1985, Janice Tanton has sold her artwork in more than 800 galleries throughout Canada and the United States. She has also licensed her images to The Bradford Exchange for collector plates and to clothing stores including Northern Reflections and Northern Elements.

Currently the program manager for Aboriginal Leadership and Management at The Banff Centre, she was responsible for designing a teepee for the centre's 75^th anniversary celebrations. She was recently recognized for this contribution at a ceremony held by a local native elder. Tanton and her family were adopted by the community and Tanton was given a Blackfoot name and accepted as the elder's daughter within the community.

Since 1989, Tanton has also managed her own art publishing and design company.

Her success as an entrepreneur led to an invitation to attend the first ever 1999 Canada/USA Business women's Trade Summit as a delegate. She also received a nomination for the Rotman Women Entrepreneur of the Year in 2001.

Tanton is an active volunteer in her community and through the college and her community provides mentorship and instruction to Canadian artists and youth.