Fanshawe College Alumni News Issue 30 by Fanshawe Alumni and Advancement

ISSUE 30 • 2013

FANSHAWE COLLEGE

Photo: Claus Andersen (Photography ’78)

Damian Warner explodes onto IN SID E :

world stage in Olympic debut.

Alumni Survey: Let us know what you think and you could win! (Page 3) Distinguished Alumni Awards: Six recipients honoured at awards gala (Page 11) Alumni PERKS: Save money with exclusive discounts and benefits (Page 20) UFC Knockout: Sam Stout’s stellar career in mixed martial arts (Page 28)

Table of Contents:

Publication Date: January 2013 Fanshawe College Alumni News Editor Graphic Design

Si Design

Fanshawe Photographers

Student Business Incubator: Biz Inc.......................................... 7

John Sing Agata Lesnik

Alumni PERKS Alumni Associate Executive Director, Advancement & Alumni

The HR Lowdown on HRdownloads......................................... 4

Michael Wickett

Tim Ambrose Renee Crowe

Cover: Warner Rises to the Top................................................. 8 2012 Distinguished Alumni Recipients.................................... 11 LCF Creates Student Athlete Bursary..................................... 19

Catherine Finlayson

Fanshawe College Alumni Association Board of Directors:

PERKS – Discounts and Deals for Alumni............................... 20

John Yandreski (President), Jon Aristone (Past President), Gail Malcolm (Vice President), Joe Morrison (Treasurer), Michael Wickett (Secretary), Eileen Armstrong, Zack Dodge (FSU President), Colleen Breen, Veronica Barahona, Mandy Bennett, Joseph DunlopAddley, Catherine Finlayson, Brenda Fontana, Kacey German, Tim Wharton, Julie Yagi-Fornos.

Chief of Wow, Andrew Schiestel............................................ 22

Alumni News is published twice a year by the Fanshawe College Alumni Association and the Fanshawe College Office of Advancement & Alumni. It is distributed free to Fanshawe College alumni. Others may subscribe for $10 per year, plus HST. This publication is available in an alternate format. For information, please contact the Alumni Office.

From London to London: Urban design with Julie Greer........ 26 Sam Stout’s Knockout UFC Career.......................................... 28 Alumni Feature: Brandon Doneff............................................. 30 24

Keep In Touch / In Memoriam / Alumni Board......................... 31

About our Contributors:

Publication of information about individuals, organizations or companies does not imply endorsement by Fanshawe College or the Fanshawe College Alumni Association. We welcome, but cannot be held responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, or artwork. Please enclose a self-addressed envelope with sufficient postage for return. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the publisher’s written consent. Fanshawe College Alumni Association Room K1011, 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P. O. Box 7005 London, Ontario, Canada N5Y 5R6 Tel: 519-452-4285 Out-of-town: 800-661-ALUM Fax: 519-452-1051 E-mail: alumni@fanshawec.ca Website: www.fanshaweforever.ca Mailed under Publications Mail Agreement Number 40063557

Two Hungry Hearts Create a Travel Legacy............................. 24

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Maureen SpencerGolovchenko is an IABCaccredited communications professional, freelance writer and Community Collaboration Program Manager for Pillar Nonprofit Network in London.

Dave McLaughlin A former air force meteorologist and TV journalist, Dave McLaughlin now applies his technical knowledge, strategic insight and communication prowess as a copywriter and online content strategist at ROCKET Copywriting & Marketing.

Wendy Haaf is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in a number of local and national publications, including Today’s Parent, Good Times, More (Canada) and Canadian Living.

Carrie Galsworthy graduated from Fanshawe College in 2012 with a Graduate Certificate in Corporate Communication and Public Relations. She is now teaching Business Communications and Writing for Public Relations at Fanshawe.

Jay Menard Content strategist by day, man-aboutmultiple-media by night, husband and father always, Jay has two decades of media and corporate communications under his belt, covering everything from politics to hockey to business communications. www.jaymenard.com

Nicole Laidler is a freelance writer and copywriter and the owner of Spilled Ink Writing & Wordsmithing. Visit her at www.spilledink.ca

F ROM T H E E D ITO R Welcome to the 30th issue of Fanshawe College’s Alumni News. Your alumni magazine has celebrated the success of Fanshawe graduates for more than fifteen years. As a graduate myself, it’s an honour to be a part of the team that brings you this collection of inspiring stories. Our staff and contributing writers have done an amazing job. As you can imagine, with more than 148,000 Fanshawe alumni living and working around the world it’s no easy task choosing the stories that you’ll find on these pages. You may have seen Damian Warner (Business Foundations ‘10) competing in the London 2012 Summer Olympics. His athletic achievements are remarkable, but his personal journey is even more inspiring (page 8). Read about Julie Greer’s (Urban Design ‘80) urban planning career that has taken her around the world (page 26). Finally, our 2012 Fanshawe College Distinguished Alumni Awards recipients (page 11) are some of the finest examples of the power and impact of a Fanshawe College education you will find. Sharing these stories with you has certainly made my first issue as Editor an exciting experience. I’d love to hear your feedback on this issue. See below for the many ways to get in touch.

we’ll be able to tell more great stories and allow you to connect the way you want to. Keep an eye on fanshaweforever.ca for updates. Speaking of changes, we need your help. The Fanshawe College Alumni Association is conducting a survey of graduates and we’d like your input. Your answers will help us provide better services and benefits, communicate more effectively and add more value to your certificate, diploma or degree. The survey only takes ten minutes and you’ll be entered into a draw for a chance to win some outstanding prizes. Visit www.fanshawec.ca/alumnisurvey to get started. Finally, thank you for reading Alumni News. You, along with over 148,000 other alumni, truly are Fanshawe College. You shape our collective future through your voice, participation and support. You were once a student but you are Fanshawe College Alumni Forever! Michael Wickett, Editor (Music Industry Arts ’04)

Let us know what you think Send email to alumni@fanshawec.ca

Over the next year, stay tuned for some changes in the way we keep you connected. We’ll continue to publish Alumni News bi-annually, but we’ll also start sharing more content online. Producing a print magazine takes a lot of resources and by embracing the web,

Update your address and submit a class note at www.fanshawec.ca/alumni @fanshawealumni facebook.com/fanshawealumni Are you a writer? We’re accepting story pitches!

Complete our alumni survey for a chance to win! We’ve got questions about your time at Fanshawe as a student and your feelings as a graduate. The survey takes 8 to 10 minutes to complete. Answers are anonymous (you’ll be able to enter the draw using a separate form after completing the survey) and we’ll use the responses to improve the ways we keep you connected to Fanshawe College.

There are 19 prizes available to be won: • 2 iPads • 2 $100 Visa gift cards • 5 $50 Chapters gift cards • 10 Cineplex “Night Out” movie packages

The survey closes on January 31, 2013. Winners will be notified by February 8, 2013. See the official contest rules online. Thanks for helping to make Fanshawe College even better!

Take the alumni survey at www.fanshawec.ca/alumnisurvey

FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS ISSUE-30 2013

The HR Lowdown on HRdownloads By: Dave McLaughlin

John Hill

To develop an understanding of the inner workings of a successful business, it makes a lot of sense to talk to the people who work there. When that company offers web-based human resource research and advising for businesses, talking to their human resources makes all the more sense. And after sitting down with three of the skyrocketing London dotcom’s bright shining lights, the impression is one of a business that is succeeding in large part by walking the talk. Three years ago, John Hill (Business Marketing ‘08 / Business Administration Marketing ‘09), was on the sales floor working the phones. Today he is marketing coordinator and responsible for all of the warm leads generated by Internet marketing. “The sales game has really changed a lot in a very short time; SEO, SEM, Google AdWords, – we’ve come a long way from straight cold calling. Now it’s all about generating highly qualified, inbound leads that are primed for the easy close. That’s what I do.”

• Ranked a Profit Magazine Hot 50 company • One of the Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces™ • Recognized as one of the Best Workplaces in Canada by the Great Place to Work Institute and Your Workplace magazine

And he does it well. In 2012, his efforts helped HRdownloads reach over $4 million in sales. Not bad for a guy just three years out of college. But he is quick to sharel the credit. “I couldn’t be doing this without what I learned at Fanshawe,” he says. “In particular I have to single out Liz Gray, my SEM (Search Engine Marketing) professor. She taught me everything I know about Google AdWords, a course that – as far as I know – other schools weren’t even offering at the time.” [LINK TO SIDEBAR: Liz Gray]

Business Marketing Liz Gray Professor, Lawrence Kinlin School of Business Liz Gray is a faculty member with the Lawrence Kinlin School of Business at Fanshawe College where she teaches Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Google Analytics (GA) courses in which students benefit from hands-on applied learning. GA students are partnered with businesses to analyze their web traffic patterns and make recommendations for site design improvements and search engine optimization. SEM students create and run a pay per click advertising campaign for their partner businesses through the Google Online Marketing Challenge, an international competition with over 10,000 entrants.

When asked about HRdownload’s success, John says, “it’s a 50/50 thing. Fifty per cent recruiting; 50 per cent company culture.” “They hire great people and they inspire them to do well for the company by making them like working here. It’s simple really – and it makes sense. As long as we stay true to these ideals – great people, great place to work – we will continue to see consistent growth.”

“The analyst program was great because it was right up to speed on the technology. I basically walked out of school and into my job using exactly the same tools. But in my role here, the soft skills I learned really help too. Not just database design and testing, but real business management skills like organization, scheduling, planning and business communication.” Nobody really has to know the business better than Jeremy. In a place where everything is IT, it is not enough for the “computer guy” to just make the computers work, he also has to possess intimate strategic knowledge of what the computers are supposed to be doing and what the goals of the processes are. He says it’s a challenging job, but that’s part of what makes HRdownloads a good place to be.

John also acknowledges that company founder and CEO, Tony Boyle (Web Design ’02 / Animation ‘02) had a great idea. “The Internet is a boon to the efficiency of business operations in that it allows for a massive centralization of resources. Knowing this, Tony found a hole in the marketplace and here we are.”

Information Technology

Talking to John, one begins to understand that IT isn’t just the product at a place like HRdownloads; it is also the way you move product. From the first point of contact with a prospect, through conversion, through product delivery, through after-sale service, IT has become the lifeblood of this kind of business. And the IT nerd, far from the on-call cubicle-dweller of yore, is now a versatile front-and-centre generalist cue Jeremy McIvor (Computer Programmer Analyst ‘09).

Garth Santor is a faculty member with the Information Technology Division at Fanshawe College where he teaches C++ Programming, Object-Oriented Design, Design Patterns, 3D-Graphics, and Concurrent Programming courses to the students of the Computer Programmer Analyst (CPA2) program. The CPA program is one of the original laptop based programs at Fanshawe that emphasizes a hands-on industry experience. Fanshawe is also one of two colleges with SharcNet, one of the fastest supercomputing clusters in Canada.

“I am in charge of everything IT,” says Jeremy. From maintaining web presence to automating and tracking systems that rang from sale cycle monitoring processes to document download and e-commerce transactions, Jeremy is the guy.

Hired as a software developer back in 2009, he, like John, sings the praises of the education he received at Fanshawe, especially the soft skills that accompanied his computer training.

Jeremy McIvor

Garth Santor Professor, School of Information Technology

FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS ISSUE-30 2013

Brittany Rogers

“This is a work-hard/play-hard environment. There is a lot of positive energy here and people are like family. We thrive because Tony has taken this great idea and wrapped it in young, talented people.” Another one of those “young, talented people” is newly promoted Director of Sales, Brittany Rogers (Fitness and Health Promotion ’04). A living, breathing testament to the virtue of versatility and focus, Brittany was promoted to Director of Sales after working as HRdownloads’ Manager of Training and Development. Like her co-workers, she is quick to credit the culture of her work environment for both the company’s rapid ascent – and hers. “This is a great place to work because people are motivated and care about its success. In fact, we were just acknowledged as one of The Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces in Canada.” Obviously as sales director, encouraging and facilitating employee engagement is an important part of Brittany’s job. She says her education really helped her do this; and it is an education that, interestingly enough, is not necessarily in line with what one would expect for an on-fire sales director at a Profit Magazine Top 50 company. With a diploma in Fitness and Health Promotion, she is representative of a movement that sees business looking beyond specific titles, diplomas and degrees to focus instead on hiring just the right person. “When you think about it, an education in Fitness and Health Promotion is a perfect fit for a sales director. If you had to isolate the top two tactics most important for fitness success, you could make a good argument that they would be goal setting and motivation,” she says. “Well guess what the two most important tactics for the success of a sales force are? I actually have the perfect education for my job.”

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Her time at Fanshawe also imparted a strong sense of how to approach working with diverse individuals and personality types in a team. Most people approach things in different ways, and Brittany understands that different people need to be informed and motivated in different ways. Her experience in this regard is deeply personal and she is very open about how Fanshawe helped her understand the importance of helping people by addressing their unique style, talents and ways of doing things. “I really have a soft spot for Fanshawe because the staff and faculty allowed me to do things my way and they saw me as a whole person and recognized my potential. It is the same way here at HRdownloads.” There is no question that HRdownloads is doing lots right; and, at least according to the inside lowdown provided by these three grads, Fanshawe College is doing lots right as well. The success of the symbiotic relationship that has emerged between these two organizations really shouldn’t surprise: a place with a mandate to optimize human resources fueling its rocket from a place with a mandate to create optimal human resources. How could it not work? And one gets the feeling that – despite the seemingly weekly accolades that also fuel this rocket – this young team has only just begun.

Student Success Shelley Reynolds Accessibility Services Coordinator Shelley Reynolds is a counsellor working with students in Counselling and Accessibility Services. There are approximately 2200 students at Fanshawe College who require various learning accommodations. Accessibility Services provides support to these students. Such support may include counselling, peer assistance, academic and test accommodations, adaptive technology and learning strategies.

Making Dollars and Sense with BizInc at Fanshawe

Left above: John Pollock, Director of BizInc. Middle: Nicole Patrick and Julie Cakiroglu from ‘Cup My Cake,’ a student run cupcake catering business. Right: Thomas Briginshaw. Photos courtesy of BizInc.

BizInc is a newcomer to Fanshawe, and brings more value to students’ tuition dollars. Available to Fanshawe College and Western University students, BizInc is an incubator program that helps students start a business and contribute to Canada’s economic engine. At Fanshawe since November 2011, BizInc is a free service for any registered student. It assists students in turning an idea for a business into a workable plan by means of education, skills training, networking, mentoring, and tangible office support systems. For Dan Ninclaus, the advisor at BizInc, these services are at the heart of the power in this venture. His goal is “to help students avoid going to the school of hard knocks on every single gesture in building a business or starting a business. Because each time they [go there], they have to reach into their pocket, pay for the mistake, and of course that is going to affect the success or profitability of whatever they’re trying to do.” At the time of writing, BizInc has helped with 45 projects from all over the college including Fashion and Design, Tourism and Hospitality, Building Technology, and the Lawrence Kinlin School of Business. BizInc works one-on-one with the students who have an idea for starting a business: beginning with developing a business or strategic plan and, in some cases, carrying through to market. And if BizInc does not have the answer to an industry-specific question, the students will be connected with the people who do.

By: Carrie Galsworthy

In addition to working with individual projects, BizInc will offer a series of workshops throughout the school year on image management, legal services, accounting and finance, and small business successes and failures. BizInc also hosts ‘StartMeUp,’ a networking opportunity with a keynote speaker, food, and a cash bar. Fanshawe’s StartMeUp events will be held throughout the year in the Alumni Lounge on the second floor of the FSU Student Centre. The ultimate goal for BizInc is to build a community of mentors from Fanshawe’s alumni in order to add to the learning cycle of the college. There is a real advantage for students to work with a mentor who is willing to share his or her experience, according to Ninclaus; the mentor has no emotional or financial stake in the outcome and can give real-world, practical advice. Alumni who are interested in sharing their business experience with a student – whether in general business or in a specific aspect, whether one-on-one with a student or to offer a keynote address – can contact Dan Ninclaus at bizinc@fanshawec.ca or 519-453-3720. There is also an opportunity to be involved at Fanshawe’s regional campuses in Simcoe, St. Thomas, Tillsonburg, or Woodstock. You can follow BizInc on Facebook or Twitter (@BizIncLondon). BizInc is on the web at www.bizinc.ca.

FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS ISSUE-30 2013

Warner rises to the top By: Kevin Glew

Damian Warner has exploded onto the world track and field stage with his impressive achievements in the decathlon

The winner of the Olympic decathlon is traditionally heralded as the world’s greatest athlete. If that’s the case, Damian Warner, who graduated from Business Foundations at Fanshawe in 2010, is the fifth-best athlete on the planet. In a star-making performance at the Olympic Summer games in London in August 2012, the lean 22-year-old placed fifth in the decathlon and registered personal bests in six of the 10 events. Raised in the Kipps Lane area in London ON, Damian had little time for sports as a teenager because he was responsible for picking up his younger siblings from school. But once his sister was old enough to look after his younger brother, Damian played high school basketball at Montcalm Secondary School in Grades 10 and 11. After Damian’s hoops season in Grade 11, his coaches Dennis Nielson and Gar Leyshon persuaded him to try track and field. The talented teen started with long jump, triple jump and high jump, before becoming a sprinter the following year. Leyshon still remembers Damian’s first 100-metre race at a London meet. “All of the sprinters were out there in their tights and Damian is out there in his basketball shorts and we borrowed a set of spikes from somebody,” recalls Leyshon. “And the starter says, ‘On your mark, get set, go.’ And Damian beat everybody by about 15 metres.”

photos courtesy of Claus Andersen (Photography ’78)

don’t have to. But I just put everything into it and it worked out.” Nielson and Leyshon have worked diligently to ensure that Damian has received proper training. Now part of the London-Western Track and Field Club, Damian is also coached by Vickie Croley and Dave Collins. “I wouldn’t have a career if it wasn’t for them [Nielson and Leyshon],” says Damian. “Anything I’ve ever needed, they’ve helped me with and they’ve never asked for a thing.” In his first major decathlon, Damian placed second at the Canadian National Track and Field Championships in 2010. He followed that up the next year with a gold medal at the same event and by placing 18th at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea. Damian captured gold at the nationals again in 2012 and was ranked 24th in his event heading into the Olympics. “Everybody thought Gar and I were crazy before the Olympics, because we had told so many people that he was a dark horse and that he had a chance to medal if he does what we think he can do,” says Nielson. “The irony is, if he ran the hurdles race that he’s capable of running – which is normally his best event – he would’ve won the bronze.”

The idea of becoming a decathlete was first broached with Damian in 2008, but he didn’t embrace the multi-sport event until 2010.

Despite hitting a hurdle in the 110-metre event, Damian put together his best performance in front of 80,000 fans – including Nielson, Leyshon and his parents – in Olympic Stadium. He registered 8,442 points – topping his personal best by 335 points.

“I hated it at first,” says Damian. “I mean nobody wants to train for the 400 [metre race] and for the 1,500 when you

“In terms of his mental disposition, Damian doesn’t get rattled,” says Nielson. “He’s calm. He’s confident in himself and

ISSUE-30 2013 FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS

he’s got an unbelievable amount of poise for a kid who’s only 22 and has only been doing this for 2-1/2 years. That was evident at the London Games.” And life has changed for Damian since he has returned home from the Olympics. “A lot of places I go, people will notice me or walk up to me and say, ‘We watched your event at three in the morning. Congratulations!’” he says. Damian has resumed training and is aiming to improve on his Olympic performance at next year’s world championships. He also plans to return to the business program at Fanshawe in the future. With his Olympic success, he believes his education will help him understand the sponsorship opportunities that are bound to come his way. “After my track and field career, my education at Fanshawe will also help me find a job,” he says. Damian is already looking forward to the 2016 Olympics in Rio. “When we first started the decathlon, we set some big goals: the first was to make the Olympics in 2012 and then get a gold medal at Rio,” says Damian. “So we made the Olympics in 2012 and finished better than we expected. So there’s no reason not to think that I can’t win a gold medal in Rio.” Leyshon agrees. “Someday he’s going to be the best in the world. There’s no question in my mind at all,” he says. Damian Warner is looking for sponsors to help with his training expenses. Please contact Gar Leyshon at 519-430-1191 for more information.

FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS ISSUE-30 2013

INSPIRE THE FUTURE “Mentorship Is An Investment Professionals Can Make Today To Cultivate The Leaders Of Tomorrow.” — Larry Myny, Mentor Now accepting mentor applications for Fall 2013. Find out more at: www.mentoringfanshawe.com

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Distinguished Alumni Awards 2012 The Distinguished Alumni Awards program recognizes exemplary alumni who have used their skills to improve themselves, their career field, their community, and the world. Fanshawe College and the Alumni Association are pleased to honour the 2012 recipients for their leadership, innovation and success.

Sponsored by:

FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS ISSUE-30 2013

Business

Don Mumford

Don Mumford, Regional Vice-President, Radio & TV Operations – Bell Media Broadcasting Television, 1979

In January of 2012, Don Mumford was named one of five senior managers overseeing Bell Media’s local broadcast properties – Canada’s largest system of television and radio stations. His appointment was the culmination of a 30-year career that has seen him work in virtually all facets of the industry. Among his many accomplishments, Don’s leadership has enabled CTV London’s Evening News to achieve record viewership and ensured strong support for the community through continued assistance of the non-profit sector and the promotion of cultural diversity. Don currently sits on the boards of the popular Sunfest festival, the Southwest Economic Alliance, and Fanshawe College’s Capital Campaign Cabinet. Sponsored by: 14 ISSUE-30 2013 FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS

Technology

John Rasenberg

John Rasenberg, Founder – J.M.R. Electric Ltd. (Electrical and Mechanical Contractors) Electrical Engineering Technician, 1975

John has used his Fanshawe credentials to build a thriving business that employs over 300 people. Since its inception in 1978, JMR Electric has been involved in many high- profile projects across Ontario, including work on the Windsor Regional Hospital, Trenton Hanger #1, London Police Headquarters, Barrie Water Pollution Control Centre and Fanshawe’s ‘R‘ Residence. John is an active community leader; he was a co-manager of the Exeter Sponsored by: Jr. D Hawks hockey team for many years and the coach of the men’s premier division soccer team, the Exeter Centennials. John is also a valued member of both the Canadian Construction Association and the London District Construction Association. He also supports Fanshawe and its students, offering apprenticeship positions and hiring many graduates.

FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS ISSUE-30 2013

Recent Graduate

Damian Warner

Damian Warner, Decathlete Business Foundations, 2010

Damian has already achieved Olympian success in his life. In fact, he took fifth place in the Decathlon at the 2012 Olympics in London, just a year after his first international competition in the sport. Damian has an inspiring story. He endured a difficult childhood that often put family obligations ahead of academics, but discovered his true strength and confidence through sports. He has used that confidence to become a world-class athlete and a tremendous role model for other young people. He regularly speaks in schools, encouraging kids to work hard, believe in themselves, and be their best. Sponsored by: 16 ISSUE-30 2013 FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS

Creative Arts & Design

Jennifer Wells

Jennifer Wells, Founder â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Line Knitwear/John & Jen Fashion Design, 1993

Over the past 20 years, Jennifer has made a prominent name for herself in the very competitive fashion industry. After owning her own clothing store, she and partner John Muscat developed a unique and exciting new approach to knitwear through their company, Line Knitwear, which launched in 2000. Lineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collections have taken the fashion world by storm, winning praise on runways and in the media, and selling in over 700 retail stores in 26 countries. Despite her status as a fashion superstar, Jennifer continues to give back to her industry, sitting on advisory boards for several fashion schools, including Seneca College and The Academy of Design. Sponsored by:

FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS ISSUE-30 2013

Put your family’s minds at ease.

Whatever the future brings, you can be prepared with Alumni Term Life Insurance. • Available exclusively to alumni at affordable rates. • Same great rates apply for spouses. • Choose from $35,000 to $770,000 in coverage. • Save 10% if you have $280,000 or more in coverage.

Visit manulife.com/fanshawemag to get a free quote, apply online, and learn about the other alumni insurance products available to you. Or call 1-888-913-6333 toll-free to speak to a licensed insurance advisor.

ALUMNI

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TERM LIFE INSURANCE

18 ISSUE-30 2013 FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS Manulife, Manulife Financial, the Manulife Financial For Your Future logo and the Block Design are trademarks of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company and are used by it, and by its affiliates under license.

London Community Foundation Creates Canada Summer Games Award

The 2001 Canada Summer Games brought together citizens from five communities to work toward a common goal – a celebration of sport at its best. Now, more than a decade later, young athletes at Fanshawe College are benefiting from the buzz created around this major event held in southwestern Ontario. The August 2001 games were organized by the “London Alliance” – the communities of London, St. Thomas, Woodstock, and Grand Bend, and Western University. More than 16,000 people watched the opening ceremonies live, 6,500 volunteers participated, and nearly 3,500 athletes competed in the days that followed. The TD Waterhouse Stadium at Western and the Canada Games Aquatic Centre in northwest London are part of the tangible legacy of the Games. But the organizers went a step further: they created a permanent endowment at London Community Foundation to support and promote amateur athletics in the communities of the Alliance.

You can help! Did you know you can support Fanshawe students directly through awards and bursaries like this one? Visit www.fanshawec.ca/foundation for more information.

Now the revenue from the fund is being distributed through Community Foundations in each of the partner communities. In London, the money has been used to create a new student bursary fund at Fanshawe College. The bursaries will support students entering their first year who participate in a College sport. “The objective of the fund was to keep the spirit of the Games alive in our communities,” says Martha Powell, CEO of the London Community Foundation. “I’m excited that we’re able to do that through this bursary, which will continue to benefit Fanshawe students for many years to come. I hope that the students will understand they are benefiting from a legacy created through a wonderful community effort.”

FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS ISSUE-30 2013

ey e on siv m clu ve ex ts! Sa ith un w isco d

Being a Fanshawe College Alumni member certainly has its PERKS! Our Alumni PERKS program gives you access to exclusive pricing on products, memberships, services and attractions. Our PERKS partners, which include Budweiser Gardens, The Buffalo Bills, The Toronto Raptors, The Grand Theatre, The Stratford Festival and many more, have generously designed a variety of discounts specifically for Fanshawe graduates. With more than 25 exclusive offers, we have PERKS for everyone!

Meet Tim Ambrose Alumni Outreach Coordinator Corporate Communication and Public Relations ‘05

Since joining Fanshawe’s Advancement & Alumni team in May of 2012, I’ve hit the ground running by creating more opportunities for you to save money with our PERKS program. In the past six months alone, we’ve added more than 25 exclusive new discount offers with a variety of exciting partners, including the Buffalo Bills, the Grand Theatre, Budweiser Gardens, and many, many more. I’m pounding the pavement every day to find more exclusive deals on amazing products and services for our Alumni so be sure to visit our PERKS website regularly for new offers!

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Give Back to Fanshawe Simply by Using Your PERKS Card! Using your PERKS card also helps current Fanshawe students! We’ve established agreements with several of our PERKS partners, including Advantage InTravel, Johnson Insurance, and Manulife Financial. This means that every time you access a PERKS offer, not only are you taking advantage of an exclusive deal, but a portion of your purchase is also contributed to Fanshawe College by our partner. Funds generated through PERKS go directly into Fanshawe College Foundation to support student and alumni events, awards and scholarships and other Fanshawe-related activities. So please, enjoy the PERKS of being an Alumni of Fanshawe College and sign up for your card today!

Get your PERKS card today at www.fanshaweforever.ca

Visit our website for complete details of each PERK. www.fanshawec.ca/alumni/perks

Fanshawe College Alumni receive 10% off Continuing Education Courses!

OFF

www.fanshawec.ca/ce

FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS ISSUE-30 2013

An Unconventional

Approach That Works

You may not recognize tbk Creative by name, but if you’ve spent any time in London over the past few years you’ll definitely recognize their work. The web design and social media marketing agency counts some of the city’s most recognizable brands among its clients, including the Western Fair District, Libro Financial Group, London Health Sciences Foundation, Crabby Joe’s and Scholar’s Choice. Not bad for a company that launched in 2010, especially when you consider that neither partner has a marketing degree, or any agency experience. In fact, tbk Creative co-founder and Chief of WOW! Projects, Andrew Schiestel, is a 2004 graduate of Fanshawe College’s Police Foundations program. His first career goal was to play professional pool. Schiestel got hooked on the game in his early teens, and quickly became one of the top junior players in Canada. “In my teenage mind I had the concentrated goal of becoming a professional 9-ball or snooker player and was practicing four to six hours every day,” says the St. Thomas, Ontario native. “At that time I developed the habit of working really hard to go out and get whatever I wanted.” A loss at the World Junior 9-ball championship in Osaka, Japan was the reality check Schiestel needed to start thinking about a more conventional job. “I was 18 and knew I had to pick something,” he remembers. “I always admired police officers for the courage that it takes to do what they do, and the honour that comes with that, so I decided to go into policing.” 22 ISSUE-30 2013 FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS

By Nicole Laidler

Schiestel almost became an auxiliary OPP officer, but missed his second job interview when he was stopped for speeding. Already earning “decent money” playing online poker, he changed career paths once again, deciding to explore his interest in entrepreneurship. “I guess because of my age I wanted to try a whole bunch of different things,” reflects the 30-year-old. “But I wanted to be the best at whatever I did. I think that was the underlying theme.” He also wanted to do something that would make a difference. Inspired by the movie Pay It Forward, Schiestel and friends Misha Allard and Melissa McInerney developed a gift card that could track random acts of kindness online. After raising more than $200,000 in start-up capital, the original incarnation of Tagged By Kindness was born. Launched in 2008, the company marketed the gift cards as a school fundraising product. “We’d pitch it to principals and they loved it,” says Schiestel. But while school officials embraced the concept, children had a hard time explaining how the cards worked to their parents – the end consumers. Disappointing sales compounded by the economic downturn forced the Tagged By Kindness team to re-evaluate. “We had built a hybrid social networking website called Tagged By Kindness that allowed people to go [online] and track random acts of kindness, so we were very ahead of the game,” Schiestel notes. “You have to remember that back in 2008 and 2009 social media wasn’t what it is today. In the corporate world there

wasn’t even a common understanding of what social media was, and certainly there wasn’t the buy-in that there is today.” Schiestel and McInervey decided to build on their Tagged By Kindness experience. They re-launched as tbk Creative, a web design and marketing agency that would harness the power of social media to help brands grow. Allard moved to Toronto to pursue a career in marketing.

Setting measurable goals at the outset of every project is an important part of the tbk Creative approach, says Schiestel. “A website actually needs to create leads which translate into revenue,” he notes. “A lot of agencies have a hard time figuring out how to build a site that drives higher performance and how to measure it.”

That was in January, 2010. The company had a new name, a new focus, and a new product – but no portfolio.

That commitment to results, and Schiestel’s infectious energy, led North Star Windows & Doors to choose tbk Creative as their full service Agency of Record.

Schiestel decided to start at the top, offering a discount on tbk Creative services to several well-known London institutions. “I’m accountable for getting new business for tbk, and in 2010 I knew we needed to work with local brands that are really recognizable,” he says.

The company’s new website, launched this summer, does not simply showcase the North Star product line. It’s also designed to help customers find dealers, who are located throughout Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec and the northern United States.

Western University’s Brescia University College took Schiestel up on his offer, hiring tbk Creative to build a small website for one of their foundations. That led to an invitation to bid on an RFP (Request for Proposal) for a print project. “I had no idea what an RFP was, but I knew we would figure it out and would bid on it,” Schiestel remembers with a laugh.

“We wanted to help both our dealers and the end consumer learn more about us, and not simply depend on our dealers to drive business to us,” explains North Star CEO, Lorne Girard.

When they lost, Schiestel called the marketing director to ask for critical feedback. A second RFP bid was also unsuccessful. The third time was the charm, with tbk Creative winning a tender to create a recruitment video for Brescia University College, Huron University College and Kings University College. “We were less than six months old and had a client list of Brescia, Huron, and Kings,” says Schiestel. “Since then, the way we’ve built tbk Creative hasn’t been dramatically different: do great work for clients, make sure other people know about the great work you do, and that will lead to more business. It’s a powerful concept called leverage.” When Siskinds The Law Firm wanted to use social media to build awareness about a national class action suit against Bayer with respect to two contraceptive pills, a trusted associate suggested tbk Creative. “They understand the world of social media and really know the audience,” notes Laurie Hause, director of technology and marketing at Siskinds LLP. “Andrew is very out-of-the-box, and I liked the work they had done to date. Nobody was doing the same.” Siskinds’ Take Your Body Back Facebook campaign was launched October 1, 2010. The first social media initiative of its kind in the legal industry, it quickly met and exceeded all initial expectations. The campaign also put tbk Creative on the national map, attracting considerable press coverage and winning the award for best social media campaign in the legal field in 2011 at the Internet Advertising Competition 2012.

“We’ve been around a long time as a company and had done things in a very traditional way. I wanted to look at things from a new vantage point, and take a unique approach,” he says. “What I liked about [tbk Creative] is they pushed us into thinking in a different way.”

“I think fear is the great paralyser of people’s dreams coming true. I would say fear is normal. The goal should be to look

your fear in the eyes, get Taking an unconventional comfortable with that approach seems to feeling, and act anyways.” come naturally to Schiestel, who has – Andrew Schiestel no regrets about his unusual career path. “Some people know what they want to do in high school. I wanted to try out a lot of different things,” he says. “I think fear is the great paralyser of people’s dreams coming true,” he continues. “I would say fear is normal. It’s in all of us, including myself each and every day. The goal should be to look your fear in the eyes, get comfortable with that feeling, and act anyways.”

FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS ISSUE-30 2013

“Students are hungry for different experiences, and Europe is a great teacher it opens your heart, mind and soul to a new way of living, and that in turn will enrich our community.” – Ann McColl Lindsay

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Two Hungry Hearts Leave a Lasting Legacy for London

By Maureen Spencer Golovchenko

Believing travel is an education unto itself, lively London entrepreneurs Ann McColl Lindsay and David Lindsay plan to enrich the lives of a new generation of young people who share their passions for gardens, marketplaces, food and cooking, by providing travel bursaries to support Fanshawe College students in their vocational learning. By making a bequest in their will of $100,000 to the Fanshawe College Foundation, the Lindsays will continue to support their favourite causes long after their passing, by enabling a new generation to experience life abroad, as they did in their youth. As a young married couple in 1968, David and Ann resigned their secure jobs as teachers, sold their home and furniture, cashed in savings and made plans to spend it all on a year of camping across Europe. “It was a time of ferment and adventure, without the economic worries of today,” recalls Ann. “We were influenced by The Graduate and wanted to break out of our safe and predictable routine.” With degrees in English Literature, the couple imagined travelling from village to town in their Volkswagen van visiting the birthplaces of great writers and poets, such as Sir Walter Scott, Lord Byron, Burns and Shelley. Little did the adventurous pair know their lives and careers would be fully transformed before their return to Canada in 1969. Throughout their yearlong jaunt across the United Kingdom and Europe, David and Ann lived life on life’s terms, consuming every new cultural experience with hungry hearts - eventually infusing poetry into their lives - rather than just reading about it. The freedom of the open road introduced the couple to new foods, new recipes and new approaches to marketing and eating. But not everything was new - Ann and David also visited a number of heritage gardens and historic kitchens and came to appreciate the connection between the two. And, before journey’s end, Ann fell in love with the beauty of kitchenware. So, instead of resuming careers in education, David and Ann embraced a newfound love of culinary arts, and together launched Ann McColl’s Kitchen Shop, which flourished and influenced countless households for more than 30 years.

Now in retirement, the Lindsays reflect on their motivation to leave a legacy for future Fanshawe College students enrolled in programs associated with horticulture, hospitality and tourism. “Travelling abroad positively changed our lives, and if we had children, we would want them to share similar experiences,” notes David. “So, the goal of our bequest is to promote travel as an educational tool for students – knowing they will bring back to London the same enthusiasm for life that we did.” Ann agrees. “Students are hungry for different experiences and Europe is a great teacher – it opens your heart, mind and soul to a new way of living, and that in turn will enrich our community and strengthen our country.” In celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary in 2011, Ann and David collaborated on a book recounting the life-changing ‘grand tour’ of their youth. Aptly titled Hungry Hearts, the tome is a perfect blend of Ann’s insightful journal entries and David’s touching photographs depicting their food odyssey across Britain and Spain, and serves as a touchstone for all who may travel a similar path. In every possible way, Ann McColl Lindsay and David Lindsay are amazing soul mates, sharing a lifelong love affair with literature, food, cooking, gardening, art, heritage, community, and – most of all – each other. London is indeed fortunate to have these remarkable ambassadors, who will continue to enrich our community for generations to come.

Thanks to their generous bequest of $100,000 to the Fanshawe College Foundation, London entrepreneurs Ann McColl Lindsay and David Lindsay will enable a new generation of students to travel abroad, as they did in their youth.

FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS ISSUE-30 2013

Julie Greer’s urban design and planning skills have made their mark. As a girl, Julie Greer (Urban Design ‘80), drew pen-and-ink drawings of historic buildings, and dreamed of becoming an architect. While she didn’t realize that ambition, the Fanshawe grad has helped shape the face of one of the world’s most vital modern cities. In fact, if you watched coverage of the London 2012 Olympics, you’ve likely glimpsed at least one of the projects in which she played a key role, including the Olympic village, and the elegant glass Shard that pierces the historic city’s skyline. Greer’s career, which has soared to heights rivalling those of the controversial skyscraper, was launched right here in London’s Canadian namesake.

Following yet another stint in university to essentially re-do her Canadian degree, Greer got her first big break with Westminster City Council, where she worked as a senior design and conservation officer, helping to preserve the character of an area that contains central London’s greatest concentration of historic landmarks, including Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. One of her projects: leading the refurbishment of the cabinet office at #10 Downing Street.

From London to London Having struggled through school due to dyslexia, Julie Greer didn’t have the grades to get into university to study architecture. But thanks to her high school urban geography teacher, “I also had an interest in cities,” Greer recalls. On discovering Fanshawe’s Urban Design program, she applied, graduating in 1980. One of her first tasks in her first job was drafting a plan for a subdivision. Raised to respect the environment, Greer proposed positioning the houses for maximum passive solar exposure. But since the plan reduced – by one – the number of homes that would fit into the space, it was vetoed. A second job, at the (then-named) Ministry of Citizenship and Culture, was a better fit, but Greer still longed to become an architect. She enrolled in night school with that end in mind, ultimately deciding instead to pursue a BSc in Urban Planning at Ryerson University. While there, she met her future husband – a UK-based architect specializing in theatres and concert halls – and moved to England immediately upon graduating. (Today, the couple’s two sons are following in Mom and Dad’s footsteps: one is studying architecture; the other, town planning.)

26 ISSUE-30 2013 FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS

From there, Greer took a position as design and conservation manager with the borough of Southwark, just across the Thames. Peckham, one of its districts, had begun to shake off its image as a desolate, gangtroubled housing estate, and undergone a tremendous renaissance, including the construction of a library/ community centre that won the 2000 Stirling Prize, the highest honour awarded by the Royal Institute of British Architects. “I thought (Southwark) was the future in terms of development opportunities,” she says. Indeed, during Greer’s tenure in Southwark, she was involved in several high-profile regeneration projects, shepherding the development of two large housing schemes; leading the design and public realm response to an addition to the Tate Gallery; and managing and coordinating the London Bridge Tower project, which includes the Shard. (Greer also led the assessment of the impact the 72-storey skyscraper – the tallest in Europe – would have on views of St. Paul’s Cathedral, one of London’s iconic landmarks.) She counts the latter experience as one of the high points of her career, thanks to the opportunity to work with world-renowned architect Renzo Italiano. “It was really inspirational,” she says. No doubt her subsequent assignment also qualifies as a career peak. As principal design advisor for the Olympic Delivery Authority, “my job was to manage the legacy of the venues,” for the London 2012 games, including the Olympic village, and the lighting in Olympic Park. (She also served on the London 2012 Sustainability Commission, aimed at ensuring the Games were not only environmentally sustainable, but socially and economically as well.)

By Wendy Haaf That assignment completed, Greer decided to capitalize on her accumulated wealth of contacts and experience, and opened her own planning and design firm, which has attracted a steadily growing list of prestigious projects. Despite making the leap from public to private sector, Greer remains just as passionate about the importance of how places look, feel, and function. Integrating old and new structures into a pleasing whole, and balancing development with sustainability and preservation are goals just as dear to her now as they were to the young woman who drafted the plans for that Ontario subdivision more than 30 years ago. Case in point, one of her firm’s recent projects: helping to successfully overturn a recommendation in favour of extensive expansions to an historically significant building. Exhibit B: Greer’s history working with the since-renamed CABE, an organization that advised the government on architecture with the aim of improving public buildings and delivering better urban and housing design; and her two terms of service on Southwark’s Design Review Panel, which she established. Having grown up in the Hamilton ON neighbourhood of Westdale, where most amenities were within walking distance, Greer has tried to create similar communities in her own practice. “When you grow up in that environment, you think it’s normal,” she notes. It wasn’t until a visit to relatives in Atlanta, where picking up a pint of milk necessitated a trip by car, that she realized otherwise. “That’s when the penny dropped for me, about just how unsustainable that is,” Greer says. “In Britain, there’s quite a bit of debate about aesthetic control – if planners don’t like the look of something, they can refuse it. For me, to settle that argument, you only have to go to North America. There, urban design is very much centred around the car, and I find that mortifying,” she says. “I guess I’ve become more British in my thinking.” Fittingly, Greer walks the talk in her personal life too, choosing to live in Dulwich Village, an area in Southwark that, in some ways, mirrors her childhood home: the post office, dry cleaners, library, deli, shops, and cinema are all a short walk or bike-ride away.

“I really believe in the whole idea of a team – a room of people who bring different skill sets. I’ve worked with some

In all, the journey that began at Fanshawe has landed Greer in a very good place, but she’s mindful of the fact she didn’t get there alone. “I really believe in the whole idea of a team – a room of people who bring different skill sets,” she stresses. “I’ve worked with some of the best people in the world.”

of the best people in the world.”

FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS ISSUE-30 2013

– Julie Greer

A Knockout Career Sam Stout has made a name for himself in the world of mixed martial arts while training right here in London.

Sam “Hands of Stone” Stout Profile Record (W-L-D): Summary: From: Fights out of: Age: Height: Weight:

19-8-1

Excellent Striker London, Ontario London, Ontario 28

175 cm (5’ 9”) 70 kg (155 lb)

By Jay Menard

While at Fanshawe College, London-area kickboxer Sam Stout (Pre-Health Science ’04) received an offer he couldn’t refuse. And although his career has taken him to the top of the mixed martial arts world, he remains firmly grounded in the Forest City. “The UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) came knocking and the way I looked at it was that I can always go back to school – the UFC may never come again,” explained Stout, who had completed one year of pre-health sciences and one year of the paramedic program at Fanshawe when the call to MMA’s big leagues came. “The toughest part of the decision between staying in school and fighting professionally was convincing my parents.” At just 21 years old, Stout admitted that he was very green and has had to do a lot of on-the-job – and in-the-cage – training. “I think I handled it well; it was early in my career – I was just 21 and only 10 fights in. The majority of my experience has come on the big stage with UFC,” Stout said. “I had made my name as a kickboxer. I had nine or 10 fights and I fought some pretty tough guys in [TKO Major League MMA], but going up to the UFC was a whole other level. I went from knocking guys out in every fight in TKO to not knocking guys out in my first 10 fights in UFC. “Looking back it was a benefit to me. But at that point it was a tough, hard road.” Stout is a big part of the reason London is a mixed-martial arts hotspot. He started his career under the tutelage of Shawn Tompkins, and has continued the legacy of the late MMA fighter and trainer. (Tomkins passed

28 ISSUE-30 2013 FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS

away in August 2011 at age 37 from a heart attack – a loss so profound that it prompted Stout to withdraw from October 2011’s UFC 137.) Stout currently is a co-owner and trainer at Adrenaline Training Centre in London, ON. “We started the gym almost four years ago with Mark Hominick and Chris Horodecki,” Stout explained. “We always had trained at Shawn Tompkins’ gym, but he moved to Las Vegas to further his career [where he became the head instructor at the Tapout training facility.] He passed it down to us and we decided to expand, open a new location, upgrade the equipment.” Adrenaline services all segments of the local community. “We have everything for people training for fitness and staying in shape, to people fighting at the top level in the world,” he said. “We have kids classes to pro camps.” And the fact that currently active MMA fighters train at the facility is an added draw for many of the gym’s attendees. “Having professional athletes is a big draw,” he said. “You get to work out alongside UFC fighters and you can see what it takes to make it. You have the best people in Ontario and they can help motivate people to work.” While all the fighter/owners are regularly at the gym training and teaching, they’ve hired a gym manager to handle the day-to-day management of the facility. That way, Stout can focus on training and teaching. Coaching, on the other hand, is not in his future. “No, I don’t want to be a coach. I’ll leave the coaching to coaches,” he said. “I really enjoy teaching classes and passing along my knowledge, but fighters can be prima donnas and tough to teach. It can be a thankless job.” Returning to Fanshawe remains an option for Stout and he also has expressed an interest in pursuing a broadcast career.

“I still feel like I’m getting better every time I fight,” he said. “It’s really evident by most guys when they start to fall off. I think for some guys, it’s just that they have too much pride. Or maybe it’s a fear of being inadequate outside of the ring. It tarnishes their legacy when they stay in too long.” His dedication to his craft has paid off. In addition to an 19-8-1 MMA record (and a 16-4 kickboxing record), Stout holds the now-defunct TKO’s lightweight title. He has earned four UFC fight-of-the-night designations and, in June 2011, Stout earned his first knockout in UFC – in impressive style courtesy of his first-round KO of Yves Edwards, which earned him the event’s knockout of the night. That knockout came at UFC 131 in Vancouver, BC, and Stout said it’s just another in a long line of special Canadian memories he’s experienced in MMA. “Definitely the Montrealarea fights are notable, especially with me being a Canadian,” he said. “Canadian fans are pretty passionate. I don’t know how to explain it.” To this day, Stout confesses to experiencing nerves before every single fight. “They never go away and anyone that tells you otherwise is lying.” And fear? “Every time,” he added. “You just have to accept it and deal with it. And that’s a big part of why most people couldn’t do what it takes to be a UFC fighter,” Stout said. “People all the time come into the gym thinking they’re going to be the next UFC champ but as soon as they get put up against someone that offers some resistance or poses a challenge, they fold. You can’t tell until they get in the cage. You can have the most athletic guy, but once they get in the cage they fall apart.” For more details on Adrenaline, visit www.adrenalinemma.ca. You can also follow Stout on Twitter at @sammyjstout.

“Broadcasting is something I’m interested in. By the end of my career I’ll have spent enough time spending all day in a gym; I don’t think I’ll want to do that after I retire,” Stout explained. “I’ve tested the waters, co-hosting pre-fight press conferences, but right now I’m focused on my fighting career.” He’s currently one of the top lightweights in the sport and won “fight of the night” in his most recent fight, a June 2012 victory. One thing’s for sure, though, Stout will not allow himself to hang around too long. “I think it depends on how long your body allows you to continue. I’ve said I’m not going to continue on too long. I don’t want to go out on three bad losses,” he said. “ When I’ve hit my peak and started down the hill, then I’ll retire.” He doesn’t know when that time will come, but at the moment he’s still working his way upwards towards his peak.

FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS ISSUE-30 2013

A Little Help for Medics

By Michael Wickett

Brandon Doneff (Paramedic ‘95) took great notes as a student. Now that’s paying off for him. In late 2011 Brandon turned his notes into a business by publishing Medics Little Helper, a study guide designed for students and professionals in the health field.

Brandon Doneff (Paramedic ’95) has followed a unique path in the health care field. As a high school student growing up in the heart of tobacco country in Delhi, Ontario, he took a standard “fill in the bubbles” aptitude test designed to tell the test taker what career path they should follow. The results came back and his guidance counselor told Brandon that he should be either a forest ranger or a nurse. As the author bio in his book says, he is allergic to evergreen trees, so the choice was easy. “I knew I wanted to help people. I’m the only medical person in my whole family. I wanted diversity in a career and nursing has a wide range of jobs” says Brandon. After completing his BScN from Western University in 1994, the job prospects in nursing were not good. Brandon decided to return to school and graduated from the paramedic program at Fanshawe College in 1995. From there, Brandon worked part time as a nurse at St. Joseph’s hospital and also as a land paramedic. Brandon also started working as a flight paramedic on a part-time basis and eventually decided to fly full-time. Paramedics, nurses and other health care workers are no strangers to going back to school. Because their field changes so rapidly, health care professionals have to re-certify their skills on a regular basis. Studying for exams was the genesis of Medics Little Helper. Brandon was sharing notes back and forth with colleagues while preparing for a test and his study-mates remarked on the quality and breadth of the material he had prepared. “I had no intentions in making this into a book, it was all my colleagues saying ‘you’ve got some really good notes.’” 30 ISSUE-30 2013 FANSHAWE COLLEGE ALUMNI NEWS

It took a final push from his wife, Christie, to get the ball rolling. She encouraged Brandon to take his notes to a copy shop and make a nice folder. Brandon – with a smile – said “you’re a graphic designer, why don’t you do it?” Christie, luckily enough, graduated from Graphic Design at Fanshawe College in 1995 and used her skills to craft Brandon’s notes into a useful, readable little handbook. Getting to work closely on a project together was a highlight for both of them. “The toughest part was getting it to flow, and I had Christie to help with that.” Brandon also relied on help from friends in different medical fields, as well as those in non-medical industries. Brandon says “I had some reputable emergency physicians edit the medical side and a professional editor look at it from a clarity and spelling standpoint.” Health care professionals from around the world, including Ireland, Spain and Australia, have purchased Medics Little Helper. Brandon is currently working to revise a version of the book that is focused on different niches in the health care field. He’s also working on producing an e-book and potentially an app that would allow for even quicker reference to specific information. He also now teaches part-time in the paramedic program at Fanshawe College where he has a chance to share his knowledge with the next generation of paramedics. Find more on Medics Little Helper at www.medicslittlehelper.com

K E E P I N TO U C H

Keep in touch with us and please send in any address updates!

What’s new with you? We’d love to hear from you with anything you’d like to share with your former classmates.

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Web: www.fanshaweforever.ca E-mail: alumni@fanshawec.ca Phone: 519-452-4285 Toll Free: 1-800-661-ALUM Mail: Fanshawe College Alumni Office K-1011, 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London Ontario Canada, N5Y 5R6 Follow us: facebook.com/fanshawealumni twitter.com/fanshawealumni

Civil Engineering Technology Class of 1978 Reunion Calling all Civil Engineering Technology grads of 1978! On June 28 & 29 of 2013, there will be a class reunion taking place at the Best Western Lamplighter Inn in London (531 Wellington Road). There will be social time on the Friday night and a dinner dance on Saturday. For details and to RSVP contact Michael Figures at (705) 255-0453 or m_figures@yahoo.com

David Borges, April 2012 - Legal Assistant ‘90 Edward Day, May 2012 - Retiree

CYW Grad Back at Fanshawe as Faculty

Joan (Miller) Harback, May 2012 – Nursing ’83

Well, I am a Fanshawe Child and Youth Worker grad (class of 1991) and worked 21 amazing years in children’s mental health and am now back at the college as a full-time faculty in the Child and Youth Worker program. Doesn’t get more full circle than that! Loving it! - Kim Hall (Child and Youth Worker ‘91)

Dennis Pearson, May 2012 – Motor - Vehicle Mechanic ’91 John Stamoulis, May 2012 - Corporate Communications ’01 Melissa Hoffman, July 2012 - Computer Support Specialist ’94 Eleanor Pearce, July 2012 - Retiree Charles (Chuck) Elliot, August 2012 – Journalism - Broadcast ’79

Hello Team M.E.T. 2005! I’ve been married for 5 years to the most wonderful woman... blessed with our first kid Austin last year, with another due this June. Live in Hamilton Ontario, and working for Vale as a Sr. Mechanical Designer in their North Atlantic Central Engineering department. Life is great! Thanks Fanshawe! - Brendan Peacock (Mechanical Engineering Technology (Mobile Equipment) ‘05)

Luberta Houghton, September 2012 - Retiree Edward Seduikis, September 2012 – Business Administration ’75

A complete In Memoriam list can be found at www.fanshawec.ca/alumni/memoriam

Join the conversation and stay in touch • Follow us on Twitter @ twitter.com/fanshawealumni • Become a fan on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/ fanshawealumni

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Brought to you by… Your Alumni Board!

For more information on the board and on volunteering, contact Michael Wickett at mwickett@fanshawec.ca or 519-452-4430 x 4711.

Your Alumni Board: 1st row: John Yandreski (President), Jon Aristone (Past President), Gail Malcolm (Vice President), Joe Morrison (Treasurer), Michael Wickett (Secretary), Zack Dodge (FSU President), Eileen Armstrong, Veronica Barahona. 2nd row: Mandy Bennett, Colleen Breen, Joseph Dunlop-Addley, Catherine Finlayson, Brenda Fontana, Kacey German, Tim Wharton, Julie Yagi-Fornos.

Alumni! Please send in your address changes: www.fanshawec.ca/alumni

If undeliverable, please return to: Fanshawe College Alumni Office 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., Room K1011, P. O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, Canada N5Y 5R6