Surgite Magazine - Vol. 14, No. 1 - Winter 2022

A Brock community magazine

KAREN BROWN President, ETFO

Vol. 14 No. 1, Winter 2022

Impact on education Brock’s role in shaping Canada’s teaching landscape

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CHARTER

ON ANTI-BLACK RACISM AND BLACK INCLUSION IN CANADIAN HIGHER EDUCATION: PRINCIPLES, ACTIONS, AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

IN THIS ISSUE

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The fight against anti-Black racism

IN EVERY ISSUE 04

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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Ringing in 2022 after another unforgettable year

Helping youth in Nunavut

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Toasting 25 years of CCOVI

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COVER STORY

Brock grads' impact on Canada's teaching landscape

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RESEARCH

Taking action on climate change

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THEN AND NOW

Electric future for parking lots

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ALUMNI UPDATES

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Family culture in Brock Sports

Career updates from across the decades

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PASSAGES

Remembering Paul House

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Ringing in 2022 after another unforgettable year

VOL. 14 NO. 1, WINTER 2022

A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

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ne year ago this month, like all universities across the country, Brock was heading into its second full term in the midst of a global pandemic. Almost all classes were online, most employees were working from home and our teams were planning for our third virtual Convocation ceremony to be held in June.

While we still find ourselves dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, life on the campuses of Brock University looks very different than it did just 12 months ago.

In September, we welcomed students, faculty and staff back to campus for the first time in 18 months. The enthusiasm and positive energy were palpable, as a fully-vaccinated Brock community started to get back to some sense of ‘normal.’

Now, 2022 is upon us and Brock’s Winter Term is underway with an even greater sense of hope for the future.

More than 80 per cent of our classes are back in person, with hybrid or online options remaining for some offerings. On-campus research is back to near pre-pandemic levels, in-person activities and gatherings are continuing to resume where public health restrictions allow, and planning is in full steam for the 2022-23 academic year.

As you flip through the pages of this latest edition of Surgite, I hope you can see yourself through the stories of your fellow alumni featured here. The Brock alumni family is now more than 111,000 strong. That’s a lot of stories to tell.

In this issue, you’ll read about highly successful Faculty of Education and Faculty of Social Sciences graduates who are shaping the education sector in Ontario and beyond.

You’ll also read about the important role Brock’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute has played in the grape and wine industry over the past 25 years.

We’re also telling the story of how our talented and highly respected researchers have turned their attention to climate change, focusing largely on what it will take to get society to make the changes necessary to help heal our planet.

Like so much of the research being done at your alma mater, it’s important, game-changing work, and it’s not going unnoticed. The media, politicians, other institutions and future students are all aware that Brock is a place where breakthrough research and learning are taking place.

I hope that you are proud of the work being done here and are proud to call yourself a Brock University alumnus.

Thank you — and Surgite!

EDITOR Dan Dakin PUBLISHER Gord Arbeau DESIGNER Kev Greene PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR Carol McIntosh CONTRIBUTORS Sarah Ackles Dan Dakin Alison Innes Stephen Leithwood Kaitlyn Little Cathy Majtenyi Mike Morrison Maryanne St. Denis Jocelyn Titone

GENERAL INQUIRIES Brock Alumni Relations maintains a database of contact information for each graduate in accordance with all legislative requirements protecting privacy.

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Surgite/sur-gi-tay/Latin for “Push on” The inspiring last words of Maj.-Gen. Sir Isaac Brock

LYNN WELLS Interim President and Vice-Chancellor, Brock University

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Campus reawakening Brock’s main campus came back to life in September as students, faculty and staff again filled the University’s classrooms and hallways after nearly 18 months. The Brock community was welcomed back to a new main entrance, the Rankin Family Pavilion (RFP), which was completed just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic halting in-person activities in March 2020.

Home to the Brock LINC, the University’s creativity, innovation, research and entrepreneurship hub, the RFP has since become a favourite spot for people to study, work and meet.

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Mike Pilato, President and CEO of Jamieson Wellness, is the 2021 recipient of the Brock University Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Award.

2021 BROCK UNIVERSITY ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENTS BUAA Distinguished Alumni Award MIKE PILATO (BAcc ’98) An experienced senior consumer packaged goods executive and current CEO and President of Jamieson Wellness.

BUAA Outstanding Young Alumni Award BRENNOR JACOBS (BA ’19) An award-winning author of a book that explores how lacrosse has helped Indigenous Peoples and others within the lacrosse community benefit spiritually, emotionally and intellectually.

BUAA Community Engagement Award MARIO DE DIVITIIS (BA ’06, MA ’08) A non-profit CEO and strategic leader with a passion for engaging others in the community.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENT FOCUSED ON BUILDING CULTURE AND COMMUNITY

By Jocelyn Titone

M

ike Pilato (BAcc ’98) is proud of his Niagara roots and his Brock business education.

The President and Chief Executive Officer of Jamieson Wellness said growing up in a small town and attending a community-focused university is partly why he’s been successful in his career.

“When I meet someone, I know right away if they grew up in a big city or a small town,” said Pilato, who was raised in Fort Erie. “It’s the same with education. There’s strong value in the type of grit and prioritization of connecting on a personal level that comes from going to a small school that you can leverage for future career success.”

Pilato is one of several Brock graduates recognized for their professional achievements as part of Brock University’s annual alumni awards. Pilato is the 2021 recipient of the Brock University Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Award.

Over the past two decades, Pilato has had a dynamic career in the consumer goods industry, working for companies such as Playtex Products, Kraft Foods, The Clorox Company and now Jamieson Wellness.

He said Brock’s small class sizes, approachable professors and community culture of

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“working together instead of against each other,” helped nurture his emotional intelligence and learn to manage a team.

“I really got to build a community and a network to lean on for support and help — very much like you do in an organization when you’re working with a team,” he said of his time at Brock. “We all had each other’s backs and were all rowing in the same direction in a way that wasn’t overly competitive. Looking back, I see that this is a key component to a successful career. It’s how you work within an organization and it’s how you work with a team every day, that ultimately drives success.”

It’s no surprise that building a positive organizational culture is now one of Pilato’s professional passions.

“If you empower people to do their job and you give them the space to really let their strengths shine — to achieve what they are possible of achieving in the greater good of what the organization is trying to achieve — you will build a highly engaged and loyal team that produces long-term sustainable results,” he said.

For a complete list of award winners, visit brocku.ca/alumni/awards

Alumni Co-op Employer Award JEFFREY HUANG (BAcc ’10) Since joining Akelius Canada in 2016, Huang has hired 21 co-op students from Brock, many of whom were international students with little or no Canadian work experience.

Faculty of Applied Health Sciences Distinguished Graduate Award ELISABETH WALKER-YOUNG (BPhEd ’02) A four-time Paralympian in swimming and an advocate for Paralympic athletes.

Faculty of Education Distinguished Graduate Award CHASE BLODGETT (BEd ’09, BPhEd ’09) A gender and sexuality advocate, educator, speaker and consultant.

Goodman School of Business Distinguished Graduate Award CHERYL BRANDON (BBA ’04) One of the Canada’s leading executives in investment management and a founder of the Giving 2 Girls initiative, which supports girls in developing nations.

Faculty of Humanities Distinguished Graduate Award SHAWN RUBEL (BA ’04) An internet entrepreneur who applied his passion for design to create a successful online company that provides stock photos and resources for designers.

Faculty of Mathematics and Sciences Distinguished Graduate Award JOHANN (HANS) MATTHEWS (BSc ’84) A geologist and award-winning consultant specializing in helping mining companies collaborate with Indigenous communities.

Faculty of Social Sciences Distinguished Graduate Award ANGELA SALVATORE (BA ’02) An established lawyer and the first woman to become Chair of the Ontario Bar Association Taxation Law Section.

BROCK JOINS SCARBOROUGH CHARTER ANTI-BLACK RACISM NATIONAL ACTION PLAN

By Dan Dakin

B

rock University joined nearly 50 other universities and colleagues from across Canada in November to sign the Scarborough Charter, a landmark movement in the fight against structural racism.

The Charter was the result of a year-long collaborative process that started during the first National Dialogues and Action for Inclusive Higher Education and Communities forum held in fall 2020.

“The principles outlined in the Scarborough Charter reflect Brock’s commitment to foster a culture of inclusivity, accessibility, reconciliation and decolonization for our students, employees and the community around us,” said Wells. “Brock University was proud to be part of the National Dialogues forum, and

today we are proud to be taking the next step in this important national movement.”

The charter identifies key barriers to Black inclusion and approaches to identifying and responding to them. It also contains concrete actions and accountability mechanisms for institutions to deliver on their promise to make structural and systemic change.

The partner institutions wanted those mechanisms built into the charter as a way to maintain accountability, an important step in moving beyond rhetoric into taking meaningful action.

“Post-secondary institutions can and must play an important role in examining anti-Black racism and making equity and inclusion a priority,” Wells said. “I am proud of the work

Brock University Interim President Lynn Wells signs the Scarborough Charter, joining dozens of post-secondary institutions across the country in committing to address the realities of anti-Black racism.

being done by Brock and the many other institutions across Canada who are signing the Scarborough Charter today and committing to address the realities of anti-Black racism.”

LET’S CHANGE THE WORLD TOGETHER. At Brock University, we believe that even when the world is changing, you have the power to change the world. Grow your career with our programs for recent graduates and seasoned professionals.

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BROCK GRAD MAKING AN IMPACT IN REMOTE NORTHERN COMMUNITY

Mujib Ahmadiy, on a hike overlooking Pangnirtung, a small hamlet located on Baffin Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut.

By Mike Morrison

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hrough his own experiences, Mujib Ahmadiy (BPH ’17) has learned the difference education can make in the lives of others.

So, when the opportunity presented itself, the educator and Brock University graduate packed his bags and headed to where he felt he could have the greatest impact — in Canada’s north.

In September, Ahmadiy began work as a secondary school teacher at Attagoyuk Illisavik in Pangnirtung, a small hamlet of nearly 1,500 people on Baffin Island in Nunavut.

He is hoping to make his mark among the community’s young learners, teaching two cohorts of Grade 9 students, with a focus on health and math, while also coaching a soccer team.

This wasn’t the first big move Ahmadiy has made in the name of education. In 2010, at the age of 17, he immigrated to Canada from Samangan, Afghanistan to attend St. Catharines Collegiate Secondary School.

Despite arriving alone and with no relatives in the country to offer support, Ahmadiy had the welcoming experience most international students

dream about. He was welcomed with open arms by his homestay family in St. Catharines, who he stayed with throughout high school.

Ahmadiy would go on to become a Canadian citizen in 2014 while studying at Brock in the Public Health program with a minor in International Relations.

“I was drawn to Public Health because it is an upstream approach to improving quality of life, rather than waiting until someone ends up in a hospital,” he said.

During his summer break in 2016, Ahmadiy learned of an opportunity through Brock Career Services to work with Indigenous communities in Iqaluit, Nunavut, promoting literacy programs. He enjoyed the experience so much that he would return the following summer — a decision that would change the direction of his future career.

“The more I dug into health promotion, the more I realized that it has to do with education and early intervention,” he said.

After graduating from Brock in 2017, Ahmadiy continued to pursue his passion for teaching, working as an ESL Instructor with the University for the next two years.

The experience reaffirmed Ahmadiy’s career path and prompted him to enrol in a teacher education program at University of Ottawa. He graduated in June 2021 and quickly made plans to return north to the place where he felt he made the big difference in people’s lives.

“My work as a health teacher is not far off from my studies in Public Health,” Ahmadiy said. “Plus, I get to coach soccer and be engaged in meaningful other ways in the community.”

While he feels hopeful for what the future holds, Ahmadiy recognizes that his new role is not without its challenges. He is mindful of the difficult past in Indigenous education, including the history of residential schools.

“I am cognizant of the inter-generational trauma in Indigenous communities,” he said. “I work as a teacher with those things in mind, with the hope for a more equitable and just Canada.”

Ahmadiy understands why that history makes some parents skeptical about the entire education system, often affecting attendance in his class.

“The burden of proof is on us, the teachers, to demonstrate the right way to do education and to show how it can be a vehicle for a flourishing life,” he said.

As a health teacher, Ahmadiy has also witnessed the difficulties that exist related to food insecurity. Living in remote northern Canada means that most transportation, including food delivery, occurs by plane, making food and supplies very expensive.

“I can teach all day about the importance of vegetables in our diet, but if vegetables are prohibitively expensive, how much of an impact does that knowledge make in the lives of my students?” Ahmadiy said.

Despite the challenges, he remains positive about the impact he’s making with the local Indigenous community and is grateful for the opportunity to be living and working in northern Canada.

“ The more I dug into health promotion, the more I realized that it has to do with education and early intervention.”

— Mujib Ahmadiy

Mujib Ahmadiy, a secondary school teacher at Attagoyuk Illisavik in Nunavut, taking part in a community walk organized by the school to promote positivity and resilience.

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COVER STORY

In August, Karen Brown made history when she was elected the first Black president of a teachers’ union in Ontario.

Brock alumni Karen Brown and Sam Hammond worked closely together for several years at the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario.

T C A P M I N A G N I E V P A A H C S S D D A N R A G L K G C N I BRO ADA ʼ S TEACH NIS E D .

T S E N ON CAN N

BY MARYA

L

ike any great summit, the path to the top has not been easy for Karen Brown (BA ’91) and Sam Hammond (BEd ’87).

The Brock University graduates have each spent years climbing the ranks in the labour relations landscape of Canadian education, navigating ever-changing terrain and overcoming significant obstacles along the way.

The results saw Brown make history in August when she was elected the first Black president of a teachers’ union in Ontario, also becoming the firstknown Black president of a provincial teacher affiliate union in Canada.

Now heading the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) — Canada’s largest teachers’ union — Brown succeeded Hammond, who in July was elected president of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation.

Brown and Hammond, graduates of the Child Studies and Concurrent Teacher Education Primary/ Junior programs, respectively, are among thousands of Brock alumni from programs across the University who are working to better the Canadian education system in a variety of ways. Their contributions speak to Brock’s strengths in the areas of education and child and youth studies, and reflect the work in the University’s Faculty of Education, including the Tecumseh Centre for Aboriginal Research and Education, and Faculty of Social Sciences, among other areas.

“Brock’s Faculty of Education (FOE) has created pathways for our graduates to have a significant impact on Ontario’s school, government, not-forprofit and industry sectors by educating and training creative and effective leaders, teachers, professors and innovators,” says FOE Dean Michael Owen. “We

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are incredibly proud of the positive role our graduates and faculty members have taken to address significant social justice concerns in classrooms, service and research.”

Many Brock graduates, he adds, have been recognized for their knowledge, skills and innovations, with alumni receiving top honours such as the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence and being named among Canada’s Outstanding Principals.

“As Dean, I have had the pleasure of working with our graduates — as professors, professional leaders and knowledgeable and dedicated student-facing staff members,” Owen says. “All have enriched and enabled my role and our Faculty's reputation as one of the best faculties of education in Canada.”

Ingrid Makus, Dean of Brock’s Faculty of Social Sciences, says the program once known as Child Studies has “grown into our

flourishing interdisciplinary Department of Child and Youth Studies, where undergraduate, master’s and PhD students work with internationally recognized faculty experts to study childhood and youth by drawing on theoretical perspectives from neurology and various branches of psychology, anthropology, education, sociology, criminology and cultural studies.”

“Graduates of the program have gone on to work in all levels of education and research, and, like Ms. Brown, continue to live out their commitment to helping illuminate the complexities of childhood and improving the lives of young people,” she says.

Before rising to the national ranks, Hammond spent more than a decade at the helm of the ETFO, where he fought tirelessly

ity’s Univers f Brock Much o Education of Faculty ing takes place m m ra prog n the h Hall o pus. lc e W in am c s e n ari St. Cath

E C N E R E F F I D A M A K ING Brock University’s graduates have gone on to make their mark in Canadian education, impacting the field across the country in various ways.

Here is a list of alumni who’ve made it their mission to create positive change.

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COVER STORY

for the members he represented and worked to create positive change to benefit students throughout the province. It is with that same ethos that he is now working in support of more than 300,000 elementary and secondary school teachers across Canada.

As the ETFO’s vice-president from 2015 until her recent presidential win, Brown’s work provincially has been equally impactful.

The milestone election this summer was a rewarding experience for Brown, but what she found most meaningful was knowing she was opening the door for other Black and racialized women to also hold leadership roles in the field.

And it wasn’t the first time.

Throughout her career, Brown has blazed her own trail, sparked by her inquisitive nature and desire to better the education system.

She credits Brock University for helping to develop and nurture her love for education, which continued to grow when she began her teaching career with the Toronto District School Board in 1993.

It was while on secondment at a children’s mental health centre that the early childhood educator attended her first local union meeting.

What began as an opportunity to have a complimentary meal — a key incentive on the student budget Brown was still abiding by — quickly turned into the young newcomer eagerly asking questions about the direction of the unions and their work advocating for local teachers and early childhood educators.

N O I T A IN E DUC

CHRISTINE DOKIS (BEd ’99) became the Director of Education for the Kinoomaadziwin Education Body, the central administrative structure for the Anishinabek Education System, in May 2021.

Dokis leads the organization’s administration and works with its Board of Directors, which takes direction from participating First Nations, to implement the education system’s strategic priorities.

BLAINE MACDOUGALL (MEd ’89) was honoured as one of Canada’s Outstanding Principals in 2019 during his time at Cardinal Newman Catholic Elementary School in Niagara Falls. In July 2020, MacDougall was named President of the Catholic Principals’ Council of Ontario, serving a one-year term. He is now Principal of St. John Henry Newman Catholic Elementary School in Niagara Falls.

Brown’s interest and enthusiasm did not go unnoticed. She was soon asked to run for her first position with what was then the Scarborough Women Teachers’ Association — a move that set her future trajectory.

Hammond also began his career driven to create change, although his road to the classroom included a few detours along the way.

As a young learner, he struggled with his studies, unaware of an underlying cause that would go unrecognized until his later years of high school.

When he finally received his dyslexia diagnosis, Hammond lost confidence in his ability to further his education.

“I had no intention of going to university,” he says. “A big part of that was out of fear of my dyslexia and fear that I wouldn’t be able to do what I eventually did. I never thought, given those challenges, that I’d be able to become a teacher.”

Hammond headed straight into the working world after graduation, taking factory and retail jobs that left him feeling unfulfilled.

“At one point, I thought ‘enough is enough,’” he says. “I knew that wasn’t what I wanted to do for the rest of my life and that I had to get over my fears.”

Determined to set a new life course, the father of two young children enrolled in classes at McMaster University as a mature student before pursuing teacher education at Brock.

Hammond turned all his attention to achieving his ultimate career goal: becoming an educator. At Brock, he not only found his footing, but also thrived.

JAY WOLKOFF (BEd ’98) was named among Canada’s Outstanding Principals in 2019, honoured for his work to improve academic results and build a sense of pride in his school, E.J. Sand Public School in Thornhill.

SARA FULMER (BA ’05, BEd ’05, BA ’06, MA ’08) is an Educational Developer at the University of Guelph, where she supports instructors with implementing evidence-based teaching practices, designing and conducting Scholarship of Teaching and Learning projects, and assessing the impact of teaching practices on student learning and engagement.

le union w fema ting for o ll fe d ine ca ce. rown jo nt advo Karen B tives at an eve of political offi a ls t e n v e le repres y at all diversit gender

ROBIN STAATS (MEd ’14) was hired in spring 2021 as the first System Principal Leader of Indigenous Education and Equity for the Grand Erie District School Board. In her new role, Staats works with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, organizations, students and families to support student achievement and well-being while also advancing truth and reconciliation efforts within the school board.

MANNY FIGUEIREDO (MEd ’01) is the Director of Education for the HamiltonWentworth District School Board. At the end of February, Figueiredo will move on to become President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hamilton-Burlington-Brantford YMCA.

LEE MARTIN (BEd ’12), a Grade 3 teacher at Central French Immersion Public School in Grimsby, was recognized for his efforts in the classroom with the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence in 2018. Martin is the founder of Computers4Change, which provides science, technology, engineering and mathematics resources and support to students and educators.

CHASE BLODGETT (BEd ’09) is a respected gender and sexuality advocate, community organizer, consultant and educator based in Yukon Territory who has been recognized for his work advancing human rights for transgender, two-spirit and non-binary individuals. He works as a rural community educator on the traditional territories of the Carcross Tagish First Nation.

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“Getting accepted to and choosing to go to Brock — that’s what really kept me going through that extremely difficult period,” he says. “For me, it was a new beginning. That year in the teacher education program and the year after when I was just getting my feet on the ground, they changed everything.”

Brown experienced a similar awakening as she began to work her way up the union chain. She gained her first full-time position as an executive officer with the Elementary Teachers of Toronto, where she represented more than 10,000 educators, before going on to serve nine years as vice-president beginning in 2003.

“People saw my passion. I was vocal, courageous, bold and unapologetic in my questioning, which was received well.

They were happy to see a strong woman and rallied behind me,” Brown says. “I’m proud I was one of the first Black women on our local, and that opened the door for other Black and racialized members of our executive. After that, we became very diverse, probably one of the most diverse locals in Ontario.”

While she certainly made strides, Brown’s rise did not come without issue.

“There were barriers of being a woman, a Black woman; that was a challenge,” she says. “You just have to keep pushing ahead and work towards finding people who are allies, people who will support your journey and your vision.”

After twice running unsuccessfully for president of the local union, Brown set her sights on making an impact provincially. She was first elected to the ETFO’s executive in 2009.

“Those issues helped to push me to where I am with the ETFO today,” Brown says, adding she’s thankful she never gave up along the way.

Similarly, Hammond’s perseverance allowed him to achieve his dream of giving back to the children of Hamilton.

cted was ele mmond Sam Ha f the Canadian to ly. presiden ederation in Ju F ’ rs e Teach

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COVER STORY

He’d long hoped to make a difference in the lives of students who lived in the city’s low socioeconomic areas, just as he did growing up. Following his graduation from Brock in 1987, he was able to do just that.

Hammond began supply teaching with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board before getting a full-time contract about a year later teaching physical education and health to students in kindergarten to Grade 8.

In 1999, he was elected the chief negotiator and grievance officer for a local union, where he served until joining the ETFO executive in 2003, becoming president in 2009.

“It was a pleasure and an absolute honour to be able to represent teachers and educational professionals with the ETFO for nearly 20 years at the provincial level,” he says, adding it was particularly meaningful to work on social justice and equity projects as well as teacher learning and professional development initiatives taken on by the organization.

Hammond is now serving a two-year term with the CTF, the national alliance of provincial and territorial teachers organizations.

“So far, it has been extremely rewarding,” he says of the new position. “It’s a very different perspective than that of the ETFO because you have to look at the whole country and the subtle differences between provinces, territories and member organizations.”

When he made the decision to move to the national level, he knew he was leaving the ETFO in the capable hands of Brown.

ntary e Eleme ins of th 2021, re e h t ok st ight) to ntario in Augu rown (r Karen B ederation of O as president. ’F nd Teachers Sam Hammo g in d e e c c su

“It was time to turn ETFO over to Karen for so many reasons. It was time for a change, for new leadership, and she has done a great job,” he says.

Brown says she is proud of what she and Hammond, along with their team, have accomplished at the ETFO thus far.

“We have worked together to open doors,” she says. “Through Sam’s leadership, my leadership and the team’s leadership, we have forged bursaries for Indigenous and Black students who are pursuing careers in education.”

Creating equity in access to education has long been one of Brown’s top priorities and led her to found SMILE (Single Mothers Inspiring Leadership in Education). The not-for-profit organization, which is celebrating its 11th year, provides bursaries to low-income single mothers to help them continue or further their education.

“Education is that great equalizer. It can uproot women and children out of poverty,” says Brown, whose efforts saw her recognized

in 2017 as one of Canada’s 100 Most Accomplished Black Women. “I’ve experienced the value of a good education and how it can shape your economic and social impact, and leverage your potential. Many people have such great potential, but because of economic means and interruptions in their education, they haven’t been able to go where they could go.”

That is why her goal with the ETFO, which represents 83,000 elementary public school teachers, occasional teachers and education professionals across the province, is to “create a public education system rooted in equity and social justice so every student and ETFO member can thrive.”

Brown knows first-hand the change education can bring.

“As someone who went to Brock, I had no idea that taking that leap to further my education would lead to me growing and impacting education not only within my community but also across the province and nationally,” she says.

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Shop online at campusstore.brocku.ca RISING TO THE TOP 17

BROCK PROJECTS THAT ARE ADVANCING THE CLIMATE CHANGE CONVERSATION

By Cathy Majtenyi

Climate change. The very phrase often evokes a sense of unease and helplessness. As the world experiences its various impacts, many are asking: What can be done about climate change, both individually and collectively?

Research teams at Brock University are asking the same questions. A growing body of Brock expertise is focusing on ways to mitigate, and prevent, climate change impacts.

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CRY ME AN OCEAN

TO MEAT OR NOT TO MEAT?

It all starts with how society views the environment. Do people care about the natural world around them? Does it make a difference if they do?

Jessica Blythe, Assistant Professor in Brock’s Environmental Sustainability Research Centre (ESRC) and her international research team examined whether imagining the future of oceans would lead people to feel more empathy for the oceans. Empathy indicates a willingness to care for the environment.

The team used virtual reality and written formats to give participants two different scenarios about the future of the oceans: one based on environmental sustainability and social equality; and one dominated by nationalism, regional conflicts and environmental degradation.

“Our results showed that post-test empathy levels were significantly higher than pre-test levels,” says Blythe. “We also found the pessimistic scenario resulted in higher empathy compared to the optimistic scenario.”

The study “Fostering ocean empathy through future scenarios” was one of the first to “demonstrate the influence of an intervention purposefully designed to build ocean empathy; the research presents a novel approach for supporting ocean sustainability,” says Blythe.

Canadian teens do care about the environment and believe they can make a difference, according to teams led by Gary Pickering, Professor of Biological Sciences and Psychology.

But they’re not always confident about how to act, says one study “Exploration of youth knowledge and perceptions of individual-level climate mitigation action.”

“The fact that they don’t believe they have the knowledge about how best to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through their behaviours is both a wake-up call and an opportunity for environmental educators and communicators,” says Pickering.

In a subsequent study “Lifestyle decisions and climate mitigation: current action and behavioural intent of youth,” Pickering’s team found participants aged 17 to 18 years identified recycling, using public transport and conserving energy in the home as actions they had adopted to mitigate climate change, but were less open to eating a reduced amount of red meat, purchasing an electric car, or having one fewer child or no children at all.

“Eighty per cent of youth say they recycle, but recycling is 300 times less effective at reducing greenhouse gas emissions than having one less child, and youth are very resistant to that,” says Pickering.

RESEARCH

A research team led by Brock University’s Environmental Sustainability Research Centre created optimistic and pessimistic simulations of the future of Earth’s oceans to study what impact they had on participants’ empathy for the environment.

NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS Brock biologist Liette Vasseur turns to Mother Nature to mitigate climate change.

One of her projects involves testing out combinations of cover crops, rootstocks and irrigation methods that would increase vineyards’ resilience to drought or excessive rainfall.

Cover crops — plants grown to protect and enrich soil — help soil retain water and keep the surface cool. Vasseur says soil covered by crops can be up to 14 degrees Celsius cooler than bare soil.

“It means the soil is fresher, there’s less pressure in terms of dryness, which helps the vine to be able to grow,” says Vasseur. “Because this system also reduces soil temperature, you reduce the rate of evapotranspiration, which means the soil does not lose that much water.”

In another project, Vasseur is helping Canadian municipalities cope with erosion, flooding and other damage to coastlines. In some cases, vegetation can be used to support and protect areas as well as “manage the ecosystem to adapt to new environmental pressures and thrive,” she says.

As UNESCO Chair in Community Sustainability: from Local to Global, Vasseur provides global leadership on climate change issues.

In 2021, she worked with experts from 21 countries to create ecological restoration resources, assisting the recovery of ecosystems that have been degraded, damaged or destroyed due to human activity.

Jessica Blythe, Assistant Professor in the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, helps master’s student Mikellena Nettos (BSc ’20) demonstrate the virtual reality system.

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE In addition to researching various aspects of climate change, the University is taking its work in this area one step further: by training the researchers of the future.

Brock has created a PhD in Sustainability Science, the first program of its kind in Canada and among only a few leading institutions internationally.

“Climate change, biodiversity loss and inequality really define the most urgent challenges that we need to address, from local to global,” says the ESRC’s Jessica Blythe.

“We’re really excited because our program will tackle those challenges head on,” she says. “Students will also be integrated into our research networks with leading scholars around the world to really advance sustainability science.”

The program will welcome its first cohort in September.

RESEARCH

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BROCK’S CCOVI RAISES A GLASS TO

25-YEAR

MILESTONE

T

By Sarah Ackles

he year was 1996.

The Canadian grape and wine industry was expanding rapidly, and a group of 37 individuals from Brock University and the grape and wine community were ambitiously looking toward the future.

During the Queen’s Landing Forum in Toronto, they determined a dedicated research institute was needed to support the industry. On Oct. 26, 1996, Brock’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) was born in partnership with the Wine Council of Ontario (now Ontario Craft Wineries and Wine Growers Ontario) and the Grape Growers of Ontario (GGO).

Twenty-five years later, the Institute has become internationally recognized for its leading-edge research and the continuing education, outreach, and professional development opportunities it provides for the industry. It is still supported by its inaugural partners today and has inked new partnerships with Ontario Grape and Wine Research Inc. (OGWRI) and the Canadian Grapevine Certification Network (CGCN), among others.

“While things have changed a great deal over the past 25 years, our commitment to our industry and community partners has remained at the heart of what we do at CCOVI,” Director Debbie Inglis said. “It has been amazing to see everything we have accomplished together.”

A year after CCOVI was created, Brock’s Oenology and Viticulture program (OEVI) welcomed its first cohort of undergraduate grape and wine students. Hundreds of graduate and undergraduate students have been trained by the CCOVI team since.

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In 1999, Donald Ziraldo and John Howard led a $2.1-million fundraising campaign from members of the national grape and wine industry, allowing CCOVI to open the doors to its very own building, Inniskillin Hall.

Del Rollo, Chair of the Board of Directors, Wine Growers Ontario, said all that CCOVI has achieved over the past 25 years “has been, and will continue to be, fundamental to the success of Ontario’s grape and wine industry.”

“Wine Growers Ontario thanks CCOVI for their dedication to our industry that supports over 18,000 jobs in Ontario,” he added.

Tim Kenyon, Brock’s Vice-President, Research, congratulated “the entire CCOVI team” for the tangible impact its research program has had over the last two-andhalf-decades.

“CCOVI has earned its excellent reputation by supporting scientific and scholarly inquiry in genuine collaboration with industry, community and government partners,” he added.

Ziraldo, who is still a close partner of the institute today, points to the flagship VineAlert program as an example of the game-changing research coming out of CCOVI. The program alerts growers to plummeting temperatures so they can activate their wind machines to help protect vines from winter damage.

“Before CCOVI created this, you essentially had to go out and hold a thermometer up in the air,” Ziraldo recalled. “I remember driving around at night to check the temperature of different vineyards; it was just crazy. Now you can set it up so that the wind machine comes on automatically to align with Brock’s data.”

Karl Kaiser and Donald Ziraldo at the 1999 opening of Inniskillin Hall, the official home of Brock’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute.

Matthias Oppenlaender, OGWRI Chair and GGO CEO Debbie Zimmerman, also raised a glass to the impact CCOVI has had on “Ontario’s 500 grape growing farm families.”

“CCOVI’s ongoing research and support of Ontario’s grape growers is crucial in improving grapevine health, including mitigating winter injury,” they said in a joint statement on behalf of the GGO, OGWRI and CGCN. “The successful development of VineAlert is a major accomplishment for CCOVI and an important tool for protecting our vineyards to ensure the local grape and wine industry remains strong and sustainable.”

CCOVI’s robust research program tackles industry research priorities from the vine to the glass, as well as providing preharvest monitoring, analytical services, and grapevine virus resting. It also hosts thousands of community and industry members at its outreach events each year and provides professional certifications in wine, cider and spirits to more than 200 continuing education students annually.

“ The successful development of VineAlert is a major accomplishment for CCOVI and an important tool for protecting our vineyards.”

— Matthias Oppenlaender & Debbie Zimmerman

Inniskillin Hall was named in recognition of a $600,000 capital campaign donation by Vincor Inc. (now Arterra Wines Canada). Pictured here is then-Brock President David Atkinson, Campaign Co-Chair John Howard, then-Vincor President Donald Triggs, and Campaign Co-Chair Donald Ziraldo celebrating the donation in 1997.

CCOVI Director Debbie Inglis, left, and CCOVI Scientist Belinda Kemp give Niagara Regional Chair Jim Bradley a tour of one of the Institute’s research labs.

Ontario Craft Wineries President Richard Linley said the organization has been “proud to partner” with CCOVI, highlighting its collaboration on the first-of-itskind Certification in Ontario Wine.

“We look forward to further building on our partnership with CCOVI as our industry and this valuable institution continues to grow,” he added.

As for what lies ahead, Inglis is excited by the work CCOVI is doing to better understand consumer choice using augmented and virtual reality technology in the Institute’s R3CL Lab, its initiatives to support the sustainability of the industry and mitigate the impacts of climate change, and the implementation of a national clean plant program for grapevines.

All of which, she stresses, are possible thanks to CCOVI’s strong partnerships across the country.

Brock University Interim President Lynn Wells echoes the sentiment.

“CCOVI’s numerous research, outreach and continuing education activities over the past 25 years have created meaningful and lasting partnerships within our local community and beyond,” she said. “We look forward to seeing what the next 25 years will bring.”

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GOODMAN SCHOOL LEADING THE WAY IN AUGMENTED REALITY MARKETING

Joachim Scholz

By Kaitlyn Little

W

hen Goodman School of Business students teamed up with Calamus Estate Winery to create Canada’s first augmented reality (AR) wine label it was a project partnership quite literally written in the stars.

The partnership, which was an experiential learning project in an AR Marketing class, used Calamus’ on-site observatory as inspiration to create an immersive experience where a scan of the label would transport the user to a starry sky on their smartphone, allowing them to hunt for inspirational quotes by moving around to see different areas of the sky.

“This project was a great use of AR as it fits both the brand and the situation,” said course instructor Joachim Scholz, Assistant Professor of Marketing at Brock University’s Goodman School.

“It fits the brand as their observatory gave us something to work with,” he said, “and it fits the social environment because we are living in these uncertain times. For thousands

of years in uncertain times we have looked to the stars for assurance and affirmation.”

It’s this potential for storytelling that excites Scholz about using AR as a marketing tool with the possibility of creating immersive experiences for consumers that can’t be accomplished on other platforms.

At a time when brands are using AR marketing at a record pace, the Goodman School of Business has established itself as an industry leader in training students to respond to this demand.

Goodman is the only business school in the world offering AR marketing courses at the graduate and undergraduate level. While others offer courses that looks at both AR and virtual reality (VR) marketing together, neither go in-depth in teaching students how to apply AR marketing principles, said Scholz.

“It’s going to be the biggest wave of marketing talent needed,” he said. “AR is already taking off and more and more companies are realizing they need to get in there or they

GOODMAN IS THE ONLY BUSINESS SCHOOL IN THE WORLD OFFERING AR MARKETING COURSES AT THE GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL.

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Goodman students in Joachim Scholz’s Augmented Reality Marketing course worked with Calamus Winery to conceptualize and produce Canada’s first AR wine label.

Photo: Dakota Unrau.

might have a competitive disadvantage. With that comes the need for trained marketers who can do it well and that’s where Goodman’s programs come in.”

The Goodman courses have also been drawing some of the AR industry’s top talent as guest speakers. In the spring, Jason McDowall, host of the No. 1 AR podcast, The AR Show with Jason McDowall, spoke to students about how AR fits into the evolution of personal computing and Heather Moffat, Brand Marketing Manager at Snap Inc. discussed how Snapchat is leading in AR lens creation, Snap AR and the company’s new Spectacle glasses.

Scholz and other Goodman colleagues are also leading by example when it comes to researching AR marketing.

Scholz published the first peer-reviewed conceptual article on AR marketing in 2016 and has been a leader in the field since. His more recent work focuses on the e-commerce side of AR marketing and how AR can be used as a storytelling tool. He is also a research scholar with Brock’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute and is looking forward to using the school’s new R3CL lab, a first-of-its-kind space in the Brock LINC that offers the combined use of VR, AR and physical reality for research.

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IN THE

GAME 🎮 BROCK LAUNCHES CANADA’S FIRST MASTER OF ARTS IN GAME STUDIES

By Alison Innes

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B

rock University has launched a first-ofits-kind in Canada Master of Arts (MA) in Game Studies.

“People have been doing graduate work in games for years, but it’s usually in departments like English, Cultural Studies and Computer Science,” said Jason Hawreliak, Director of Brock’s Centre for Digital Humanities (CDH).

“This program allows students to fully focus on games.”

The MA in Game Studies is an interfaculty and interdisciplinary program designed to provide students with a venue for studying and designing games in all forms. The two-year program offers students opportunities to engage with scholarly and professional literature, exploring the key debates within the discipline. It will welcome its first cohort of students in September 2022.

“Since Game Studies is such a diverse field, the program is designed to offer students a lot of flexibility, whether they’re interested in the scholarly or technical aspects of games,” said Hawreliak. “Students looking to study something like representation in games will be working alongside those interested in game-based learning, or others interested in improving their 3D-modelling skills.”

The new MA offers two streams for students: a Major Research Project, which allows students to pursue either scholarly or technical projects, and a thesis stream for those looking to pursue a PhD.

“Whichever stream they choose, students can gain both scholarly and technical competencies throughout the program,” said Hawreliak.

The program will have a special focus on “games for education, health and persuasion,” which explores how game design can be used in non-gaming fields like education, public policy and health care. It will prepare students for both doctoral studies and careers outside of academia.

Suzanne Curtin, Vice-Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies, said the program offers a new avenue for students looking for further education in the field of game design.

“To be able to offer students the opportunity to study game design at the master’s level is very exciting,” she says. “As the only program of its kind in Canada, Brock’s reputation as an academic and industry leader in this field will continue to grow.”

The MA program invites applicants from a wide variety of backgrounds, including recent university graduates and mid-career professionals.

“We can’t wait to welcome the first cohort of students to the CDH next year,” says Hawreliak.

The MA program is a logical next step following the success of the joint undergraduate GAME program with Computer Science at Brock and Niagara College, first launched in 2016.

THEN NOW

Both vehicles, and what powers them, have come a long way since the top photo was taken of a Brock University parking lot in 1973. Brock installed 20 new electric vehicle charging stations across its main campus in 2021 in an effort to offer greener options for drivers in the University community.

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Melissa Krist, Director, Brock Sports, says the Badgers have all the elements to become a centrepiece in the Canadian university athletics landscape.

KRIST FOCUSED ON GROWING FAMILY CULTURE IN BROCK SPORTS

By Stephen Leithwood

M

elissa Krist had an affinity for Brock University long before she became Director of Brock Sports in 2021.

She credits Brock alumna Maureen Dugo (BPhEd ’80, BEd ’81), a former point guard for the Brock Badgers women's basketball team, who would become a high school teacher for 34 years, with setting her on a career path in sport.

“Brock has had a special piece of my heart for most of my life,” said Krist. “Growing up, I didn't know my post-secondary sport pathways until I was recruited

by Ms. Dugo, my high school coach, to play women's basketball. She motivated and encouraged me to be a leader throughout my student-athlete development.

She played an important role in how I ended up pursuing a career in sport.”

Krist, who began her appointment overseeing the Brock Badgers athletic department and its 900 student-athletes last summer, previously spent 25 years in a series of progressive positions at her alma mater, the University of Toronto.

There, Krist was the Manager of Intercollegiate Sport within the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education for 11 years. She is experienced in strategic planning, policy development and revenue generation and serves on multiple Ontario University Athletics and U SPORTS committees.

Anna Lathrop, Brock's Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President, Students, called Krist a proven leader in university athletics with extensive experience in supporting the development of student-athletes and coaches.

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ATHLETICS

“Our student-athletes will benefit from her worldclass experience and dedication to both athletic and academic excellence,” Lathrop said. “Melissa is the perfect fit to lead Brock Sports, and I know she will bring stability and vision to the role — making a profound impact both in support of our coaches, staff and student-athletes and also as we align the vision and mission of Brock Sports with the University's Strategic Plan.”

Krist said Brock University has all the elements to become a centrepiece in the Canadian university athletics landscape.

“Having a school of 19,000 students and 900 student-athletes in competitive sports is phenomenal and not seen anywhere else,” she said. “I'm impressed with the breadth of programming at Brock, including intramural sports. The programming available for the student-athlete at Brock is exceptional. I look forward to continuing that and looking at other opportunities that we can add as our international student base becomes a driving factor.”

Krist earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology at the University of Toronto and played varsity basketball while pursuing a Sport Administration diploma at Durham College.

“When I was a student-athlete, I saw first-hand the impact a high-performance culture can have on a program and what's required to get to the next level,” she said.

During her tenure on staff at the University of Toronto, Krist was mentored by two trailblazing women of university sport: former Director of Athletics

and High-Performance Liz Hoffman and current Executive Director of Co-Curricular Athletics and Physical Activity, Beth Ali. “There are not too many people who can say they reported to two female Athletic Directors during their career. Their mentorship had a remarkable impact on my professional career,” Krist said.

“People stay at U of T for a long time because of the culture built by those two. That's the culture that I want Brock to have; a family culture of ‘Everybody is a Badger.’”

Krist would like to hear from individuals who are interested in supporting the Badger family and can be reached at sportsdirector@brocku.ca “Brock has the unique quality of being a strong community, and the University's support of sport continues to have a huge impact in the development and growth of every student-athlete beyond the classroom,” she said. “We continue to need our Badger family support. Donations are a big piece in helping us hire assistant coaches, purchasing more equipment and developing Badger financial support.”

Help Brock Sports deliver an unforgettable student-athlete experience by visiting gobadgers.ca/donatenow

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ATHLETICS

27

HOW NORGEN BIOTEK AND ITS TEAM OF BROCK ALUMNI RESPONDED TO A

GLOBAL PANDEMIC

By Dan Dakin

W

hen Yousef Haj-Ahmad (BSc ’80, MSc ’82) started Norgen Biotek in the late 1990s, he could never have imagined the important role his company would play more than two decades later in both the lives of Brock University graduates, and on the world around him.

Haj-Ahmad started Norgen in 1998 while he was a Professor of Biological Sciences at Brock University and then retired to run the business full time once it grew big enough. The company produces collection, purification and preservation devices for samples of all types, such as saliva, soil, urine and DNA. In February 2020, Haj-Ahmad was attending a conference in California when he first learned of the significance of COVID-19.

“I called the office from California and said we need to focus our efforts on this new virus. We started to pivot immediately and by March we were focused on COVID and had instituted meetings about it every morning,” he said.

Prior to that key time in Norgen’s history, the company had employed about 45 people.

Throughout the spring of 2020, they developed and started selling COVID-19 test kits and demand soared. By the summer, Norgen expanded operations to include both a day and afternoon shift, with approximately 150 employees working hard to keep up with demand.

Of those workers, Haj-Ahmad says about 70 per cent were Brock graduates or students.

“They were available, they’re good workers and they know each other,” he said. “Students found themselves without any jobs to do, so they told each other about the opportunity here.”

The founder says about 90 per cent of Norgen’s business in 2020 was COVID-19 related. Demand changed significantly through 2021, when only about 20 per cent of the business was COVID-related, but the original team of 45 employees pre-pandemic now sits at about 80, with 30 of those being Brock alumni, including Haj-Ahmad’s daughter Miriam Haj-Ahmad (BA ’19).

“Teaching students about science is very satisfying,” Haj-Ahmad said. “But giving them a job and helping them have a practical application for what they learned, is also satisfying.

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Alex White is one of the 80 people employed by Norgen Biotek.

“We’re hiring students who just graduated and don’t know what they can do with biology. They think the only thing they have available is working in the lab, but there are so many other things they can do,” he said.

The future for Norgen looks bright. About 70 per cent of its business already comes from the U.S. market, but it plans to open a manufacturing operation in Buffalo to expand that market even more.

“If we’re going to compete for some of those big lucrative contracts, we have to have a presence in the U.S.,” Haj-Ahmad said.

And should another outbreak occur — which he predicts will happen every seven to 10 years — Norgen will be ready.

“COVID put us in a position to be extremely prepared and ready if an outbreak takes place. We know how to make these tests rapidly and deploy them rapidly,” he said. “The most important thing is that these outbreaks are controlled through testing. If we didn’t have sophisticated testing available, the world would be 100 per cent infected with COVID.”

Norgen employee Weam Alnajjar works in the company’s Thorold lab.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

ALUMNI UPDATES Here are some other alumni updates from the past few months:

Class of 1970s Robert Bergen’s (BA ’71) book Scattering Chaff: Canadian air power and censorship during the Kosovo Air War, won the C.P. Stacey Award for Canadian military history.

David Flack (BA ’72) has written his first children’s book and musical play, both titled The Cranberries that didn't fit in.

Class of 1990s Jeff Graham (BSc ’96) has been appointed President and CEO of Ontario's Festival Hydro Inc, as well as affiliate organization Rhyzome Networks.

Jeremy Wright (BA ’97), Chartered Professional Accountant, joined RAYL Innovations as Director and CFO. Michael Pilato (BAcc ’98) has been promoted to President and CEO of Jamieson Canada.

Pictured from left are sisters Lauren and Heather Kennedy during a visit to Delhi, India.

Heather Kennedy (BA ’01) and Lauren Kennedy (BA ’06) are sisters from St. Catharines who both made significant career moves recently. Heather Kennedy’s career has taken her around the globe working in numerous locations in North America, Australia Pacific, Asia, and the Middle East. She has held many roles in major games and events, and in 2021 relocated again to Dubai to become Lead Manager, Site Operations at Expo 2020 Dubai. In the role, she leads a team of 20 in the organizational planning and operations across the Expo 2020 site. Heather has also started a four-year term with the Canadian Olympic Committee.

Lauren Kennedy has worked for the Chicken Farmers of Canada for six years as Director of Public Affairs where she leads both the government and public relations strategies for the national organization representing Canada's 2,900 chicken farmers. She was recently elected to the Board of Directors for the Government Relations Institute of Canada, strengthening the practice and conduct of government relations across Canada and supporting government and public affairs professionals from all sectors across the country. She is also the president of a political riding association.

Class of 2000s Kyle Wilson (BBA ’01) was named Senior Vice-President, Sales Director Business Development for eCapital, overseeing the business development team for eCapital's Commercial Finance division in the U.S. and Canada.

Adam Kozak (BAcc ’01) has been named Chief Financial Officer of North American plant-based protein provider Sol Cuisine Ltd. Patrick Gray (BSM ’03) was named Sr. Associate Athletics Director and Executive Director of the Mountaineer Athletic Club at West Virginia University.

Brian Moelich (BBA ’07) has been named leader of Aecom's Strategy+ practice in Canada.

Mark MacDonald (BA ’08) was named Manager of Corporate Communications for the City of Welland.

Class of 2010s Mandy Johnston (BAcc ’10) has joined the Board of Directors of Manitou Gold Inc. Brenden Carlson (BSc ’18, MSc ’21), has had the second book in his Walking Shadows series published by Dundern Press. Midnight was released in August and follows Night Call, which was shortlisted for the Kobo Emerging Writers Prize.



Are you a Brock grad who moved into a new role or launched a new business in the past few months?

Email your good news to alumni@brocku.ca

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BROCK GRAD COUPLE EMBARKS ON GREATEST ADVENTURE YET: PARENTHOOD

By Jocelyn Titone

Conrad Davies (BBA ’14) and Teighan McIntyre (BRLS ’14, BEd ’17, MEd ’21) with their first child, Cedar.

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BIRTHS

C

onrad Davies (BBA ’14) and Teighan McIntyre (BRLS ’14, BEd ’17, MEd ’21) have experienced some amazing adventures together since first meeting as undergraduate students in 2012.

The Brock alumni couple spent six weeks travelling the east coast of Canada, competed in powerlifting championships, bought several houses and built a backyard gym. Davies also opened a craft brewery with his father and McIntyre completed two additional Brock degrees.

But of all the adventures in travelling, business, education and home improvement, their most exciting and impactful experience has been parenthood.

In August 2021, Davies and McIntyre welcomed their first child, a daughter they named Cedar.

“It's been so much fun,” said McIntyre. “Conrad was able to take the first couple of weeks off, which was really nice so we could figure out things together. We're now getting into a bit more of a groove. Cedar has always been pretty chill and she tells us exactly what she needs.”

The couple met at Brock during their second year of undergraduate studies. McIntyre was a Recreation and Leisure Studies student and a trainer at The Zone, and Davies was a Business Administration student. Davies worked out often, so McIntyre quickly became a friendly face.

“I saw her sitting down outside of the gym in Walker Courtyard one day and I asked if I could sit with her,” Davies said. “We studied a couple times together and then we saw each other at Isaac’s one night, and that was it. Classic Brock meet story.”

After travelling together and working various retail jobs, the two settled down and bought their first home in Ontario’s Kawartha Lakes region.

Two years later, Davies’ father called him with an idea to open a pizza shop. After some brainstorming and research, the idea evolved into a craft brewery: Breakwall Brewery in Port Colborne.

While Davies started the entrepreneurial venture and a new career as a real estate agent, McIntyre secured a role at Brock as a student programming co-ordinator with the Goodman School of Business and the couple moved back to Niagara in 2017.

They bought a house in Welland and spent the next few years settling into their new life. In 2019, Davies asked McIntyre to marry him and they set a wedding date for 2020.

But plans changed with the onset of the pandemic, and then again when the couple got pregnant.

During McIntyre’s pregnancy, the couple also bought a new house and moved to an area in Port Colborne called Cedar Bay — a fun coincidence since the baby’s name was already chosen.

“Cedar was going to be the baby’s name whether it was a boy or a girl,” said McIntyre. “We chose it because we love camping in Algonquin Park and Cedar Lake is one of our favourite access points.”

The couple plans to get married in October 2022, with Cedar as their flower girl.

“We’re excited for what this next stage in our life will bring us,” McIntyre said. “We’re looking forward to future adventures in travelling and camping as a family.”

Former Tim Hortons President and CEO Paul House is pictured delivering the Goodman School of Business Distinguished Leader lecture at Brock University in 2007. House passed away in October 2021.

REMEMBERING

PAUL HOUSE HONORARY DOCTORATE RECIPIENT, INAUGURAL GOODMAN DISTINGUISHED LEADER

By Dan Dakin

P

aul House, who led the Tim Hortons brand for many years and had strong connections to Brock University, passed away in October after battling an illness.

He was a renowned business figure who joined the TDL Group Corp, which owned Tim Hortons, in 1985 and served a variety of roles including Vice-President of Marketing, Senior Vice-President of Operations, Executive Vice-President of Operations, Chief Operating Officer, President, Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Chairman until 2013.

During House’s time with TDL, Tim Hortons experienced remarkable growth to become a leader in the food sector while retaining its community roots.

His daughter Marnie Sheridan (BRLS ’00, BEd ’01) and son-in-law Warren Sheridan (BA ’00) attended Brock, and he was part of the Dean’s Advisory Council for the Goodman School of Business from 2005 until 2016.

In 2007, House became Goodman’s inaugural Faculty of Business Distinguished Leader, and, in June 2008, he received an honorary doctorate during the University’s Spring Convocation.

He served as a Board of Trustees member from 2008 until 2014.

“Paul was a great friend to the Goodman School of Business and Brock University,” said Goodman Dean Andrew Gaudes. “He is remembered as a strong and effective business leader, having had a significant impact on the people and businesses he worked with.

More importantly, Paul is remembered as a kind and true gentleman and will be missed by the people who knew him.”

Born on a farm in Stoney Creek in 1944, House began his work in the food and service business at an early age, marketing the family farm’s fruits and vegetables at the Hamilton Farmers’ Market.

Throughout his formative years, House and his brother Bob continued their roots by working and managing peach farms along the Niagara Peninsula.

In 1969, House graduated with a BA in Economics from McMaster University and went on to manage a Shell Oil Company franchise in Hamilton. Sparked by his passion for business and his roots in the food business, House joined Dairy Queen Canada Inc. as a District Manager in 1972. Although his original goal was to be a franchisee, he climbed the corporate ladder and was eventually named Director of Purchasing and Vice-President of Canadian Operations.

In 1985, he joined the TDL Group Corp. and went on to a long and successful tenure with the company.

PASSAGES

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