JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

JARIJOURNAL OF APPLIEDRESEARCH AND INNOVATIONINTRODUCING A SHOWCASE FOR IDEAS ANDINSPIRATION IN APPLIED RESEARCHThe Journal of Applied Research and Innovation (JARI) is a new, peer-reviewed,online journal that presents fresh approaches and innovative solutions toreal-world challenges. Launched as part of NAIT’s 50th anniversary, JARI’svision is to become international in scope and content providing a forum forresearchers, administrators and industry partners from diverse sectors tohighlight their applied research experiences.Articles, papers and case studies are welcome for peer review. Topics mayinclude technological innovations, prototype and product development, proofof concept, testing and other data-driven solutions, or insight into the directvalue of applied research.Are you or your team addressing the practical problems of industry,government or the community in a unique or innovative way?Let JARI showcase your process and findings!FOR MORE INFORMATION:Dr. David Carpenter, JARI Editorwww.nait.ca/jariEmail: JARI@nait.ca

The Future is in your hands.Develop your skills through Modern MachiningTechniques at the NAIT Sandvik Coromant Centrefor Machinist Technology.Throughout Sandvik’s first 150 years, the combination of developmentand change has been the driving force behind our success. In partnership withNAIT celebrating 50 years the journey into the future continues!

table of contentstechlife > contents823622on the coverinnovatePEOPLECULINAIT36 Celebrate NAIT’sAnniversarytechnofile17 Status UpdateAfter 10 issues, we revisit fivestories of innovators and theirprojects. As it turns out, youwin some, you lose some – butyou always learn along the way22 From the Ground UpIn the early 1960s, fewknew a technician from atechnologist, even if industryneeded them more than ever.That’s when NAIT arrivedwith the answer27 A First Time for EverythingWhat was NAIT’s firstbuilding? Degree? Tweet? Alist of 50 points of origin32 The FuturistsA view of the world oftomorrow, courtesy of ourstaff and alumni34 NAITologyHow well do you know NAIT?Find out by taking our quiz36 Top 50 AlumniFind out why these gradsmade the grade64 Ooks Through the AgesWe may not be bowling orcanoeing anymore, but overthe years our teams have stillbeen known by rivals to “kicktheir pants”67 The Meaning of OokpikNAIT’s search for its missingmascot turns up morethan just a cute and cuddlyCanadian icon73 The Fine Art of FoodA history in five courses76 RecipeWhat does the suave,sophisticated ook reach forduring the cocktail hour?A NAITini, of coursedepartments8 Contributors11 Editor’s Note12 Feedback13 Connections with thePresident15 NewsbytesRecent news from theinstitute6 techlifemag.ca

177662 ContestSign up for the techlifemag.cae-newsletter and win a limitededition T-shirt!79 5 Ways to Get InvolvedWith NAIT81 AcclaimAward-winning grads, staffand friends82 RewindA piece of NAIT history comeshome – thanks to an alum andhis garden shedWhat’s New at techlifemag.caBetween biannual issues of techlife, we publish stories online.Here’s a selection from recent months.Cuisine by CapraWhy Hokanson Chef in ResidenceMassimo Capra trains cooks,not chefstechlifemag.ca/capra-hokanson-chefin-residence.htmGet Your Motor RunningWant to tour, cruise or travel atshocking speeds? Here’s how topick the right motorcycletechlifemag.ca/motorcycle-buyingguide.htmCanadian ContentPhotographer Heather Paul rescuesnational treasures from the dustbinsof time (and Winnipeg)techlifemag.ca/photo-restoration.htmTaking it to the StreetsChef Nathan McLaughlin’s newfood truck makes a stop at FoodNetwork’s Eat Streettechlifemag.ca/the-act-on-eat-street.htmHockey HeroesThe undefeated ’84-’85 Ooks enterthe Alberta Hockey Hall of Fametechlifemag.ca/ooks-hockey-perfectseason.htmSense and SustainabilityThree alumni turn a troubledresidential corner into a model ofgreen design and constructiontechlifemag.ca/belgravia-green-netzero.htmScan this QR code toconnect to techlifemag.ca.Accompanying some of thisissue’s stories are QR codesthat connect you to our onlinecontent. All you need is aQR code reader; downloadone for free from yoursmartphone’s app store. Then,use it to scan the codes foundthroughout the magazine.v6.1 2012 7

contributorsPAGE f 45, 50, 55 & 57PAGE f 22 & 64PAGE f 39As a communications specialist, Fiona Bensler loves theopportunity to work with staff from across NAIT. Sheenjoys learning from that – and definitely learned a thingor two from the four top 50 alumni she interviewed forthis issue. Their passion, drive, dedication and desireto give back are valuable takeaways. Besides writing fortechlife, Bensler edits NAIT’s weekly staff newsletter andis managing editor for A Report on Giving (included in thisissue), which highlights donors to the institute. She is alsoa frequent contributor to techlifemag.ca.John Book (Photographic Technology ’87) is an avidbirdwatcher, fly-fisher and, of course, photographer. “Notvery many individuals have the option to work every dayat what they consider their hobby, but I do,” he says. Bookhas been busy with his hobby for 22 years at NAIT, wherehe produces images to support curriculum and promotethe institute. In searching out archival photos for severalstories in this issue, Book selected from over 200,000digital files and more than 60 binders of negatives to helpcapture the institute’s 50-year history.Heather Gray likes the challenge a new opportunitybrings. Proof of this came recently when she moved fromhealth-care education administration to communications.She performed a similar move, but in the oppositedirection, 30 years ago when she traded her newspaperwriting and editing career for an education in medicallaboratory science. A few months ago, when given theopportunity to join NAIT’s communications team, it wasa full-circle moment she couldn’t resist. For her, workingas a writer and editor on this issue, which focuses oncelebrating NAIT’s history, reinforced the notion that ourpast experiences shape us.techlifev6.1 2012people technology innovationtechlifemag.caeditorSherri Krastelmanaging and online editorScott Messengerassociate editorsKristen Vernon, Heather Grayart directorDerek Lueassociate art directorAndrea YurydesignersSandy Brown, Dru Davids, Trina Koscielnuk, Jennifer Lubrin,Sheena Rienercopy editorKathy Frazercirculation managerNicole Rose (Marketing ’08)advertising managerLynn Ryancontributing writersEliza Barlow, Fiona Bensler, Ruth Juliebo, Frank Landry,Kim MacDonald, Cheryl Mahaffy, Nancy McGuire, LindseyNorris, Lisa Ricciotti, Sandy Robertson, Don Trembathcontributing photographersJohn Book (Photographic Technology ’87), LeighFrey (Photographic Technology ’01), Jeanette Janzen(Photographic Technology ’10), Blaise van MalsensubscriptionsSend changes of address to circulation@techlifemag.ca.Sign up for the techlifemag.ca e-newsletter attechlifemag.ca/subscribe.htm.freelance submissionsSend queries to editor@techlifemag.ca. We do not acceptunsolicited manuscripts.letters to the editoreditor@techlifemag.caadvertising and circulation inquiriescirculation@techlifemag.caTechlife magazine is published twice a year by NAITMarketing and Communications. Online features arepublished regularly at techlifemag.ca. Opinions expressedare not necessarily those of NAIT or the editorial team.Techlife is a proud member of the Alberta MagazinePublishers Association, abiding by the national magazineadvertising/editorial guidelines (albertamagazines.com).PAGE f 73Since graduating from Photographic Technology in2010, Jeanette Janzen has travelled the world in searchof curious, marvellous and unexpected things thatmake up its cultures. Thinking she would spend her lifeas a photographer overseas, she surprised everyone –including herself – when she landed back at NAIT. Asa student, her favourite subject matter was food andbeverages, so helping to photograph this issue’s CuliNAITfeature, in particular the NAITini, felt like catching upwith an old friend over drinks. But no matter what she’sshooting, she still loves the rush she gets from one of herfavourite hobbies: developing black and white film.a report on givingmanaging editorFiona Benslercontributing writerNancy McGuirecontributing photographerBlaise van Malsen8 techlifemag.ca

As NAIT celebrates its 50th anniversary, we recognizethe institute for helping develop the skilled workforceCanada needs to prosper.encana.com

EDITOR’S NOTE“thisinstitutefulfillsone of thegreatestneedsin oursociety.”– Ernest ManningPremier of Alberta, 1943-68Photo by blaise van malsen“this institute fulfills one of the greatest needs in our society,” saidErnest Manning at NAIT’s official opening ceremony in the spring of 1963.The late premier’s remarks remain as true today as they did nearly fivedecades ago, when technical education was undefined and NAIT’s futureyet to be written.In this commemorative issue of techlife, we celebrate NAIT’s goldenanniversary, and the more than 170,000 students and thousands ofstaff and faculty whose lives have been enriched by the school. We’veattempted to provide a snapshot of what has transpired at NAIT overthe last five decades, but it is by no means complete.People and programs have come and gone, athletics championshipshave been won and lost, and facilities have been demolished and built.What has remained is Alberta’s need, and the growing demand, for theunique brand of education served up in the classrooms and labs, byexperienced, passionate faculty and staff.That became evident during the process of compiling our Top50 Alumni list (p. 36). From inventors to innovators, from artists tophilanthropists, from CEOs of the largest companies to owners of smallbusinesses, NAIT graduates solve problems, create wealth and improvelives every day – not only in Alberta, but across the country andaround the world.Many of the 162 nominations we received were familiar to the 11of us tasked with evaluating them – after all, NAIT has produced itsshare of interesting personalities, many of whom we have covered inthe pages of techlife and its predecessor Alumnait. Many nominations,however, were for individuals who have avoided the spotlightbut whose accomplishments were as impressive as any. Wehonour them all.We’re also taking advantage of this opportunity for a secondlook at some of the stories we’ve covered in the last five years(p. 17) and, to keep it interesting, we’ve asked some of our expertsto weigh in on the future of several fields, including oil sands,food production, education and alternative energy (p. 32) – theirpredictions may surprise you.We hope you enjoy reading this special issue and would loveto hear from you about this and previous issues. You can do so inless than 10 minutes by taking our readership survey (p. 12).And, although much has changed since first student Bill Richesarrived early in a cab on that October morning in 1962 (p. 22),some things do remain the same – our students are as eager, theOokpik as cherished and Manning’s proclamation as relevant asit was 50 years ago.Here’s to the next 50!Sherri KrastelEditoreditor@techlifemag.cav6.1 2012 11

FEEDBACKHere’s what you think about us7the building in the aerial photo at thetop of Plenty of Parking (p. 66, V5.2) wasa two-storey structure converted from adepartment store into new digs for theentire NAIT Architectural Technologyprogram in 1977. It is currently called theEngineering Technologies Annex. Thefocus of the story, M Building, wasn’teven in the photo!Respectfully,Bruce BenjaminArchitectural Technology ’78one of our announcers broughtyour interview with Holger Petersen(techlifemag.ca/holger-petersentalking-music.htm)to our attention.Thanks for a great article about agreat man.Karen HowellWeb Editor, CKUAreader responseWe asked about these six stories in our latestreadership survey. Below, the percentage ofrespondents who read the stories in their entirety.We want to hear from youTell us what you think about thestories you read in the magazineor at techlifemag.ca.• Email: editor@techlifemag.ca• techlifemag.ca (comment online bylogging in through Facebook)• Twitter: @NAIT• Facebook: www.nait.ca/facebook• Mail: Sherri KrastelEditor, techlife magazine11762 – 106 St. N.W.Edmonton, AB T5G 2R1Published comments may be edited for length,grammar and clarity.1234567Backing Big Oil (p. 28): 22%Moveable Feasts (p. 52): 22%3 Questions: The Labour Shortage (p. 15): 21%Ask an Expert: Brew the Perfect Cup of Joe (p. 48): 17%Northern Composure (p. 38): 11%Reading Room: Sci-Fi Masterpieces (p. 13): 7%MOST-readstoriesfrom v5.2Scan this QR code to takeour readership survey or visittechlifemag.ca/survey.htm.Need a QR code reader? See p. 7.Take our surveyfollowing each issue of techlife, we surveyour readers to make sure we are deliveringwhat you want to read. We ask what contentyou prefer and how much time you spentreading the stories.We have learned that half of youregularly read most of the magazine, andthat more than 80 per cent spend between22 21 17 11 710 minutes and one hour with it. We knowwhich stories you like best, and we areworking to give you more of what you want.Your feedback is important to us. Takeour short survey and help us make techlifethe best technology lifestyle magazine in thecountry. Invest less than 10 minutes today fora better techlife tomorrow!12 techlifemag.ca

CONNECTIONS WITH THE PRESIDENT50 great yearsPhoto by blaise van malsennait at 50! What a marvellous time to serve as president and CEO of thisoutstanding institution. I am amazed by what NAIT has achieved, humbledby what we are accomplishing and inspired by our plans for the future.Our remarkable successes during the past five decades aretestimony to the dedication and innovation of former staff and students.NAIT has consistently built on our foundation as a relevant andresponsive polytechnic. We continue to deliver hands-on, technologybasedskills education in science, technology and the environment,health, trades and business. Our motto – to learn, to do, to succeed –is as relevant today as at NAIT’s founding. We are central toAlberta’s future.Partnerships with industry, government and other donor agencies,together with contributions from individuals, many of whom are NAITalumni, have allowed NAIT to meet Alberta’s and Canada’s needs foroutstanding skilled workers. For this support, we are eternally grateful.As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we have embarked on a newvision. NAIT 2021 is our roadmap to the future and is critically importantfor Alberta in developing a highly qualified workforce. It is our pathwayto becoming the most relevant and responsive polytechnic in Canada.Embedded in the NAIT 2021 vision are promises. This is our promiseto Alberta: NAIT’s primary focus is on meeting the current and emergingneeds for polytechnic education and research in Alberta. NAIT isrelevant and responsive to the province, providing outstanding technicaleducation. While serving the needs of Alberta, NAIT is globallycompetitive and recognized.To industry, we promise to work as full partners as we create anexceptional skilled workforce.We promise students an education that prepares them for successin meaningful careers in their chosen field, enabling them to have animmediate impact.To staff, we promise to make NAIT one of Canada’s most outstandingplaces to work, focusing on values we define as the NAIT Way.Glenn Feltham, PhDPresident and CEOglennf@nait.cav6.1 2012 13

newsbytesPhoto by blaise van malsenooksgomobilethis spring, the athleticsdepartment struck a first forAlberta college- or universitylevelsports with a new appdedicated entirely to its teams.Available as a free downloadfor iPhone, iPad and Androidusers, the app delivers Ooksnews, schedules, results andmore, as well as offers contests,rewards for attendance andevent reminders. The ideaand product came from LyleMozak (Electronics EngineeringTechnology ’68), CEO ofAppsdeveloper.ca Inc., whopresented it as a marketing toolto increase the Ooks’ fan base.“As an alumnus, I thought, ‘Let’ssee how a mobile app can fixthat,’” he says.— Scott MessengerAt work for the Boreal Research Institute in the Peace River region.funding BOOSTenvironmental studies and Alberta’s high-techsector will benefit from over $5.6 million in federalgrants awarded to NAIT.The funding will bolster ongoing research intoreducing the environmental impact of the oil sandsthrough the institute’s Boreal Research Institute andits Centre for Green Chemistry and Engineering.Funding will also fuel a project to support memberschampionshipcurlingcanada’s best collegiate-level curlers willconverge in Edmonton this spring, whenNAIT hosts the 2013 Canadian CollegiateAthletic Association (CCAA) Curling NationalChampionship.It’s fitting the institute was selected as thesite, says Linda Henderson, director of athleticsand recreation. The institute has a rich history inthe sport: the women’s curling team won bronzeat the 2012 CCAA championship, and world-classcurlers Kevin Martin and Adam Enright honedtheir craft as NAIT students.The four-day, round-robin tournamenttakes place March 20-23 at the nearby AvonairCurling Club. It will feature eight men’s and eightwomen’s teams.— F.L.of the province’s burgeoning nanotechnologyindustry, particularly in the areas of prototypingand product development.Awarded in May, the grants include $4.05million from the Natural Sciences and EngineeringResearch Council of Canada and $1.6 million fromthe Canadian Foundation for Innovation.— Frank Landrythe starsaligndr. glenn feltham says when he started aspresident and CEO in 2011, “I heard loud andclear that sustainability is important to our staff.”As part of his response, the institute obtainedits first rating from the Sustainability TrackingAssessment and Rating System (STARS). STARSis a self-reporting tool for educational institutesto measure economic, environmental and socialperformance. NAIT registered a bronze rating –a benchmark, says Feltham, by which NAIT canmeasure its progress.— S.M.v6.1 2012 15

thank you for inspiring the next generation toDREAM BIGFinning Canada is proud to support the Northern Alberta Instituteof Technology. Congratulations on 50 years.

TECHNOFILEStatusStories Bykristen vernonPhotos byblaise van malsenUpdatePeople, technology and innovation are at the heart of the storieswe feature in techlife. After 10 issues, we decided it was timefor an update on ideas, projects and business ventures we’vecovered over the years. Here’s where a few of them stand today.The hawk has landedFrom Batteries Included, Vol. 2.1if it’s above 6 c and not raining,Nap Pepin can be found commutingto work in his almost entirely handbuilt,two-seater electric trike–described in a recent St. AlbertGazette article “as something outof NASA or Blade Runner.”Pepin started building the$26,000-Lithium Hawk two yearsago, after making room in hisgarage by donating his first electricvehicle (EV) – the Lithium BugE –to the Reynolds-Alberta Museum.His intention was to learnwhat he could from the BugE, builtpartly with a kit, and apply that toa new EV built from the ground up.The Hawk addresses many of theBugE’s shortcomings. “It’s just a lotmore robust,” says the ElectronicsEngineering Technology grad(class of ’85). It’s heavier, has alonger range, better suspension,is almost completely silent andwill perform just as well on a lowbattery as when fully charged.Pepin, who has put more than5,000 kilometres on the Hawksince August 2011, spent lastwinter designing a sophisticatedbattery management system (hemade more than 23,000 spotwelds to link 1,976 cells) andis now refining the front-endsuspension and adding powerassist to the steering.As for whether there’s anotherEV in his future, Pepin isn’t sure.“All the manufacturers are comingout with electric vehicles,” he says.“So unless I can do somethingunique or better – why?”Above, Nap Pepin in his homemadeelectric vehicle.The EVadvantageRange:210 kilometres per chargeEquivalent fuel economy:maximum 0.81 litres/100kilometres (348 miles/gallon)Top speed:170 kilometres per hour, thoughPepin has never travelled past115 (“It can be pretty scary tryingto test [a hand-built] vehicle forhigher speeds.”)Acceleration:0 to 100 kilometres per hour inapproximately six secondsv6.1 2012 17

TECHNOFILEAbove, Since 2009, revenuesfor Davis McGregor’s MobileData Technologies havegrown more than 50-fold.Opposite, top, outsourcingelements of production hasallowed Tanya and RyanClarke of Dr. ScientistSounds to keep workingfrom home and meetbooming demand.Opposite, bottom, after afew hard years, Innovequity’sMark Holtom (left) andBen Bertrand have leadsfor their automatedhomebuilding technology.web extraRead the original stories andget updates on other previouslyfeatured innovations by visitingtechlifemag.ca/updatesfall-2012.htm.Dollars for dataFrom Firestarter, Vol. 3.2few entrepreneurs opt to keepbootstrapping when investorscome to the table. Yet the fourengineers behind Mobile DataTechnologies, which designsand sells sensor monitoring andrecording units for the oil andgas industry, decided that itwasn’t the right time for externalinvestment – despite a successfulpitch to the angel investors ofthe VentureAlberta Forum inearly 2010.Less than a year later,however, it was a different story.In early 2010, Mobile DataTechnologies was selling aboutthree units a month. In August,it sold seven. In November, itsold 11 in a single day – and 16that month. By late 2010, theformer novaNAIT incubator clientneeded a cash infusion to keeppace. Mobile Data Technologiesgot the investment needed andmoved into a 560-square-metre(6,000-square-foot) shop inAcheson, a few minutes west ofEdmonton. The company alsostarted hiring, expanding fromfive employees to its current24. Today, the product line hasgrown considerably, anddemand has been so high thateager customers have boughtthe prototypes for systems stillin development.As its 2011-12 fiscal yearcloses, the company is exactlywhere president and CEO DavisMcGregor predicted in his initialpitch to the VentureAlbertainvestors. Back then, he forecastsales to grow from $114,000in 2009 to $5.8 million in 2012.With sales for the year closingin on $6 million, “We’re right ontrack,” he says. “We’re actuallyahead of that curve.”Mobile Data Technologies hassince expanded from WesternCanada into the United States,and sales south of the border willbe the company’s focus for thecoming year. By 2015, McGregorexpects the focus to shift evenfurther afield. In the meantime,the company’s engineers areworking on a prototype for a newproduct – a prototype they hadnot intended to sell. Demand,however, proved too great. “Onceagain, the customer stepped upand said this is what we neednow,” McGregor says.18 techlifemag.ca

Pedal powerFrom Frazz Dazzler and the Sunny Day Delay, Vol. 1.2when ryan and tanya clarke returned from their wedding in Tofinoin the fall of 2009, the duo behind Dr. Scientist Sounds needed tofind a way to up production of their boutique guitar effects pedals.After all, they were almost a year behind filling store orders.Ryan (Electronics Engineering Technology ’05), who engineersthe pedals, now outsources the build of the circuit boards for twoof their four pedals. Tanya (Graphic Sign Arts ’02), whose designsgive the pedals their unique look, no longer applies finishes, butinstead has her designs printed and applied by a company in theUnited States.As a result, they’ve largely eliminated the backlog (at mostthey’re a month behind these days). And they are able to producemore than twice as many pedals, shipping about 120 a month to 35stores around the world. “We’re just in a lot better control of how itall goes down now,” Ryan says.The long-term goal is “to keep growing at a rate that we findcomfortable,” Tanya says. After all, she adds, they do this for thelifestyle of working together at home.Building equityFrom On the Brink of Big, Vol. 2.1things haven’t gone as planned for Ben Bertrand and Mark Holtom.By now, they’d hoped to have revolutionized the constructionindustry with their Geometric Construction System (GCS), which canautomatically build floors and walls, complete with wiring, plumbingand finishing coverings. “We would have loved to have been selling ourmachine a couple years ago,” says Holtom, CEO of Innovequity, a formernovaNAIT incubator client.Building the $1.4-million prototype of the GCS was, at times, afrustratingly slow process. But in summer 2010 the machine built itsfirst floor, complete with plumbing, electrical and HVAC lines. Sincethen, Bertrand, Innovequity’s chief technology officer and inventorof the GCS, has finished a beta prototype for building walls (minusinsulation, a capability soon to follow).Without a first client, cash flow is currently the largest challenge; attimes, it has the company struggling to keep its Drayton Valley factoryopen. But 2013 could be the year Innovequity’s fortunes change. Thecompany hopes to break ground on two projects. One involves buildingrental office and sleeper trailers for industrial use. The other is aresidential development tied to a major refinery project now underway.The GCS would be used to build a four-storey, 20-unit apartment blockin Bon Accord, 30 kilometres north of Edmonton.v6.1 2012 19

TECHNOFILEWhat wood have beenFrom No Car, No Furnace, No Problem, Vol. 2.2the home of Conrad Nobert andRechel Amores was designedto be net zero, producing atleast as much energy as itconsumes over the course of ayear. Three years after the NAITstaffers moved their family offour into the 200-square-metre(2,200-square-foot) house, ithas yet to reach that goal. Butit’s come close – and Nobertwouldn’t change a thing. “I thinkit’s probably harder than wethought to build a net zero housein Edmonton,” he says.Nobert and Amores(Computer Systems Technology’99) opted for baseboard heatersand a high-efficiency woodburningstove to shore up theirinsulation and passive solarheating. But because the energyfrom burning wood can’t beaccounted for on the electricitymeter, when they stopped usingthe stove to test if the housecould reach net zero, they fellshort of their goal. Had theyinstalled a geothermal system –which can be accounted for onthe electricity meter – Noberthas no doubt they’d have mettheir goal. “We learned that it’spossible, but we didn’t quitemake it,” he says.The fact remains: the energysavings are remarkable.Net electricity use over a 12-monthperiod for this home is between1,600 and 2,600 kilowatt-hours(again, without burning wood,which can’t be counted by thepower meter). The averageEdmonton home, in contrast, uses40,000 kilowatt-hours (withnatural gas consumption convertedto its electric equivalent) over thesame period.The Nobert-Amores familyhome didn’t qualify asnet zero, but it still usesa fraction of the energyconsumed by an averageEdmonton house.The zeroeffectBy incorporating the followingfeatures into their home, ConradNobert and Rechel Amoresalmost achieved net zero status:• 40-centimetre walls filledwith cellulose fibre insulation• large south-facing windows• interior concrete floors thatabsorb heat during the dayand then release it duringthe evening• a six-kilowatt solarelectric system fed by 32photovoltaic modules• solar hot water20 techlifemag.ca

INNOVATEfrom thegroundFifty years ago, Alberta wondered how itwould keep pace with a booming economy.Then NAIT came along.Story ByDon TrembathPhotosarchivalmain campus, circa 196622 techlifemag.camedical laboratory technology, circa 1964

architectural technology, 1969library, 1969circa spring 1963. photo supplied by dr. Krishan Kamraapproving building plans, circa 1960In 1962, bill riches was a 26-year-old communicationelectrician with Alberta Government Telephones(AGT) in Edmonton. He knew the position well,having come to it from a job at Canadian TelephoneSupplies in Vancouver. So when he and his colleagueswere sent to NAIT to begin an apprenticeship programfor the job he was already doing, he was a bit miffed.Previously, the company had been conductinga four-year apprenticeship program on its own foremployees. “That’s what I thought I was doing,” he says.“I didn’t know what I had to go to school for.”The change had actually been set in motion yearsearlier. In 1959, the Government of Alberta announcedplans to build a new vocational training institute inEdmonton. The timing was perfect: the province’sprosperity was growing with the development andexport of its natural resources, Edmonton’s populationwas on track to nearly double over the decade, and newconstruction was transforming the capital’s skylinefrom brick walk-ups to the cosmopolitan look of acity with a busy future in store.With this growth came soaring demands formore technically educated workers than companiesthemselves could produce – a labour gap NAIT aimedto fill. At that point, the only two technical trainingcentres in Canada were the Ryerson Institute ofTechnology in Toronto and the Provincial Instituteof Technology and Art (now SAIT) in Calgary. Takingadvantage of a $400-million federal fund introducedto stimulate the development of such traininginstitutions, a team of visionaries led by NAIT’s firstprincipal, Jack Mitchell, began the daunting taskof building a post-secondary institute from theground up.In 1962, after choosing 10.5 hectares (26 acres)near Edmonton’s municipal airport as the site of the$16-million school, the group began assembling staffto coordinate programming and schedules, and tofind qualified instructors. One of the first hired wasDr. Krishan Kamra. As department head of LaboratorySciences, he could see the challenge ahead. “There wastremendous pent-up demand from industry for Canadato create a new workforce,” he says. Particularly fornorthern Alberta, “NAIT was put in charge of inventinga person who had not existed before.”Even defining technician proved to be a challenge.“At my job interview, [personnel officer] Bill Hobdenasked me, ‘What is a technician?’” says Kamra, whowas appointed NAIT’s first director of instruction in1966. “I flubbed the answer. I didn’t know.”The industries driving Alberta’s burgeoningeconomy knew what they were looking for, however.Hospitals needed a proper training ground for theirmedical laboratory technologists and dentists wanted“NAIT was putin chargeof inventinga personwho hadnot existedbefore.”– dr. Krishan Kamrafirst director ofinstructionv6.1 2012 23

INNOVATEregistrar’s office, 1969FIrst day of classes, 1962. From left, J.P. Mitchell (Provincial director of vocational education), bill riches,al saunders (principal), otto kingsep (shop director) and f. whittle (assistant director of apprenticeship)medical x-ray technology, 1969“We gave thekids who camehere a futurethey didn’thave before.”– Bob Busseretired instructor– Bill RichesCommunicationElectrician ’63“I was the first student to ever attend NAIT.I lived on 124 Street. To take a bus around theentire airport would take one hour, if I caught all myconnections. I didn’t want to be late my first day, soI called a cab. I arrived quite early. A photographerfrom the Edmonton Journal took my picture. Thatwas my 15 minutes of fame right there.”24 techlifemag.ca

dental assisting, circa 1965NAIT Staff, 1962. supplied by dr. Krishan Kamra, front row, fifth from left.principal al saunders, left, helpsraise nait’s first maple leaf, 1965someone other than themselves to train dentaltechnicians and dental mechanics (known today asdenturists). Communications companies AGT and EdTeldemanded a local apprenticeship program. And industryleaders from fields such as engineering, buildingconstruction, banking, business communications andphotography worked alongside NAIT’s administrators toensure classroom curriculum aligned with the needs ofthe workplace.The challenge ultimately fell to the instructors, fewof whom had formal training as teachers and little or nocurriculum developed. But they did have knowledge andexperience that went far beyond words in a textbook.“We had exceptionally good instructors,” says Kamra.“Most of them were in their 30s, had supervisory orsimilar attributes, and were competitive in their fields.”And they were able to figure out the role as they went,he adds. “There was a lot of learning by doing.”Bob Busse, an early instructor in the apprenticeshipprogram, sums up his classroom experience asextremely rewarding. “We gave the kids who came herea future they didn’t have before.”Combining that teaching talent with state-of-theartequipment, NAIT attracted students from acrossWestern Canada and, by 1965, was already expandingto include the $2.5-million Tower Building. Earlyprojections of 10,000 students and 300 instructorsbefore the end of the decade seemed realistic.“This institute fulfills one of the greatest needs in oursociety,” said Premier Ernest Manning at NAIT’s officialopening. “There have been complaints that technologyis taking away jobs. It is not technology [that causes theproblem], but the failure of society to keep pace withthe training necessary to prepare young people to fulfilluseful functions.”Then, as now, NAIT’s relevance to the economy putit at the top of Canada’s polytechnic institutes. “Thereason we were created has remained our raison d’être,”says current president and CEO Dr. Glenn Feltham. “Weare providing skilled workers. We have been absolutelytrue to ourselves.”Eventually, Bill Riches figured out for himself thevalue of NAIT. After graduating as a communicationelectrician, he worked in the field for eight years.Later, he returned to NAIT – to become a baker. “It wasa good experience. Very good,” he says. “The differencefor me was, before I went to NAIT, I knew how to do allthe things for my job. After I went, I knew why. I knewthe theory.”web extraVisit techlifemag.ca/NAIT-50th-anniversary-video.htmor scan the QR code with yourmobile device to see more of thestory of NAIT’s development.Don’t have a QR code reader?See p. 7.v6.1 2012 25

198925 fantasy cruise26 NR92 Broadcast27 Capital fundraisingfundraisercampaignThe SS Benefit NAIT sailed to Jamaicaon Feb. 24, starting a tradition thatcontinued for 20 more yearsWent on air at 8 a.m.on Oct. 23 and could beheard in the main lobby,hairstyling, pool and arenaPartners for Tomorrowraised $5.4 million19941997200028World CulinaryCup gold medals32Alumni Awardof Distinction35personal $1-milliondonationCulinary students participatedon Team AlbertaGuy Turcotte (Gas Technology ’72)Gifted by Duncan and Verda McNeill2930311995Voice mailAdded to all phones on Main Campus(at the time, only 30 per cent ofcallers were successful in reachingthe desired party on the first attempt)1996applied degreeOffered in collaboration with SAIT;two years later, 26 NAIT studentsgraduated with a Bachelor of AppliedInformation Systems TechnologyPublic lecture inthe newly openedShaw TheatreDelivered by journalist David Frum33341999Honorary diplomasHenry Gusse, founder and chairmanof the Edmonton Exchanger Group ofCompanies, and Madeleine Mercier,chartered financial plannerInstructionalExcellence AwardsGiven to David Burry, BiomedicalEngineering Technology; EverettHale, Sheet Metal/Aircraft Skinand Structure Repair; Angela Bork,Biological Sciences; and Joe Acker,EMT-Paramedic36372002animal blood bankEstablished by the NAIT AnimalHealth Technology program,it remains the only animal bloodbank that makes canineblood products availableacross Canada2005Alumni CouncilpresidentWayne Land (BusinessAdministration – Management ’70)v6.1 2012 29

INNOVATE38392007baccalaureatedegreeBachelor of Technology inTechnology Managementtechlife magazinePublished in October2009Hokanson Chefin Residence44 45Celebrity chef Rob Feenie (In additionto Feenie, top chefs David Adjey,Susur Lee and Massimo Capra havesince spent three to five days mentoringstudents and engaging with the localculinary community at NAIT’s HokansonCentre for Culinary Arts)entrepreneurin residenceVentureAlberta Forumpresident Randy Thompson404142432008Full-time coachesThe six coaches hired werea first in the Canadian CollegiateAthletic AssociationTweetOn Jan. 19: “Getting ready forInfo Week (Feb. 4-7, 2008)www.nait.ca/infoweek.htm”Facebook postOn Feb. 19: “Support ecoNAIThttp://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6612490807http://www.nait.ca/econait”BusinessincubatorNovaNAIT, NAIT’s centre forapplied research and technologytransfer, established to fosterapplied research and providebudding entrepreneurs office space,expert advice and support services4647482010NanotechnologySystems diplomaA Canadian first2011AppliedResearch chairDr. Haneef Mian named LedcorGroup Applied Research Chair in OilSands Environmental Sustainability.Chairs in the JR Shaw School ofBusiness and the Encana Centrefor Power Engineering Technologyfollowed, giving NAIT the mostapplied research chairs of anyCanadian college or polytechnicPresidentialinstallationHeld May 5, when Dr. GlennFeltham was installed asNAIT’s sixth president49502012PolytechnicsCanada member toget a rating fromthe SustainabilityTracking Assessment& Rating System(STARS)NAIT received a bronze from STARS,a self-reporting tool that allowseducational institutes to measuretheir performance within the threepillars of sustainability: economic,environmental and socialSeason in whicheach Ooks team madeprovincial playoffsThat led to these national medals:gold in men’s soccer, silver inwomen’s soccer, bronze in women’scurling and two golds in badminton30 techlifemag.ca

INNOVATEHealth CareIn 20 years, health care will be much more personalized. Prevention andtreatment of disease will be customized to align with a person’s DNA.The current focus on chronic illness will shift to prevention. Technologywill make diagnosis, treatment and personal health tracking much moresophisticated. Rather than blasting a person with chemo, we will targetonly the cancer cells. You will be able to get replacement body partsbeyond a hip or a knee – toes, for example. In 50 years, people will live20 years longer. We’ll be healthier.Ellen HughesDean, School of Health Scienceswireless CommunicationsIn terms of wireless communication systems, consumers are drivingthis industry. And it’s more than just personal communications andsmartphones. Oil and gas, business and health care all use wirelesssystems to transmit voice, video and data in countless applications.Since demand is ever increasing, the future will focus on overcoming thechallenge of limited bandwidth and vast geographical coverage areas.There will always be applications better served by wired and opticaltechnologies, but, even now, our kids will use wired technology onlywhen absolutely necessary.Colin Polanski (Communication Electrician ’87)Associate Chair, Wireless Systems Engineering TechnologyNAIT CampusIn 50 years, we will be twice as large: one dynamic, pedestrian-friendlycampus interlinked with a vibrant community of 30,000 located onthe former City Centre Airport. NAIT retail services – meat store,bakery, Ernest’s Dining Room – will be showcased at the front of thiscommunity. The next 10 to 15 years will bring new residences, academicbuildings and a wellness centre. We will continue to minimize energyused in our heating and cooling systems and increase water and wasterecycling. In the short term, the arrival of the LRT on campus in 2014is a game changer.John EnglederAssociate Vice President, Capital Projects and Facilities OperationsOil SandsThere is currently no cost-effective technology to deal with tailings.Over the next five to 10 years, we’ll see full commercialization ofthat. Once we create reclaimable deposits, we’ll be hit with anotherchallenge: dealing with the water, which contains pollutants. Technologyfor that will follow. The next stage will come as some of the mines closein 30 to 50 years. In some cases, the intent is to fill the pits with waterto create lake ecosystems. So you’re going from tailings to water toreclamation. They go hand in hand.Dr. Haneef MianLedcor Group Applied Research Chair in Oil SandsEnvironmental SustainabilityTHE FUTURISTSAs much as it’s an opportunityto celebrate how far we’ve come,an anniversary is the perfect timeto imagine where we’re headed.What will the world look like five,10, 50 years out? We asked staffand alumni to tell us what theysee in the cards.32 techlifemag.ca

Food ProductionPeople will become more self-sustaining. Greenhouses attached tohomes and schools will become standard, as will rooftop gardens.Culinary students will become more familiar with the entire lifecycleof food, including planting seeds and butchering meat. Dietary issueswill decline as we get back to organics and whole grains and eschewgenetically modified foods. Restaurants will become more sustainable,using edible cutlery and tableware – your glass could be made of ice. In50 years, we will have eliminated food waste.Blair Lebsack (Cook ’98)Instructor, Culinary ArtsEducationIn 50 years, students will design their own education by mixing formallearning with experience. Students will choose NAIT as a partner tohelp them connect with careers and growth opportunities. Educationalinstitutions will be seamlessly integrated with workplaces andcredentials will be seen as nothing more than artificial barriers to fullycontributing to society. In their place, employers will lay out the skillsrequired, placing the onus on career-hunters to demonstrate that theyhave the qualifications to do the job.Dr. Paula BurnsProvost and Vice President AcademicAutomobilesMost of what we’ll see in the next five years is already on the market.The focus will be on advancing the technology – all with the goal ofhelping drivers keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.We’ll see advances in automated parking technologies, voice command,mapping systems and heads-up displays. As for propulsion systems,expect to see extended range for fully electric vehicles with zeroemissions.Ron LavigneInstructor, Automotive Service TechnicianHomebuildingBuilding high energy-efficient homes is still in its infancy. Obviouslythere’s now more public awareness of environmental issues and climatechange, but to see a real mindset shift in the market takes a while. Thatsaid, the generation coming out of university is all into this. My feeling isthat towards 10 years, we’re going to see a new buyer who will demandmore of these kinds of homes as an option. And from there things aregoing to progress more dramatically.Dale Rott (Carpenter ’96)Managing Partner, Effect Home BuildersPhoto by leigh freypersonal ComputingTo get a computer to do anything, you once had to know codes. Nowthere’s software – click this and something happens. The evolutionof that is the natural-user interface: dragging with your fingers, forexample, like on an iPad. From there it goes to the all-voice command–like asking Siri to do things on an iPhone. Having computers interactwith you is what we’re headed towards.Steve ChattargoonChair, Digital Media and ITFinancial PlanningThirty years from now, financial planning will be seen as a professionat the same level as accountancy. It will require advisers to be lessfocused on product sales and more focused on process and advice. Itwill be much more holistic than it is now. The adviser of the future willnot just talk about financial assets, but will be a career adviser as peoplecontinue to work after 65.Hardeep GillAssociate Chair, Bachelor of Applied Business – FinanceAlternative EnergyWe’re starting to see integrated systems really emerge in the industry.And this is probably the next big achievement for alternative energysystems. We’ve been looking at individual systems, but a lot of theeconomics and the gains can be realized by hybridizing technologiesin a sensible way, such as using one system to supply both heat andpower. Probably within a decade, these hybridizations will becomequite significant.Dr. Jim SandercockChair, Alternative Energy TechnologyWeb ExtraVisit techlifemag.ca/alternativeenergy-future.htmfor Dr. JimSandercock’s predictions about thefuture of a variety of alternativeenergy technologies.Photo by leigh freyv6.1 2012 33

INNOVATENAITologyTest your knowledge of NAIT with our quiz. If you get stumped, just flip through themagazine – all the answers are in these pages. Then tally your score, counting apoint for every correct answer. If you place low on the scale, don’t despair – everygood Ook started out as an egg.Questions:1. What was our first apprenticeship program?2. In what school year did the men’s hockey team complete a perfect season?3. What is the name of our current president?4. What year did we hold our first convocation?5. What was the name of our old yearbook?6. Which NAIT Students’ Association president received our original Ookpikmascot from the federal government in 1964?7. What is our on-campus bar called?8. Who coached renowned curler Kevin Martin at NAIT and continues to do so?9. In what year was the first issue of techlife magazine published?10. What is the name of our first baccalaureate degree?11. What is our student newspaper called?12. What year did NR92, our radio station, start broadcasting?13. How much was NAIT’s first full-time tuition in 1963?14. In what sport did we win our first provincial championship in 1966?15. Who was our very first student?16. How much did it cost to build NAIT?17. Which premier officially opened NAIT?18. Which school kidnapped our Ookpik mascot in 1966?19. What was the name of our old alumni magazine?20. What is the name of our on-campus fine dining restaurant?17. Ernest Manning34 techlifemag.ca20. Ernest’s19. Alumnait18. SAIT16. $16 million15. Bill Riches14. Badminton13. Started at $40Technology Management12. 198911. The Nugget10. Bachelor of Technology in9. 20078. Jules Owchar7. The Nest6. William Miles5. The Northern Torch4. 19653. Dr. Glenn Feltham2. 1984-851. Communication ElectricianAnswers:Scoring:0 – 5 correct answersEgg6 – 10 correct answersHatchling11 – 15 correct answersFledgling16 – 20 correct answersFull-fledged OokIllustration by derek lue and Trina koscielnuk

I (WE) BUILT THISFounded in 1947, the Ledcor Group of Companies is diversified, privately held,employee-owned collection of construction companies, specializing in building,civil, infrastructure, industrial and telecommunication projects.Ledcor is proud to be in partnership with the Northern Alberta Institute ofTechnology. Through the Ledcor Group Applied Research Chair in Oil SandsEnvironmental Sustainability as well as numerous student scholarships, Ledcorcontinues to see the value in NAIT’s programs and services that meet the needsof the market.Congratulations to NAIT on your 50th Anniversary!BUILDING | CIVIL | INDUSTRIAL | MAINTENANCE | MINING | TELECOM

peoplecover storyPhotos byBlaise van malsen andnait staff photographers39 Victor Gillman39 James McPhersonThe 1970s42 Fred Atiq45 Shirley Long46 Holger PetersenCONTENTSThe 1960s38 Bernie Fedderly38 Clifford Giese39 Jack Menduk40 Bob Morgan40 Ray Rajotte41 Archie Roberts41 Stewart Roth42 Gil Cardinal43 Nolan Crouse43 Roger Dootson44 David Dorward44 Marleen Irwin45 Andrew Lee46 Brian Straub47 Guy TurcotteThe 1980s48 James Ahnassay49 Naseem Bashir36 techlifemag.ca

It’s almost impossible togo a day without encounteringthe achievements of NAIT grads.They’re mainstays on TV and radio, andcultural mavens and tastemakers. They’recaptains of industry, and government and communityleaders. They’re winning Olympic medals and settingsporting records, and making breakthroughs in scienceand medicine. They’re leading-edge designers atwork in your neighbourhood – if, in fact, they didn’tactually build your neighbourhood. And, overall, theircontributions are too numerous to mention. Here,we celebrate 50, chosen for the difference theymake in our communities, and for inspiringfuture generations of alumni to dothe same.CONTENTS49 Carol Blake49 Dave BuchaskiThe 1960s5038James CummingBernie Fedderly5038Kees CusvellerClifford Giese5139Randy EresmanVictor Gillman5139Greg KorbuttJames McPherson5139Kevin MartinJack Menduk52 Daryl McIntyre40 52 BobMarkMorganMcNeill40 53 MarkRay RajotteOhe41 53 GeorgeArchie RobertsRogers41 54 TraceyStewartScarlettRoth54 Julie M. ShawThe 1970s5542Bruce WoloshynFred Atiq5542Sandy YakimchukGil Cardinal55 Daniel Wai Yuk YeungThe 1990s56 Michael Anderson56 Mark Hamblin57 Andrew Hore57 Chris Kourouniotis58 Ashif Mawji58 Corbin Tomaszeski58 Dean TurgeonThe 2000s43 Nolan Crouse43 60 RogerStephaniDootsonCarter44 60 DavidDon OborowskyDorward44 61 MarleenJules OwcharIrwin45 61 AndrewJavier SalazarLee45 61 ShirleyMarlonLoWilsonv6.1 2012 37

PEOPLE • Cover story1960sHow wechosethe TopLast year, we put out a call for NAIT grads orretirees who have made significant contributionsin the categories of service, leadership,innovation and role model. We received 162nominations. A committee representing alumni,retired staff, instructors, students and NAIT’sdepartments of Advancement and Marketingand Communications then had the tough job ofwhittling the list down to 50.web extraVisit www.nait.ca/nait-50th-anniversaryvideosor scan the QR code for 50th anniversaryvideos, including top 50 alumni Ray Rajotte,Daryl McIntyre and Kevin Martin.Need a QR code reader?See p. 7.Bernie FedderlyMotor Mechanics ’67compared to most peoplewho find themselves spinningtheir wheels, veteran crewchief Bernie Fedderly madehis name doing just that.For more than four decades,the Canadian MotorsportHall of Famer has set loftystandards in the art of motormaintenance – and a fewrecords on the pro hot rodcircuit. After honing his skillson tracks around Alberta, theone-time milk truck mechanicworked his way to the bigleagues, where he helped turnJohn Force Racing into one ofthe most successful teams inNational Hot Rod Associationhistory. Now 70, Fedderly isconsidering retirement. Slowingdown, however, may not beeasy. These 8,000-horsepowercars – and the sights, sounds,even smells of the race track –still fascinate him. “I’m in aweof them,” he says, “even afterall this time.”— Scott Messengerweb extraVisit techlifemag.ca/bernie-fedderly.htm to seewhat it takes to be a crew chief on the professionalauto racing circuit.photo by brandon bakerClifford GieseMarketing ‘68clifford giese was a youngEdmonton stockbroker when hetook his dad for lunch and dreamedup an idea that spawned anindustry.The elder Giese had taken hiscar for an oil change that morningand at lunchtime, it still wasn’tready. The minor annoyance stuckwith Giese, in particular becauseself-serve gas stations were arrivingon the scene – a shift he figuredwould spell the demise of the fullservice garage.So how about a new kind ofplace, he thought, with oil changeswhile you wait?With his dad, he opened thefirst Mr. Lube in 1976 and, within adecade, there were 47 stores acrossCanada. In 1987, the chain expandedinto the United States after Giesesecured a partnership with oil giantExxon. In business, Giese explains,you must take calculated risks, andbe prepared to lose. “To me, thethrill is to play the game.”Sometimes, the stakes arehigher, as when Giese’s wife, Robin(Secretarial Technology ’68), wasstricken with multiple sclerosis.When her health stabilized after shestarted taking an experimental drugbeing developed at the Universityof Alberta, Giese founded BioMSMedical (now called MedwellCapital Corp.). He and his teamraised $270 million and took thedrug as far as a worldwide trial. Theresults weren’t good enough tobring the drug to market, but Giesecontinues to dedicate his life tofinding a better treatment for MS.Though essentially retired, he’llstill give a tempting opportunityhis signature 360-degree look. “It’sbetter to have played and lost thannever to have played at all.”— Eliza Barlow38 techlifemag.ca

Victor GillmanBiological Sciences Technology ’69Alumni Award of Distinction ’06fuelled by a lifelong passionfor conservation, Victor Gillmanhelped make Canadian historyin the 1980s when he waspart of a team that negotiatedand implemented the firstcomprehensive land claim north ofthe 60th parallel. Signed in 1984,the Inuvialuit Final Agreementprotects the rights of the Inuvialuit,while protecting and preservinglocal wildlife in an area of thehigh western Arctic that includesparts of Northwest Territories andYukon.“There were no other examplesto work from. We were on newground,” says Gillman, who wasworking for the Department ofFisheries and Oceans (DFO)James McPhersonDistributive Technology ’69back in 1968, james mcphersonhad no idea the fundraiser hehelped organize would go on toraise more than $530,000. Fortyfouryears after NAIT joined theannual national Cystic FibrosisCanada fundraiser, Shinerama isstill going strong. “That’s incredible,”says McPherson, who forged asuccessful insurance career, with ahiatus from 1982 to 1986 to serveas the MLA for Red Deer. Shiningshoes – lots of them – is a memoryand contributed expertise in thearea of fisheries management.“Twenty-eight years later, this isstill one of the most successfulland claim structures in Canada.”He notes the agreement hasfunctioned with little to nolitigation, unlike a lot of other landclaims, and the parties involvedcontinue to operate with a senseof commonality and trust.Gillman spent nearly fourdecades in fish and wildlifemanagement, retiring in 2006 asa DFO regional director. Today,he still dedicates much of histime to conservation in the Northas chairman of a co-operativecommittee that helps to managethe Inuvialuit Final Agreement.— Frank Landrythat remains with McPherson. Alltold, 114 NAIT students raised$2,503.39 in the first Shinerama.That experience – coupledwith the values instilled by hisparents – helped set McPhersonon a lifelong path of giving back,whether volunteering with theSpecial Olympics, United Way ora number of other organizations.It was for this type of workthat McPherson was named RedDeer Citizen of the Year for 2012.— F.L.Jack MendukArchitectural Technology ’66nait’s centre for sustainable energy technology, opened in 2011,features banks of tall windows and high ceilings. That sense ofopenness mirrors the design principles of Jack Menduk, the retiredassociate vice president of NAIT Capital Projects and FacilitiesOperations, who led the project to build the state-of-the-art facility.A strong belief in open communication and fairness lies at theroot of Menduk’s successful 25-year career. From small renovationsto new building developments, he ensured everyone affectedremained part of discussions from planning to completion.“I always tried to see everything through their eyes,” he says. Thatextended to industry partners, too: “We wanted to be the ownerof choice for contractors and consultants.” Looking back, thoserelationships are a point of pride for Menduk; they enabled himand his team to repeatedly deliver on time and on budget.What’s more, they allowed him to highlight NAIT’s strengths,project by project. Menduk’s ability to communicate his vision andhave others share it has influenced everything from his first projectrenovating NAIT’s Distribution Centre to the plans for the proposedCentre for Applied Technologies. “We took out the brick wallsand put in glass,” he says. “We opened up the spaces, brightenedthem to celebrate the teaching spaces – celebrate what NAITwas all about.”Next time you’re at NAIT, take a close look at the imprintMenduk left on the school where his post-secondary educationbegan. The quality of the facilities proves that strong relationshipslead to great spaces.— Heather Grayv6.1 2012 39

PEOPLE • Cover story1960sbob morganBaker ’66apprentice bakers acrossCanada have Bob Morganto thank, at least in part, forhelping to define the skill setsthey should possess.An instructor in NAIT’sBaker program from 1969 to2000, Morgan participatedin establishing Skills CanadaAlberta and the Red Seal examfor apprentice bakers, both ofwhich encourage excellence inthe baking trade. “To encouragethe trades also encourages thegrowth of our country,” saysMorgan. “Canada was built bytradespeople.”As a volunteer in the earlydays of Skills Canada – thenot-for-profit organizationthat promotes careers inthe skilled trades – Morganhelped develop the high-level provincial and nationalcompetitions. “The biggestimpact was for the person[competing] to realize he hadbecome the best of the best,”says Morgan.Morgan was also part ofa group of instructors andindustry leaders who crafted thequestions posed to bakers takingthe Red Seal exam, which is theinter-provincial standards examthat confirms journeymen haveachieved a nationally recognizedlevel of competency. Prior tothe establishment of this exam,there weren’t national standards.Essentially, it was up to industry–the individual bakeries – todecide whether to recognize ajourneyman ticket, Morgan says.Today, a Red Seal endorsementqualifies a journeyman to seekwork in other provinces.— Frank LandryRay RajotteMedical X-Ray Technology ’65Alumni Award of Excellence ’01islet cells play a vital role inregulating blood sugars. Shouldthey fail, the result is Type 1diabetes. Luckily, for the roughlyone million Canadians livingwith this disease, Dr. Ray Rajottehas spent more than 40 yearsinvestigating a treatment.An Alberta Order ofExcellence recipient for his work,Rajotte established the groupthat performed Canada’s firstislet cell transplant in 1989 –leading to the Edmonton Protocol.This procedure allows 100 percent of transplant recipients tobecome insulin independent forvarying periods of time.Issues may remain, butRajotte is optimistic. He andhis colleagues have made manypromising advances to ensurethe long-term success of theEdmonton Protocol, includingimproved anti-rejection drugs.Success, however, also relies ona large supply of islet cells, whichthe team hopes to make availablethrough the development ofgenetically designed pigs thatproduce islets compatible withhumans.Rajotte’s commitment isclear: “An islet can perform thisvast function of regulating theblood sugars that sustain life; thisis miraculous and fundamental tothe survival of so many people.”— Sandy RobertsonWe wanted your help remembering NAITover the past five decades. We share your“I joined NAIT in July 1962 as head of Draftingstories throughout this feature.Technology (later Engineering Design andDrafting Technology) and remained in thatposition for almost my entire career, which endedin June 1986. My son Greg attended ArchitecturalTechnology (class of ’78). He joined NAIT inDecember of the same year and left NAIT in 2011.Between Greg and me, we covered 49 of NAIT’s50 years. Too bad he retired last year!Greg’s son Kyle has spent a couple of summerson grounds maintenance. My second son, Doug,enrolled in Chemical Technology (class of ’80) andfinally there was Bruce, who was employed at NAITfor a number of months before enrolling in ComputerSystems Technology (class of ’88). When youconsider that Doug’s wife, Janette, also spent fouryears at NAIT, first in med lab technology and laterin computer systems, I think that the Appelts havehad a considerable connection with NAIT.– Felix Appelt, hired 1962 – retired 1986 as Head of EngineeringDesign and Drafting Technology40 techlifemag.ca

“They had a ceremony when they opened theinstitute. Premier Manning came down. Itwas conducted in the heavy duty shop. Theyset a platform right in the middle of A101.In the heavy duty shop, there’s a great bigtransverse crane. It’ll pick up diesel engines.So to be rather dramatic, they brought thiscrane over to the centre of the stage and theyhad a big velvet curtain or a canopy rigged upover this thing. I can remember the premierpushed the button and it lifted the curtainand all the dignitaries were there.– Graham Johnson, Dean of the Industrial Division (1962–96),on the institute’s official opening on May 27, 1963Archie robertsArchitectural Technology ’69Distinguished Friend of theInstitute ’96Board of Directors 1991-94a leadership coach with apassion for building things, ArchieRoberts is paying forward thementorship that began in hisgrandfather’s workshop andcontinued with his first boss inthe construction industry. Provinga quick study, Roberts launchedIntex Construction in 1983, whichthrived through the recession,earned him a nod as Edmonton’sSmall Businessman of the Year in1985, and was eventually sold toLedcor Industries. Later revivingthe Intex name, Roberts launcheda construction managementconsulting practice that mergedin 2006 with Pivotal ProjectsInc., gaining national reach. Stillactively guiding up-and-comersthrough the World President’sOrganization, in his own familyand at Pivotal as a senior adviser,Roberts’ passion for buildingclearly extends to people as well.“It keeps me young, vital, thinking,”he says.— Cheryl MahaffyStewart ROTHChemical Technology ’69Alumni Award of Distinction ’01as president and ceo of guardian chemicals, Stewart Roth is anadvocate and supporter of responsible economic development inAlberta. In the 30 years since he teamed up with fellow alum WilfNikolaj (Accounting ’80) to become shareholders and eventuallypurchase Guardian, the company has grown into one of thenation’s largest specialty chemical suppliers. Guardian products areproprietary industrial process chemicals used in a variety of settings:mining, pulp and paper mills, transportation, oil and gas, watertreatment, printing, firefighting and more.By focusing on continuous improvement through researchand development, the company has moved to the front end of theinnovation curve – and into international markets. As a result, Rothheads a growing crop of chemical companies spanning the UnitedStates, Egypt, Ecuador, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia andChina. A few, such as the U.S. oil and gas supplier Sierra Chemicals,have been sold to local managers. “We practice intrapreneurship,”Roth says. “The ideas and technology come from within ourcompany, but we encourage employees to take it to the next leveland become involved financially.”Roth also puts energy into growing community, whether thesubject is education or ingenuity. Believing that success in business,as in community, depends on quality people, Guardian fundsscholarships at NAIT and the University of Alberta, expanding thetalent needed to continue diversifying Alberta’s economy.— C.M.v6.1 2012 41

PEOPLE • Cover story1970swhen film director gil cardinal started out, an aboriginal makingfilms about the aboriginal community was relatively rare. Now, after30 years in television and film, the award-winning director of Métisdescent is a role model in the field.Cardinal made films on various topics in his early career, buta project about children and child welfare began to focus hisattention on telling aboriginal stories. “Before I asked anyone elseto bare their soul, I thought I should do that myself,” he says. Theresult was Foster Child, his story of the search for his birth family.Today, Cardinal continues to create aboriginal programming,most recently as a writer on APTN’s Blackstone, a dramatic seriesset on a fictional reserve.— Kim MacDonaldFRED AtiqMechanical Engineering Technology ’72Alumni Award of Honour ’06having added threesuccessful enterprises toAlberta’s manufacturingindustry, Fred Atiq is fortifyingthe sector through NextEquities, a fund to boostfledgling companies. Sincearriving from India as a teenand training at NAIT, Atiqhas brought to the provincevinyl window and extrudedvinyl product manufacturingthrough two companies(since sold and still goingstrong). His third venture,Fiberex Glass in Leduc, standsamong Canada’s top 100 fastestgrowing companies despiteserious competition from thelikes of Owens Corning USA, amajor concern in the field ofextruded fibreglass. Still servingas Fiberex president and CEO,Atiq takes pleasure in puttingthe family’s hard-earned cashto work through Next Equities.“If I can put one guy intobusiness a year,” he says,“I’m a happy man.”— Cheryl Mahaffygil CardinalRadio and Television Arts ’71Honorary Diploma ’00“During my first year of Civil Tech, I helped setup the display for Open House and thought thatour display was very mundane and ordinary.Our ‘rivals’ were Architectural Technology and,of course, they had some very artistic and nicelooking models, so they won the Open Housetrophy for best display for the third year in a row.In my second year, I decided that I wouldorganize the Open House display and competefor that trophy. We made a plywood model thatshowed how a curved roadway was built. We evenadded a landscape ‘architect’ component by usinggreen floor sweeping compound granules for thelandscaping of the finished roadway. I used mycalligraphy skills to produce a scroll titled The Roleof a Civil Technologist. Needless to say, we wonand the Architectural Technology students weredisappointed.– Henry Vanderpyl, Civil Technology ’7242 techlifemag.ca

“One of our very first memories was watchingthe 1972 Canada-Russia hockey series. Weskipped classes to see Canada win the finalgame. I still remember jumping up and downin our living room hugging each other as PaulHenderson scored that memorable goal.– Ed Toupin, Electronics Engineering Technology ’73Nolan CrouseChemical Technology ’73nolan crouse, st. albert’ssecond-term mayor, owes much ofhis success to a healthy appetitefor knowledge and risk. Take histransition to the big city and NAITas a 17-year-old farm boy lookingfor life skills and a technicaleducation. “I knew nothing aboutanything,” he says, but eventuallyan MBA followed his diploma,as well as a lengthy career, splitbetween industrial management,entrepreneurship and coachinghockey. But when politics occurredto him as a way to build on hislove of community service, hedecided to take another chanceon a learning curve. “I didn’t haveany knowledge of politics per se,”Crouse admits, but he had whathe needed. “You end up using allthe skills you have but … in anentirely different realm.” Today,he sees the job as a way to makea positive impact – and, judgingby his experience, as achievablefor others. “People who want tocontribute in a broader sense canget involved, make change andbuild their community.”— Scott MessengerFrom left, Ed Toupin (Electronics Engineering Technology), NolanCrouse (Chemical Technology) and Laren Giacomuzzi (ElectronicsEngineering Technology) in June 2012. All graduates from 1973,they trace their 40-year friendship to campus and the year theyroomed together in an apartment on 109 Street and 107 Avenue.Photo supplied by ed toupinroger dootsonCarpentry ’77Alumni Award of Distinction ’08in 1971, a 17-year-old farm boy from Irma, Alta., got his first big-cityconstruction job loading concrete blocks onto a scaffold and makingsure the bricklayers had enough mortar. His name was Roger Dootson,and the small but vital role on the site of the Dominion Bottlingwarehouse in Edmonton’s west end had him instantly hooked.He graduated from NAIT and eventually joined PCL, where hebecame a respected executive and leader on many high-profileprojects, including the southeast leg of the Anthony Henday and theterminal expansion at the Edmonton International Airport. “I justlove being part of building things,” he says. “To go back and see thefinished product, even years later, is very satisfying.”Dootson is a builder not just of buildings, but of the constructionindustry itself, having served on several boards to advocate for theindustry, such as the Merit Contractors Association and the Albertaand Canadian construction associations.During Alberta’s last boom, which hit as baby boomers beganto retire, Dootson foresaw a potential leadership vacuum at PCL justwhen good leaders would be crucial. In response, he led teams toGermany and the United Kingdom to recruit seasoned constructionmanagers “to help us through the high tide.” Everyone hired on thoserecruiting trips remains in Alberta today, he says.Dootson retired from PCL last year and now devotes muchof his time to his Roger Dootson Charitable Foundation, helpingyoung Albertans follow their dreams of a career in the trades andprofessions. It’s just his way of making sure tomorrow’s bricklayershave enough mortar.— Eliza Barlowv6.1 2012 43

PEOPLE • Cover story1970sPatricia Campus might not have been part of theinstitute for long if it hadn’t been for ThomasHarding. The stock keeper showed up to workhis usual half-hour before everyone else, whenhe smelled acetylene – a gas used in welding –coming from the autobody shop. He slowlyopened the door to the shop, careful not to makeany sparks. “The sparks would have blown theplace up,” says Harding, who worked at NAITfrom 1962 to 1994. He aired out the shop andwas eventually able to find the acetylene tankthat hadn’t been turned off. The gas and the riskwere mitigated before staff and students arrived.david DorwardAccounting ’73by his own admission, david dorward wasn’t made forbasketball – not as a player, anyway. A tad short at the end ofhigh school but still drawn to the game, he took to refereeinginstead. Given where that led, however, perhaps that slightremove allowed him to better see the impact the game can haveon players’ lives.During that time and the years following as a coach, Dorwardsaw basketball as a way to reach less-privileged young people. “Iused the game to encourage kids to stay in school and do well,” hesays, “and hopefully make the next team as they go through life.”To that end, he boosted access to the sport by founding theSaville Community Sports Centre (Go Centre). The multi-functionsouth Edmonton facility features as many as 12 hardwood courtsand is home to local heroes kids might emulate: the players of theInternational Basketball League’s Edmonton Energy.Recently, Dorward has had to step back from his belovedgame. Elected April 23, he’s now in his first term as MLA forEdmonton-Gold Bar, a neighbourhood he has lived in for morethan half a century. Unlike point guard, politician is a positionfor which he’s perfectly suited. From building his charteredaccountancy firm, he’s got a solid understanding of complexfinances. He’s energetic to the point of making social activismlook like athleticism. Most importantly, he feels as personallyinvested in the role as he did courtside. “To be able to serve thepeople in the area you grew up in is a real thrill,” he says.— Scott Messengerweb extraVisit techlifemag.ca/edmonton-energy.htm to readmore about David Dorward’s passion for basketball.Marleen irwinRespiratory Therapy ’75there’s nothing half-heartedabout Marleen Irwin’s career as acertified cardiac device specialist.Her contributions to combattingheart disease, one of Canada’sleading causes of death, includewhittling the in-hospital stay forpacemaker surgery from sevendays to day surgery and bringingin a crucial competency exam incardiac pacing for allied healthcareprofessionals and physicians.A clinical researcher with theUniversity of Alberta’s HeartFailure Etiology and AnalysisResearch Team, which is seekingimproved heart disease therapies,she has earned accolades andawards for raising the bar inresearch, clinical care, teachingand management. For her, everyday is an opportunity to improvepatient care, and she predicts thatwill never change.— Cheryl Mahaffy44 techlifemag.ca

andrew leeSurvey Technology ’73in 1970, a young andrew leecame to Canada from Hong Kongwith $500 and a desire to studyand look for new opportunities.Soon after, he enrolled in theSurvey Technology program. Toget through, Lee shared a crampedroom in a bad part of townand, when not studying, waitedtables and washed dishes. Butthe experience taught him theimportance of hard work – avalue he applied to starting AmarSurveys with his wife in 1982. Now,Lee is transferring the company tohis son, giving him an advantagehe never had. “I won’t tell anyone‘If I can do it, you can do it’,” saysLee. “It’s hard work with some luckinvolved, and you just have tokeep going.”— Fiona Bensler“Bread, amongst other goodies, was sold tocustomers in the bakery sales area to recoverpart of the cost of instruction. It so happenedthat flour prices took a hike in the mid-’70s. Thebakery program head went to the front officeto ask to increase the price of a loaf of bread.Bread at NAIT was 10 cents. We needed toincrease the cost to 12 or 13 cents to bring usnear the break-even point. The answer cameback from the vice president: there would be noincrease because students and staff needed abreak wherever they could find one.– Bob Morgan, Baker ’66; hired 1969 – retired 2000as Baking Program HeadShirley longMedical X-Ray Technology ’71Alumni Award of Distinction ’02while helping train students in their clinical practicum, ShirleyLong discovered that, while radiologists and physicians had textsexplaining how to use mammogram images for diagnosis, therewas nothing about how to get those images in the first place. “If youdon’t have the right pictures or the right kind of pictures, the doctorscan’t diagnose,” she says.To fill the gap, she created the Handbook of Mammography (nowin its fifth edition), the first textbook specifically for technologists.Combined with high-quality digital imaging, the positioning skillsoutlined in the handbook enable technologists to show minutechanges in breast tissue years before they can be felt. “That’s such awonderful place to be: that you’ve caught it so early that the womanhas a 95 per cent chance of 20-year survival,” says Long.— Kim MacDonaldv6.1 2012 45

PEOPLE • Cover story1970sholger petersenRadio and Television Arts ’70Alumni Award of Distinction ‘04it’s a long way from commiserating around the coal tipple withthe farmers of central Alberta to rubbing shoulders with the sultanof Brunei. But for Brian Straub, the value of both gatherings was thesame: to establish relationships with people, and respect their pointof view.Straub grew up near Alix, Alta., where his father owned a stripcoal mine. When farmers came to buy coal, they’d sit around thecoal-burning stove, telling stories while the young Straub listened.“It gave me the ability to understand people,” says Straub, and it wasa skill he’d use time and again over the course of an internationalcareer in oil and gas.After graduating from NAIT, Straub was hired by Shell, which inits various entities would employ him for the next 32 years. In 1993,he got his first overseas assignment in Oman, where he ran up to28 drilling rigs and managed an annual budget over $400 million.He was posted in several more countries including Brunei, where heand his wife got to know the sultan and his two wives.Companies that want to break into overseas markets need athorough understanding of the region and the culture, says Straub.They also need to embrace the country’s workforce and steer clearof corruption.Even in the age of videoconferencing, he says it’s still essentialto occasionally meet people face-to-face – a lesson he learned athis father’s coal mine all those years ago.Straub, who in his retirement sits on the boards of energycompanies Molopo and Ridgeline, finished his career as presidentand Canada country chairman for Royal Dutch Shell. “I returned,in some ways, to being a miner.”— Eliza Barlowwhat holger petersen talks about when he talks about musicis, essentially, a lifelong love affair. Following graduation, hebegan his efforts to elevate roots and blues by hosting CBC’sSaturday Night Blues and CKUA’s Natch’l Blues, the latter afixture on Canadian radio for more than 40 years. Petersenalso founded Stony Plain Records, promoting new artists andlegends, including Steve Earl and Ian Tyson. In the process, theDJ has become a cultural icon himself, inducted as a memberinto the Order of Canada in 2003. Today, his devotion tomusic continues unabated. Picking up from his days as a musicjournalist for The Nugget, NAIT’s student newspaper, Petersenrecently published Talking Music, a book that documentsthe history of roots and blues through interviews with themusicians themselves. For Petersen, it’s just another labourof love: “We shouldn’t forget these great people.”— Scott Messengerweb extraVisit techlifemag.ca/holger-petersen-ckua.htmto read about Holger Petersen’s 40 years as host ofCKUA’s Natch’l Blues, and techlifemag.ca/holgerpetersen-talking-music.htmto learn about hisfirst book, Talking Music.brian straubHydrocarbon Engineering Technology ‘75photo by D’Angelo Photography46 techlifemag.ca

Gas Technology ‘72Alumni Award of Distinction ’97“My tuition in 1976 was about $180. Beyond thecost of books, there was the recommendationto own a good scientific calculator. I boughta Texas Instrument one from the NAITbookstore for around $265, more than therest of the supplies needed for the entire year.It was one serious purchase at the time for apoor student. Fast forward to today. My wifeand I were on the road to buy some buildingsupplies the other day when we realized weforgot to bring along a calculator. I pulled intothe nearest dollar store and I selected one for$2. In the queue to pay, it occurred to me thatthe $2 calculator in my hand was every bit asgood as the one I bought at the NAIT store 36years earlier for, hmm, let’s see: 265/2 = about132.5 times more, not including inflation!Guy Turcotte – Bruce Benjamin, Architectural Technology ’78guy turcotte’s foresight for economic opportunities is guided byhis respect for the environment and the value he places on people.Turcotte’s connection to nature has its origins on the Chauvinfamily farm, where he milked cows from age eight and could spend10 hours a day on the tractor as a teenager. That connection hasremained with him thoughout his career as an oil and gas executive,financier and property developer.As president and chairman of Stone Creek Resorts, Turcotte’sapproach to developments at Canmore and Invermere, B.C. revereswhat nature has to offer, creating world-class destinations wherevisitors find tranquility, great golfing and magnificent views. Hefounded three successful public companies – Chauvco Resources,Fort Chicago Energy Partners (now Veresen) and Western Oil Sands –never losing sight of employees while managing these multi-billiondollarenterprises. “Creating excellent careers, opportunities andwealth for employees, that’s what’s important.”His passion for clean energy is exemplified in Western HydrogenLimited. “This is potentially the biggest thing I’ve done,” he says ofthe private company founded in 2006. With a pilot project scheduledto commence operations this year near Fort Saskatchewan, Turcotteenvisions huge global opportunities from commercial rights toa leading-edge technology using sodium salts as the catalyst tomanufacture hydrogen. The technology has far-reaching implicationsfor fuel cell power, hydrogen costs and greenhouse gas emissions –good for people and the environment.— Nancy McGuireWhen an April 1977 snowstorm cancelled field classes at KidneyLake camp, Forest Technology students built a 3.6-metre timbercruiser snowman (but only after a snowball fight).photo supplied by garry nolan (Forest Technology ’78)v6.1 2012 47

PEOPLE • Cover story1980sjames ahnassaythis summer, wildfires roared within 17 kilometres of MeanderRiver, one of three communities of the Dene Tha’ First Nationin northwestern Alberta. As a blanket of smoke drifted in, ChiefJames Ahnassay and his council ordered an evacuation, sendingnearly 400 people to High Level, nearly 75 kilometres south.The air quality became bad enough to aggravate Ahnassay’smild case of asthma.“For people who have more severe conditions,” he says,“I can’t imagine what it must have been like.”During four terms, that kind of focus on the well-being ofothers has defined Ahnassay’s approach to leadership. And itextends far beyond health and safety. Since taking office in 1993,he has promoted education as a path to personal success as wellas a way to improve local services. He also remains dedicatedto economic diversification in the region, including ecotourismpossibilities in surrounding wetlands – which has meantadvocating for the conservation of these and other parts ofDene Tha’ territory of interest to the oil and gas industry.The remoteness of the Dene Tha’ communities, home toroughly 1,800 people, will always present logistical challenges.But Ahnassay, now thinking over a campaign for re-election nextfall, sees progress. Employment and education are on the rise,budgets are balanced and, as with the recent wildfire, they’veproven themselves capable of overcoming extreme adversity.“We’re making improvements,” he says, “slowly but surely.”— Scott MessengerCivil Engineering Technology ’88Alumni Award of Distinction ’09“In fall 1980, I enrolled in BusinessAdministration. Coming from smalltownAlberta and a high school thathad a graduating class of 12, I foundadjusting to a larger, busier educationalenvironment a bit challenging. Byearly December, I felt I might becomea ‘Christmas Graduate,’ as I wasconsidering withdrawing. A few daysbefore the end of term, I was in oneof the student lounges, looking a bitdistraught, when my English instructor,Paul Saville, came along. Although hewas on his way to teach a class, he tookthe time to talk with me and convincedme to stick it out. That turned out tobe the best coaching advice I everreceived! The caring and compassiondemonstrated by that instructor is justone of the qualities that makes NAITthe first-class educational institutionthat it is. Thanks for setting me up forlifelong success!– Marcel Ulliac, Business Administration ’8248 techlifemag.ca

carol blakephoto by Michelle Lazettenaseem bashirElectrical Engineering Technology ’88naseem bashir knows the difficulties of managing a mid-sizedcompany in Western Canada today. Competitors from outside theprovince, even country, are showing up hungry for work, and thatdemands creative leadership from the president and CEO of WilliamsEngineering Canada. Talent, brand and sustainability are constantpriorities, as they would be for any savvy executive.What sets Bashir apart, however, is his ability to hold a companytogether despite disaster.That was tested five years ago. In October 2007, a company planepiloted by CEO and founder Allen Williams crashed, killing him andthe CFO. Five months later, another plane flown by Allen’s son Reagan–his successor as CEO – also went down, claiming his life and those oftwo other top executives and two contract employees.Called up to Edmonton from his Calgary post as vice president,Bashir postponed grieving to focus on the company’s viability. “There’sno map to tell you what you should be doing,” at a time like that, hesays. “All you can do is rely on your own basic instincts and principles.”He admits to thinking it would be easier to let someone else stepin. Calgary was home; he’d be uprooting his family and leaving friends.But that risk had to be weighed against that faced by the company.The future of every employee, him included, lay in the balance.Today, the company is ready and eager to grow. A regional firmwith a reputation for reliability, environmentally friendly designs andcommunity-mindedness, Williams Engineering is eyeing the possibilityof going international. The current economic climate – involving moreclouds than sunshine – may delay those ambitions, but Bashir seemssatisfied with progress under his leadership. Looking back, as hard asthe decision to lead the company may have once seemed, “I think Imade the right choice.”— S.M.web extraVisit techlifemag.ca/naseem-bashir.htm forNaseem Bashir’s take on the challenge of running aprofessional services firm in the current economy.Dental Laboratory Technology ’84carol blake’s decision to jointhe Canadian military in the late1970s set her on a path to becomea dedicated community-builder.“I learned so many valuablelessons in the military, but themost important is that it’s notall about you,” says Blake, whotrained in a unit that deliverssupplies and equipment to frontline troops. Since then, thatphilosophy and skill set havemotivated her to lead fundraisingefforts amounting to more than$250,000 for schools in herDave BuchaskiElectronics Engineering Technology ’84diagnostic medical sonographystudents benefit every day fromthe impact Dave Buchaski has oncampus. A long-time electronicsaficionado, Buchaski now teaches,mentors, funds and promotes NAITultrasound students – helpingto prepare them for roles inAlberta’s vital allied health-caresector. (Because of his efforts, hisemployer, Philips Healthcare, alsopitches in with resources, includingstate-of-the-art sonographyhometown of Kincardine, Ont., onthe shores of Lake Huron. It hasalso influenced her professionallife. Just like in her military days,Blake keeps on the move, thistime through nearby countrysidewith her mobile dental technicianbusiness, serving the dentists anddenturists responsible for ruralcommunities. As resourceful asshe is conscientious, Blake alsouses the route to spread the wordabout programs she supports thatencourage health and fitness andenvironmental conservation.— Sandy Robertsonequipment.) Buchaski also keepsNAIT instructors current byarranging seminars and bringingin stellar speakers. For him, thekey is to not just promote reliable,upgradeable equipment, but toensure it is understood by staff–and so by the grads that NAITproduces. “No matter how goodthe technology is,” he says, “it’sno use unless we empower thepeople who use it.”— Cheryl Mahaffyv6.1 2012 49

PEOPLE • Cover story1980sthe construction industrycan’t afford to stand still, saysKees Cusveller, vice presidentof business development andpre-construction services withthe Graham Group. “We needto be able to compete with theinternational firms that are startingto move in.” To him, that meansevolving in every aspect of thebusiness, including productivity,safety, and environmental andsocial responsibility. Cusveller’sown successful career gives thatpoint of view credibility. Afterholding increasingly challengingpositions at PCL Construction,he led Graham Group’s Calgaryexpansion, growing its annualrevenues in the city from less than$30 million to $275 million in adecade. Now, he also applies thatsame lead-the-charge mentalityto a passion for volunteering(which, incidentally, has roots inhis 1979-80 tenure as president ofthe NAIT Students’ Association)with construction associationsand to developing building-relatedprogramming in post-secondaryeducation.— Cheryl Mahaffyjames cummingConstruction Engineering Technology ’81Alumni Award of Distinction ’03Board of Governors 2004 - presentwhen something is important to James Cumming he gives it hisfull attention. In 1998, not long after his son Garrett had to startusing a wheelchair due to muscular dystrophy, Cumming joinedthe Muscular Dystrophy Canada board, serving as its nationalchair from 2001 to 2003. After that, he continued to contributeby helping to raise $1.61 million to establish the Friends of GarrettCumming Research Chair in Muscle Disorder at the University ofAlberta to pursue cures for debilitating neuromuscular disorders.After his intense work with that board, Cumming steppedback to change the focus of his community involvement toeducation. NAIT was an obvious point of focus. Currently theCEO of Creative Door Services, Cumming credits his NAITtraining as the foundation of his lengthy career as owner andleader of construction and development businesses. In 2004,he returned to his alma mater as a member of the Board ofGovernors. In October 2010, he became its chair.Going forward, Cumming is excited about NAIT’s future.Right now, amongst other priorities, he’s devoting himself toplanning for the proposed Centre for Applied Technologies, whichwill boost simulation-based training and applied research on MainCampus. As an industry insider, he has an intimate understandingof the need for skilled workers. “We’ve got a marketplace that’sbusy and begging for more trained individuals,” says Cumming.“Our challenge is to make sure that we’re in front of that demand,not behind it.”— Fiona Benslerweb extraVisit techlifemag.ca/james-cumming.htm for aconversation with NAIT’s current chair of the Boardof Governors.kees CusvellerBuilding Construction Engineering Technology ’80“I got my first job as a secretary two monthsbefore I actually finished my coursework. I washired by an engineering firm because NAITwas the only place that was using magneticmedia storage (electronic typewriters withmag cards) and they wanted someone whocould use a word processor!– Sharlene Millang-Borst, Secretarial Technology ’8150 techlifemag.ca

andy EresmanPetroleum Engineering Technology ’80photo by colin wayin a natural gas market that can only be described as a decadelongroller coaster ride, Randy Eresman’s grip on his company is asfirm as ever.Eresman took the helm of Encana – one of the world’s largestnatural gas producers – as president and CEO in 2006, 26 yearsafter he joined Alberta Energy Company, an Encana predecessor.Before that, the Medicine Hat native was the company’s chiefoperating officer from 2002 to 2006.Despite a prolonged plunge in natural gas prices over the lastfew years, Encana has remained strong under Eresman’s leadership.It beat analysts’ predictions in the first quarter of 2012 in cashflow and earnings and has plans to weather the storm, includingcontinuing to lead the way in a variety of oil and natural gas plays.Going forward, Eresman is buckled in and ready for the upsand downs.“I remember seeing high natural gas prices, and then those droplike a rock, and I remember seeing high oil prices, and then thosedrop like a rock,” he told the Financial Post in February. “Easy money,hard money – this is the business.”— Eliza Barlowgreg korbuttBiological Sciences Technology ’82Alumni Award of Distinction ’01dr. greg korbutt is a worldrenowneddiabetes researcher onthe verge of a major breakthrough.But from 1978 to 1980, he drovea Coca-Cola truck with no ideawhere the road of life wouldtake him. Even when he appliedto NAIT it was to five areas;eventually, he settled on science.Discovering latent talents in labresearch, Korbutt worked withDr. Ray Rajotte (Medical X-rayTechnology ’65) and his EdmontonProtocol team to pioneertransplants of insulin-producingislet cells for severe diabetics.Then he began experimenting withneonatal pigs as a source of islets.Now he’s ready to move that toclinical trials, a North Americanfirst. To do so, he’s secured $26million to build in Edmonton thefirst Western Canadian facility tomeet Health Canada and the Foodand Drug Administration’s strictregulations for stem cell research.“It’s not the ultimate cure fordiabetes,” says Korbutt. “But it’sa good stop-gap solution, whichwill increase the availability of isletcells for transplantation.”— Lisa Ricciottikevin MartinPetroleum Engineering Technology ’87Honorary Bachelor of Technology in Technology Management ’10Alumni Award of Distinction ’11as an 18-year-old from Lougheed,Alta., Kevin Martin faced a toughchoice: play collegiate hockey inRed Deer or Medicine Hat, or curlat NAIT. Luckily for Canadiancurling, he chose to go with whohe calls “Canada’s best curlingcoach,” NAIT’s Jules Owchar – wholikened Martin to a young Gretzky.Martin’s instructors also recognizedhis potential on the ice and teasedhim about how much time he spentat the rink. “I was there for theeducation,” says Martin, “but … Iwas living at the Avonair [CurlingClub] the whole time.” Today,Martin has yet to work in his fieldof study. Instead, he earned rockstarstatus as a curler, winningOlympic silver and gold, fourBriers and numerous tournamentson the world curling circuit. “It wasa good decision made in the fall of’84,” says Martin with a chuckle.— Ruth Julieboweb extraVisit techlifemag.ca/kevin-martin-jules-owchar.htmfor the story of the most successful player-coachrelationship in the history of curling.v6.1 2012 51

PEOPLE • Cover story1980sdaryl mcintyreRadio and Television Arts ’83ctv’s daryl mcintyre has beenan evening news anchor longerthan anyone in Edmonton. Hecredits that to a willingness toembrace change. During his26 years with the station, he’switnessed seismic shifts inthe media landscape: mergers,declining advertising revenueand the explosion of socialmedia.For him, the beautyof social media, includingFacebook, Twitter and blogging,is how they increase theconnection with viewers. Thatpower became evident withthe Maddox Flynn story. In 2010,McIntyre accompanied thetwo-year-old, born with a severefacial deformity, and his family toNew York for surgery. Combinedwith his traditional reporting, thejournalist’s blog, Twitter andFacebook posts allowed people tostay fully engaged with the story,which saw the generationof nearly $300,000 in donationsto help the family cover costs.“When people decide tomobilize it’s an extraordinarything to watch,” he says.— Ruth Juliebohe’s spent 33 years growing his family’s Edmonton-basedmanufacturing business into a global export powerhouse – but thelast thing Mark McNeill wants to do is keep the secrets of his successto himself.McNeill is president and CEO of Stream-Flo Industries, founded in1962 by his father Duncan McNeill (Distinguished Friend of the Institute’03), and Master Flo Valve, which they acquired in 1982.“As the experienced crowd, we need to educate and pass on our life’slearning – and learn from the new generation – to make sure we serviceour customers and our industry as best we can,” he says.To that end, the McNeill family has a passion for sharing theirexpertise with up-and-coming businesses. NAIT’s Duncan McNeillCentre for Innovation provides early stage businesses and entrepreneurswith office space and advice from NAIT experts.And McNeill knows a thing or two about building a business. Hejoined Stream-Flo in 1979, sweeping floors and building wellheads, thenput his aversion to losing and competitive nature to use with a shift toinside sales. He estimates he spent 40 per cent of his time on the road,living in most parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan.But he really cut his teeth in 1986, when he started a five-and-ahalfyear stint in Indonesia, opening up Southeast Asia to the company,whose leadership in manufacturing wellheads, valves, chokes andother equipment for both the offshore and surface oil and gas industryhas seen its products installed in at least 50 countries across fourcontinents.Doing business overseas means managing cultural differencesand time zones, but McNeill says building and nurturing personalrelationships with customers is a universal imperative.His words of advice? “Be open-minded. And expect to workvery hard.”— Eliza BarlowFor Scott Matheson (Building Construction EngineeringTechnology ‘83), “Crushing the competition in the bridgebuilding challenge without getting wet,” was a highlight ofthe 1981-82 school year. Matheson, team captain, cameup with the winning design pictured here.Mark mcneillBusiness Administration – Marketing ’8252 techlifemag.ca

“When NAIT was first automating the ExecutiveOffice (sometime in the ’80s), we had a challengewith a certain academic VP who had no interestin joining in on the fantastic opportunity. Wereplaced the unused computer in his office witha cardboard replica and he loved it! Today, ourexecutive all use the latest technology – whata change!– Helen Wladyka, hired 1972 – currently Chief InformationOfficer, NAIT Information Servicesmark oheAir Conditioning Engineering Technology ’81Alumni Award of Distinction ’98Board of Governors 2010 - presentjust as mark ohe was taking alead role in the family mechanicalbusiness in 1991, a backfiringairplane propeller smashed his leg.Less than four years later, he rana marathon and raised $10,000for the Rainbow Society of Albertato help grant the wishes of kidswith chronic illnesses. Ohe’s blendof grit and generosity has alsoserved environmental, social andhealth-care groups. He traceshis attitude back to his father,Gateway Mechanical Servicesfounder Bill Ohe, who always toldhis kids, “Giving needs to be partof your life,” recalls Ohe. “Not justmoney, but your time and energy.”Now one of Western Canada’sleading mechanical servicecompanies, Gateway’s corporategenerosity helped build the NAITGateway Mechanical ServicesCentre for Building EnvironmentTechnology, which is teaching thenext generation how to optimizebuilding environments.— Cheryl Mahaffy“Oh, the Ronald McDonald Cups. It started when the[University of Alberta Golden] Bears were rankedNo. 1 in the country in their conference and we [theOoks] were ranked No. 1 in the country in ours. Andall of a sudden the talk shows started saying: ‘Whois the No. 1 college team in the country?’ and it justmushroomed from there. It was exciting. And that’swhen we really felt the school was behind us. I thinkthere were 15,000 people [at the game at NorthlandsColiseum]. We lost that game. It was 5-4. Excitinggame. Lots of hits. The crowd was going nuts. It wasa really good experience.– Ron Amyotte, Respiratory Technology ’87; Memberof the Ooks men’s hockey team from 1984 to 1987george ROGERSBusiness Administration – Accounting ’80born in a jamaican village, George Rogers knows what it is to gowithout. So it’s a point of pride that as an elected official, first for theCity of Leduc and now as MLA for Leduc-Beaumont, he has helpedlay the groundwork for communities to enjoy improved quality oflife. Trained as an accountant, Rogers turned to real estate, and thenpublic office, to work more closely with people. Attracting recordsettingvote tallies, he served as Leduc alderman then mayor whileactive in the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association and theFederation of Canadian Municipalities. “I grew up in Leduc, and backthen we had to go to Edmonton for almost everything,” he recalls.“Today it’s all available right here, and a lot of the decisions I’ve beena part of led to that successful growth.”— C.M.v6.1 2012 53

PEOPLE • Cover story1980sTracey ScarlettMedical Laboratory Technology ’87nine to five? no thanks, says tracey scarlett, who prefers tocontrol her own destiny – and loves to help others do the same.The CEO of Alberta Women Entrepreneurs, a non-profitorganization that assists women with business ventures,Scarlett cut her entrepreneurial teeth raising 4-H calves on thefamily farm near Sexsmith, Alta., an environment she creditsfor teaching her to blaze her own trail. “Growing up on a farmteaches you a lot of independence and self-sufficiency, andhow to handle things you can’t anticipate.”After graduating from NAIT, she went from managinglabs for small companies, to running an electrical contractingbusiness, to starting a consulting practice working withscientists on market research.KMT Hepatech, which had developed a technologyinvolved with Hepatitis C testing, became a huge industrysuccess in two years with Scarlett as its chief operating officer.When the opportunity came along to head Alberta WomenEntrepreneurs, Scarlett jumped at the chance to help otherwomen work for themselves, which contributes $117 billion ayear to the Canadian economy.“Seeing businesses come to life on a daily basis, creatingjobs, creating wealth – these are tangible outcomes that I findreally rewarding.”Many women who come to her are dealing with youngfamilies or aging parents, but the need for flexibility isn’t what’sdriving them from the corporate world, says Scarlett. “Theydon’t want to be passive about their lot in life. They want tocreate their futures.”Just as Scarlett continues to create her own.— Eliza Barlowjulie m. shaw was working her first job at Nelson Lumber inEdmonton when a young couple came in, house plans in hand, tobuy the materials they needed to build their new two-storey home.She immediately noticed a glaring omission. “I said, ‘You knowyou don’t have a staircase in these plans.’ They just kind of lookedat each other.”Three decades later, Shaw applies the same matter-of-factnessto her role as vice president facilities, design and management withShaw Communications. Founded in 1966 by her father, JR Shaw(Distinguished Friend of the Institute ’97, Honorary Diploma inBusiness Administration ’07), the company has grown to becomeCanada’s leading communications provider. She also serves as vicechair of Corus Entertainment.Shaw has always had a keen interest in the mechanics of howbuildings come together. After she completed her education, shelanded an interior design job with Vancouver firm HoppingKovach Grinnell while “moonlighting” for the family businessback in Alberta.“When your family asks you to do something, it’s always,‘It won’t take long,’” she says with a chuckle. “My dad or brotherwould ask, ‘Could you just do this? Could you just do that?’You feel compelled.”Today, she and her team run all of Shaw’s sites across Canada,managing everything from building improvement and design toparking. She’s overseeing the construction of a 25,200-squaremetre(280,000-square-foot) data centre in Calgary, due to openaround 2015, and a new Global TV studio in Halifax. “We wantto make sure it’s a creative environment that’s exciting andmotivating [for the company’s more than 14,000 employees].”One thing’s for sure: she’ll never miss a staircase.— E.B.julie M. shawArchitectural Technology ’8254 techlifemag.ca

uce WoloshynRadio and Television Arts ’84people don’t think of vancouveras frontier territory. But in 1995,when Bruce Woloshyn joinedvisual effects startup RainmakerDigital Pictures, it was. At least asfar as Hollywood was concerned.“We had to do things to showwe could be taken seriously andthat the industry could growand thrive in Canada,” saysWoloshyn. Thanks to those earlyefforts, Vancouver is now one ofthe largest production centresfor visual effects in the world.Woloshyn was instrumental inhelping to establish the VisualEffects Society, an internationalentertainment industryprofessional group, in Vancouver,and, in 2007, hosted the votingfor Special Visual Effects for theEmmy Awards at Rainmaker – thefirst time it was held outside theUnited States. The award-winningvisual effects supervisor, who nowworks for Method Studios, hasalso been charting new courses onthe big and little screens, wherehis many credits include StargateSG-1, The Twilight Saga moviesand Night at the Museum. “Almostevery project demands that wedo something we’ve never donebefore. And I really thrive on that.”— Kristen Vernonphoto by john Cairns“I almost burned the school down. I was making amusic video…. We were shooting in the bigger ofthe two studios in the RTA building. One of thethings was to have a Valentine’s card on fire dropto the floor. It caught the bed on fire on the setand everybody started flipping out. There was afire extinguisher right at the door. I grabbed it andput the fire out. And then everybody was thinking,‘You’re going to be in a pile of trouble when theyfind out you discharged the fire extinguisher.’ AndI thought, ‘Yeah, but I’m going to be in a lot lesstrouble than if I burned the studio down.’– Bruce Woloshyn, Radio and Television Arts ’84sandy YakimchukElectronics Engineering Technology ’85after nait, sandy yakimchukworked with electronic controlsystems on oil rigs around theworld, travelling all continentsexcept Antarctica, a life-changingexperience he believes wouldn’thave happened without hiseducation. Now owner and operatorof Control Freaks Automation,an Edmonton-based firm thatspecializes in designing electroniccontrols, Yakimchuk volunteerednearly 500 hours to build 13 customprogrammable logic controllers(PLC) for NAIT’s electronicsengineering and nanotechnologyprograms, and also helpedwrite an accompanying course.Students will learn aboutapplications for PLCs in differentAlberta industries and how towrite the software they use tocontrol machines and equipment–broadening their career optionsupon graduation. “This is a favourback to NAIT for allowing meto have such a lot of fun in mycareer,” he says.— Fiona BenslerDaniel Wai Yuk yeungDental Laboratory Technology ’81Alumni Award of Distinction ’06as the youngest of 14 siblings, daniel yeung learned thatcollaboration is the only way to get things done. “I am lucky to havelearned these lessons, because I continue to apply them to my work,”he says. Once, it saved his career. After Yeung got his first job asa dental technician in 1981, a downturn led to layoffs. “I was savedbecause one of our clients said they wouldn’t work with anyone butme.” Since becoming president of Universal Dental Laboratories, aprovider of dental services and products, he continues to put peoplefirst. Yeung is known as a student mentor and adviser, and as atireless community volunteer. As the only dental technician in theEdmonton and District Dental Society (most members are dentists),he contributes to the Shine for Dentistry Program, which offers dentalcare to Edmonton’s less-fortunate youth.— Sandy Robertsonv6.1 2012 55

PEOPLE • Cover story1990swhatever environment MarkHamblin chooses to inhabit, he’llfind ways to make it better. Asa teen, he designed inventorycontrol software for his favouritemotorcycle shops. At NAIT, andlater at Matrikon, he createdmore software to streamlinemanufacturing processes. Still inpursuit of productivity fixes, in2008 Hamblin launched DynamicManufacturing Solutions to helpimprove business operations –efforts that have earned accoladesfor innovation and rapid growthfrom Profit and Alberta Venturemagazines. In addition, heregularly mentors and hiresNAIT students, and organizesan annual industry event at theNAIT Shell Manufacturing Centreto showcase technologies andpractices manufacturers can useto excel. “The manufacturingindustry in Alberta is definitelybehind the times comparedto other jurisdictions in NorthAmerica,” he says. “They need usand they need NAIT to help movethem forward.”— C.M.Michael AndersonBusiness Administration – Marketing ’98Business Administration – Management ’99mike anderson brought awhole new buzz to campuslife, creating events thatbecame the stuff of memories.As a student, his zany anticsmade him top choice as Ookmascot; Ookfest, which helaunched as a NAIT Students’Association (NAITSA) vicepresident, grew into one ofNorth America’s top campusparties during his nine yearsas NAITSA entertainmentand marketing manager. “Ilove entertaining people,”he says.Anderson parlayed thatpassion into a career with thelaunch of Trixstar Productions.Quickly becoming a go-to firmfor celebrity events, its list ofbig snags has included UFC’sForrest Griffin and WilliamShatner of Star Trek. The LittleBrother Anderson mentored fora decade now wants to followin his footsteps, and no wonder.Not every little brother enjoysbackstage access to the likes ofOokfest veterans Nickelback.— Cheryl MahaffyMark HamblinComputer Engineering Technology ’95Alumni Award of Distinction ’01“I loved being the Ook. It was an outlet for me tohave a lot of fun…. One time I was dancing in thebleachers and I jumped down and cracked myheel. I’d do a figure skating show after the game.I’d spin around and fall on my face. I was stilldetermined to put on my show. I laced up andwent out there. It took me about an hour to getmy skate off after.– Mike Anderson, Business Administration – Marketing ’98,Business Administration – Management ’99; Ook mascot ’96“I would play for the NAIT staff hockey teambecause we had such a rivalry with SAIT and therewas a lot of pressure for me to play. One timewe went down … and about the second period orhalfway through the third, I got a puck in the ear.And they took me to the hospital and they said,‘Boy, are you lucky. We happen to have a plasticsurgeon here.’ Thirty-four stitches later … I evenbled for NAIT.– Stan Souch, NAIT President 1980-9756 techlifemag.ca

PEOPLE • Cover story1990sASHIF MAWJIComputer Systems Technology ’92Alumni Award of Distinction ’03Board of Governors 2004-10corbin TomaszeskiCook ’92Alumni Award of Distinction ’10corbin tomaszeski is an idealrole model for students cookingup plans to become celebritychefs – mostly because the hostof Food Network TV shows CrashMy Kitchen, Restaurant Makeoverand Dinner Party Wars neverexpected his success. A realistraised on a central Alberta farm,“I thought I would work at a fewrestaurants, be a chef at myown and that would be it,” saysTomaszeski. By focusing on hiscraft – and on a philosophy thatgreat food has the power to bringpeople together – he rose to therank of executive chef at Toronto’sHolt’s Café. Only then did aproducer notice his talent (andhis congeniality and quick wit).Since then, life under the brightlights has galvanized his resolveto remain realistic – and authentic.“The person you see on TV isthe one I am in real life,” saysTomaszeski. “I want to be genuine.If I lose sight of that, I have tothink about doing something else.”— Scott Messengerweb extraVisit techlifemag.ca/chickendumpling-soup.htmto watch CorbinTomaszeski make soup with his mom,and techlifemag.ca/chef-corbintomaszeski.htmfor his views on whatmakes good food television.as the former president and ceo of upside software,Ashif Mawji remembers the first time the company bought newchairs for the office.“That was a big deal – everyone was really excited.”Formed 12 years ago, just as the dot-com bubble burst, thecontract management software company had to be frugal toweather the shattered market. “We got a lot of things from eBay,”he recalls.Mawji learned the value of self-sufficiency while growing up inKenya, where, from the age of 12, he sold watches on consignmentto make pocket money.And he’s long had a keen sense of the smartest uses for hismoney, one that would help his future business survive and thrivethrough market ups and downs. On a family trip to the UnitedKingdom, he bought a computer to sell at a profit back in Kenya.After he immigrated to Canada, Mawji used that sameentrepreneurial savvy to start two companies, including Upside.Its first client was Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway and, acouple of months later, Hewlett Packard signed on. From there,the deals kept coming.In time, so did offers to purchase the company. This August,he finally accepted one, freeing him up to focus on volunteerefforts with charities including the Kids Kottage Foundation andthe Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation.It has also allowed him to look toward new ventures. Amongthem: a software-as-a-service venture to help non-profits becomemore efficient and, just as he learned to do, survive and thrive.— Eliza Barlowdean turgeonEngineering Design and Drafting Technology ’90dean turgeon has never stoppedasking, Why? After graduatingfrom NAIT at 20, this habit causedclashes when he worked forconstruction firms as a surveyor,drafter and design technician. “Inever wanted to follow the normif there was a better processto improve efficiencies,” saysTurgeon. But when he discoveredan emerging green buildingphilosophy in the early 2000scalled Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design (LEED), hisbig question became, Why followwhen you can LEED?So in 2003 he started his owncompany, Vital Engineering, witha focus on educating clients aboutthe benefits of design optionsincluding geothermal, solar andpassive energy sources. Turgeonhas become a leader in his ownright, too. He regularly shareshis expertise with industry andgovernment associations, andhelped develop NAIT’s AlternativeEnergy Technology program, forwhich he continues to serve as anadvisory board member.— Lisa Ricciotti58 techlifemag.ca

WEAR IT… READ IT… WRITE IT –NAIT IS !MARK NAIT’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY WITH FUN MERCHANDISE FROM THE NAIT BOOKSTORET-SHIRT, $19.95NAIT@50 on back neck.HOODIE, $59.95Full zip in retro-looking charcoal.BALL CAP, $24.95Navy with NAIT@50 logo.five decades of great memories1962 – 2012APRONS, $20.95 ea.7 sassy styles feature NAIT@50logo on neck tie.COMMEMORATIVECOFFEE TABLE BOOKOversize 84-page formatfeatures photos and memoriesmarking 50 years of life at NAITand notable happenings in thecity, the country and the world.MULTI-USE POCKET TOOL, $49.95So handy!WRIST BAND, $9.95With 4GB USB flash drive.COFFEE TABLE BOOK, $50.00FLOAT PEN, $6.95Remember them?We make shopping easy:Online: onlinestore.nait.ca | Phone: 780.491.3104 | Email: mailorders@nait.caVisit the NAIT Bookstore: Room X114, 11762 106 Street, Edmonton, ABAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY COMMITTED TO STUDENT SUCCESS | www.nait.ca

PEOPLE • Cover story2000sin 2006, stephani carter turnedher private war on waste andtoxins into her profession, takingon the challenge of greening theconstruction industry by foundingEcoAmmo Sustainable Consultingin Edmonton. Despite that artilleryallusion, Carter’s only weapon iseco-knowledge. To her pleasantsurprise, industry colleagues havewillingly joined the campaign. “Oursociety is demonstrating a strongsocial desire for more sustainableliving; that’s now influencing thebuilding industry,” says Carter.She traces her path back toher first interior design position,where she realized she was moreconcerned with paints that weren’tpoisonous rather than the perfectshade. So she partnered withthe provincial government andClimate Change Central to createGreen Alberta, an online databaseof green building materials.Since then, her progresshas been, well, organic, withone project seeding another.Along the way she became anaccredited Leadership in Energyand Environmental Design(LEED) professional and helpedstart Alberta’s LEED chapter. Asher expertise and experience havegrown, she’s blossomed from“that green girl” to a professionalwhose insight is sought afterat conferences and by industrymembers keen to go green.EcoAmmo, in the meantime,has grown to three partners andconsulted on everything from netzero housing to commercial projectsfor clients, including WalmartCanada and Second Cup, as wellas international firms. Regardlessof the frontiers the companywill conquer next, Carter hasn’tforgotten her roots, and gives backby guest lecturing on sustainablebuilding products and materialsto NAIT design and architecturestudents, and by serving on itsinterior design advisory committee.— Lisa Ricciottiweb extraVisit techlifemag.ca/green-buildingproductsto watch Stephani Carter’stutorial on building with environmentallyfriendly materials.Stephani carterInterior Design Technology ’01don OborowskyCarpenter ’07Honorary Bachelor of Technology ’09Board of Governors 2002-08“tradespeople with certificates are not born, they’re made.”So says Don Oborowsky, who has dedicated much of his careerto advancing the trades and apprenticeship training in Alberta.As president, CEO and co-founder of Edmonton-basedWaiward Steel Fabricators, Oborowsky says that at any giventime, 20 per cent of his 500-plus employees are apprentices.Qualified tradespeople, he says, require less supervision onthe job, increase productivity and help make workplaces safer.“The whole apprentice program is important, not only to mebut to the whole industry. It plays a very important role inour whole economy.”The need for more spaces to train apprentices to sustainthe economy led Oborowsky to make a significant investmentin establishing the NAIT Waiward Centre for Steel Technologies.The world-class facility opened in 2006, boosting NAIT’s steeltrades training capacity by 60 per cent.Interestingly, Oborowsky – already a successful businessman –returned to NAIT four decades after starting his Carpenterapprenticeship to complete his own training in 2007. He says healways felt “a little bit of guilt” about not completing his training.“I finished it because I wanted to finish it.”— Frank Landry60 techlifemag.ca

it’s like an episode of Cheers: Jules Owchar walks into a curlingrink in northern Alberta and everyone knows his name. He’s hadhis fair share of media attention for coaching curling’s golden boy,Kevin Martin, for the past 27 years, but that’s not the only reasonfor his celebrity status. He’s also coached hundreds of junior andprofessional curlers from around the world.“I just fell into coaching,” says Owchar. In 1969, he began atNAIT as a physical education instructor. Throughout the decadesof mentoring young athletes, “the kids,” as he fondly calls them,have gone on to win more than 40 provincial and nationalchampionships (some of those were in golf – Owchar is an expertinstructor in that other Scottish sport as well).“There’s such a satisfaction if you can give something to thekids,” he says, “and watch them climb.”Arguably, none have climbed higher than Kevin Martin, a goldmedallist at the 2010 Winter Olympics. “Jules has an eye for seeingthe mechanics of a curling delivery,” says Martin. Over the years,the two have developed a working relationship that continues toproduce positive results. “We understand each other,” Martin adds.Although Owchar officially retired from NAIT in 2003, hecontinues to coach the men’s and women’s curling and golf teams.With his rare, natural talent for spotting a winner, there’s no betterscout for curling’s next star.— Ruth JulieboJavier SalazarPhotographic Technology ’09javier salazar inspires confidencein others – whether it’s the highschool students he mentors or thelow-income Edmontonianshe photographs.Salazar, who emigrated fromMexico to attend NAIT, has beenorganizing Edmonton’s Help-Portrait since 2009, offering thosein need a professional portrait as away of boosting their self-esteem.“You don’t really understand thevalue of a portrait until you giveit to a person who hasn’t everhad a professional portraittaken – who receives thatportrait and cries in front of you,”says the owner of Javier SalazarPhotography.By day, Salazar works forJunior Achievement of NorthernAlberta, where he mentors highschool students. “The way weempower kids, that’s what’s keptme there for so long,” he says.— F.L.jules OwcharAthletics Wall of Fame ’03marlon wilsonBusiness Administration – Marketing ’02if marlon wilson – musician,marketer, mentor, producer, radioDJ, philanthropist and ambassador–had an alias for each of hissuccessful endeavours, we’d neverknow his real name. Wilson’s betterknown as Arlo Maverick, onequarterof the successful Edmontonhip-hop group Politic Live. Asco-founder of Music for MavericksEntertainment, an acclaimedindependent urban musicrecord label, he also nurtureslocal musicians. That’s just oneexample of how he gives back.For 13 years he has volunteeredas a radio host at CJSR. He’sbeen a member of several highprofilearts boards and continuesto serve on the Juno Awards’ rapadvisory committee. And beyondmusic, he supports his largercommunity through fundraisersincluding his annual Hip-Hopfor Hunger event, which hasaided the Edmonton Food Banksince 2002. Call him Marlon orArlo Maverick, his is a name towatch.— L.R.web extraVisit techlifemag.ca/marlonwilson.htmto learn why some callhim the father of Edmonton’s urbanmusic scene.v6.1 2012 61

GENERATIONOOKSa limited-editionOok T-shirt!FRONTDid you hear about Nathan McLaughlin, theEdmonton food truck chef soon to appear on Eat Street?Did you know Olympic gold-medallist ShannonSzabados plays net for the men’s Ooks hockey team?Have you downloaded DinerInspect, a free appthat rates restaurants by health inspection reports?Did you improve your personal bottom line with ourtax, savings and budgeting tips?Have you tried our students’ award-winning recipesfor pear desserts?If not, now is the time to sign up for thetechlifemag.ca e-newsletter. Eight times a year, we sendour subscribers the latest from techlifemag.ca, our onlinetechnology lifestyle magazine where you’ll find thestories listed above and many more.Subscribing is easy. Just visit techlifemag.ca, clickSubscribe and fill in the appropriate fields (or scan theQR code on this page with your mobile device; see p. 7if you don’t have a code reader). Do so before Nov. 30,2012 and we’ll enter your name to win one of 25 limitededitionOok T-shirts. If you’re already a subscriber, justsend your name to contests@techlifemag.ca. Use T-shirtas the subject.Good luck! See you online.techlifemag.ca62 techlifemag.ca

peopleOoks through the ages“The SAIT Trojansbetter beware for nextyear – we shall kicktheir pants for them!”- the nuggetnait’s entry into intercollegiate athletics – at least on the basketballcourt – was tentative at best, if a 63–28 drubbing of the men by aveteran SAIT squad on March 6, 1964 is any indication. Judging fromThe Nugget that week, all that mattered was that NAIT had entered thefray: “The SAIT Trojans better beware for next year – we shall kick theirpants for them!”Since then, NAIT has indeed kicked some pants (some years morethan others). Consider this the highlight reel: the records set, thedogged development, the major players and the big wins. This is thestory of the Ooks through the years – champions, win or lose.— Scott Messengertoo cute to cut itadopted in 1964, the Ookpikremains the perfect sportsmascot for a northerlypolytechnic: also known as asnowy owl, it’s a Canadian iconand an adept hunter. Its onlydrawback is that it can look abit cute – hence the most recentredesign initiated by athleticsdirector Linda Henderson.“The previous one looked toomuch like a caricature,” shesays. “We wanted it to look alittle bit more intimidating.”The instigatorimmortalized on the AthleticsWall of Fame, first dean ofStudent Services Gary Meadusset balls rolling, pucks slidingand all manner of sportsparaphernalia in motion byestablishing the institute’sathletics programs and joiningthe Western IntercollegeConference in 1964, nowthe Alberta Colleges AthleticConference.The Perfect Seasonthe 1984-85 Ooks men’s hockeyseason ended in a statisticalimprobability: 25 wins, no losses.That perfect season carried intothe playoffs, as the men sweptthe provincial and nationalchampionships. In recognitionof this history-making feat, thesquad was inducted this Juneinto the Alberta Hockey Hallof Fame.Nix on the Chicksthe 1989-90 season representsa slam dunk for gender equalityin NAIT athletics. That season,women’s basketball finallytraded the Chicks moniker (theywere even the Ookpikettes atone point) for Ooks, the nameemblazoned on the men’sjerseys.bygone teamsThe Ooks once made their mark in these discontinued sports:Alpine skiingFencingBowlingRacquet sportsCanoeingSwimmingCross-country skiingWrestling186 23Total Alberta CollegesTotal Canadian CollegiateAthletic ConferenceAthletic Associationchampionship titleschampionship titles(various sports)(various sports)64 techlifemag.ca

PEOPLETop left, first NAITSA president William Miles received NAIT’s first Ook mascot in 1964. Bottom left, the mascot-napping went both waysbetween Alberta’s polytechnics; in 1964, NAIT students captured SAIT’s. Above, right and below, though the stuffed version of Ookpik hasremained nearly unchanged throughout the years, other depictions of the mascot have gone through several incarnations.When it comes to picking a school mascot,powerful creatures like eagles, tigers andbulldogs reign supreme. But in 1964,NAIT made a different choice. The NAIT Students’Association (NAITSA) chose a 20-centimetre-tallInuit handicraft: a snowy owl – known in Inuktitutas an ookpik.“At that time, ookpik was a big pop icon in Canada.There was even a song about it,” recalls William Miles,NAITSA’s first president. On Oct. 28, 1964, Mileswas presented with an authentic ookpik by an officialfrom the Department of Northern Affairs and NationalResources at NAIT’s first awards day. “Being the mostnortherly institute of its kind in Canada, we thought itwas a perfect fit,” he says.Although adorable, NAIT’s Ookpik represents acreature that was no less ferocious and strong than themascot of any other school of the day. The snowy owl,which can be found as far north as the Arctic Circle, isone of North America’s biggest owls at approximatelyhalf a metre tall and with a wingspan of about a metreand a half. The powerful birds are keen hunters and havefew natural predators.Naturally, NAIT athletics teams took the namein 1964 (shortening it over time to Ooks) and severalincarnations of a full-size mascot followed over the nextfive decades. Going forward, the Ookpik became firmlyembedded in NAIT’s identity, providing a positive imagefor the institute and helping to build community andcamaraderie amongst students.But over NAIT’s 50-year history, most peoplehaven’t had the chance to see that original Ookpik. Noone knows where it went – a situation that has causedquite a stir on campus.That said, Ookpik has always had that effect onthe staff and students of NAIT – not to mention thoseof other institutes. Soon after its arrival, word of itsimportance to the institute made it south to the office ofSAIT’s student newspaper, The Emery Weal. In 1966, itseditor decided to act. “We drove to Edmonton, rented amotel room and liberated Ookpik,” says Dan Lind.68 techlifemag.ca

The students broke the glass on the display caseholding Ookpik (which they later had to pay $50 toreplace), and took it to Calgary – making it wear a whiteStampede hat. It was eventually sent back to NAIT in ablack shoebox resembling a coffin.The incident was part of a friendly tradition ofmascot-napping between Alberta’s polytechnics. Infact, the hijinks got so heated that NAITSA had a replicaOokpik made and placed in a display cabinet for wouldbethieves. The real deal was safely hidden away.In the meantime, Ookpik fever spread acrosscampus. The bookstore was named the Ookshop. Thestudent pub was called The Nest. In 1977, Frosh Week(held in September to welcome new students) wasrenamed Ook Week.Even classes and labs were inspired by Ookpik.In 1967, the electrical and electronics departmentscombined their talents to build an electric ookpik morethan a metre tall. Sitting on four castors and completelycovered in sealskin, the robot was manoeuvrable withwire-controlled brakes and steering.It seemed that nothing happened at NAIT withoutOokpik.In light of that, as preparations began for NAIT’s50th anniversary celebrations, it was only natural towant to include the missing mascot.“We started an intense search all over campus,”says Erin Kuebler, advancement relations officer. “Therewas an amazing response from our staff. It didn’tmatter which program or department you were in – theOokpik represented the whole of NAIT and it was a waywe could express our affinity and appreciation for NAIT.”NAIT offered a five-course meal for six at Ernest’s,NAIT’s on-campus fine dining restaurant, as a rewardfor the tip that would lead to Ookpik’s return. But noteven national media coverage, broadcasting the storyto some five million Canadians in every province andterritory, produced a viable lead. Instead, NAIT got otherookpiks – donations of about a dozen dolls from staffand friends of the institute.But none came quite as close to the real thing asthe one from Peggy Richardson. Upon hearing about the“the Ookpikrepresentedthe wholeof NAIT andit was a waywe couldexpress ouraffinity andappreciationfor NAIT.”– Erin Kuebleradvancementrelations officerv6.1 2012 69

PEOPLELeft, new Ooks under construction. Right, Inuit elder Peggy Richardson (centre) presents newly made Ookpiksto Dr. Glenn Feltham and NAITSA president Teagan Gahler.“We are recapturing our past. As we thinkabout where we’ve come from, restoringthis symbol is absolutely priceless.”– Dr. gleNn Feltham, president and ceoWeb extraVisit www.nait.ca/nait-50th-anniversary-videosto watch a video of NAITInuit elder Peggy Richardsonmaking Ookpiks, or scan theQR code.Need a QR code scanner?See p. 7.predicament, the NAIT Inuit elder was inspired to createtwo replicas of the original Ookpik. She was up for thetask. Richardson grew up in the 1960s in the communityof Hall Beach in what’s now Nunavut, and had a specialaffinity for the bird: “The ookpik is very special to theInuit,” she says. “They are our protectors.”As well, her father worked along the Distant EarlyWarning line, a system of Arctic radar stations set upto detect Soviet bombers. He took orders from otherworkers for hundreds of souvenir ookpiks to be made byhis daughter. She used the money to purchase clothesfrom the Sears catalogue – clothes she would later wearto attend NAIT.Richardson presented one Ookpik to NAIT’spresident and CEO, Dr. Glenn Feltham, and the other toNAITSA president Teagan Gahler. “It’s very importantthat students have something to identify with whenthey’re here on our campus,” says Gahler, “and [also]when they become alumni.”“We are recapturing our past,” says Feltham. “Aswe think about where we’ve come from, restoring thissymbol is absolutely priceless.”NAIT never did find its original mascot. But thequest to locate it undoubtedly brought all of NAIT closerto Ookpik and its true meaning to us as an institute.Ookpik is NAIT’s symbol of tradition and strength.More importantly, it continues to unify five decades ofstudents, staff and alumni. And it will continue to do sofor decades to come. What more could you ask from aschool mascot?70 techlifemag.ca

CULINAITStory byLindsey NorrisPhotos byBlaise van malsenJeanette janzenthe fineart offoodwhen the first students enrolled in NAIT’s culinary program in 1963,they embarked on “cook’s training” and served food in the aptly, ifunremarkably, named Dining Hall. Today, students study culinary artson the path to becoming chefs – or food writers, stylists, photographers,even researchers.Program chair Stanley Townsend describes the modern chef as aculinary artist producing an “evolving art.” The shift from cook to chef toartist speaks to the growth of the program, but also to the changing waywe look at food: no longer is it just sustenance on a plate.In recognition of five decades of culinary training at NAIT, we askedthe faculty to identify some of the most dramatic food trends of the pasthalf-century. While some have proven to be a flash in the pan, othershave laid the groundwork for the way we eat today.A period of conflictthe 1960s doesn’t often get a lot of respect onthe culinary timescale. It was a conflicted periodin the kitchen. While technology was bringing moreprocessed, convenience foods to market, it was also,through mass media, making it easier for home cooksto learn traditional techniques.It was the decade that saw the sale of the firstcountertop microwave and the creation of Cool Whip,the “non-dairy” spread (developed by a chemist,not a chef). But in the same decade, Julia Childand company published Mastering the Art of FrenchCooking. Soon after, Child’s TV show aired, and peoplecould watch her spend an afternoon preparing beefbourguignon or roast chicken with port wine.For the first time, home cooks were encouraged ona mass scale to produce classic, restaurant-worthyfood in their own kitchens.It doesn’t get much more classicallyFrench than this: foie gras terrinepaired with apricot chutney.v6.1 2012 73

CULINAITThe centre of attentionby the ’70s, chefs and home cooks alike recognizedthat food was an opportunity for theatre. Whilecooking may once have been done in small, closedoffkitchens, roasts carved tableside and elaborateproductions involving brandy and flame broughttechnique into the dining room.“It was the start of the open kitchen that you seemore often in restaurants today,” says Teja Atkinson,a chef and instructor’s assistant with the CulinaryArts program. “Food was made right before your eyes,and it was a way to put on the best show, to get thearomas, and even for chefs to one-up each other.”While few home cooks today are regularly setting fireto the dessert, the original concept has taken hold inthe open-concept kitchen, which literally brings foodto the centre of the home.Dishes like flambé cherries jubileebrought the action to the dining table.A tall orderif you had to distil 1980s style into one word, youmight use big – or, more accurately, tall: tall hair, tallshoulder pads and equally stylized cuisine, whichoften placed structure and presentation ahead offlavour. Elaborate presentation was a must, anda truly spectacular dish might resemble a Jengatower on a plate. By the latter half of the decade,flavour was beginning to catch up to presentation inimportance. California cooking, or Tex-Mex, markeda continuing march away from classical preparationsto a more contemporary approach in the kitchen.“People started veering away from the old masters,and started to invent lighter fare, much stronger inpresentation and bolder in flavours,” says StanleyTownsend, Culinary Arts chair. “They were still usingthe classical methodologies, but they were using nontraditionalingredients.”With its strong lines and abundantavocado, the Cobb salad combinesboth the stacked structure and freshingredients common in the ’80s.74 techlifemag.ca

The world is your oysterby the 1990s, globalization and the Internet helpedcontribute to a shrinking world. It became increasinglyeasy to travel and experience international cuisines,as well as ship and import foods. People began toexperiment: fusion was big, and Canadian chef SusurLee (NAIT’s third Hokanson Chef in Residence)earned international recognition for his interpretationof Asian and French fusion, or “Nouvelle Chinoise.”Meanwhile, growing health consciousness waspushing butter- and cream-laden classics furtherto the back burner. (Interestingly, in the 1996 bookCulinary Artistry, 32 celebrity chefs were asked which10 ingredients they would take with them to a desertisland. Only three listed butter; half listed olive oil.)Fast transportation networksbrought more seafood to Alberta.Here, a grilled salmon steak isflavoured with low-calorie lemonand fresh dill.v6.1 2012 75

CULINAITBack to basicsfarm to fork. Nose to tail. Slow food. Is it acoincidence that modern food trends can becondensed to such simple phrases? Elevated cookingtoday is remarkable for what it isn’t: complicated,over-seasoned, elaborate. It’s taken a few years,but today a bottle of locally produced cold-pressedcanola oil can respectfully take its place on thecounter alongside the imported Greek olive oil.In 2005, NAIT’s newly renovated HokansonCentre for Culinary Arts began training students onsome of the highest-tech equipment available in thefood realm, though it’s used to produce some veryold-school concepts. “Right now, we’re focusing onseasonal ingredients and nose-to-tail books, so moreutilization of what may not be considered prime cutsof meat,” explains Atkinson.How to combine local, seasonalcuisine into one soup bowl?Try French onion soup, a recipethat has stood the test of time.The futurewhat’s next for food? Atkinson and Townsendbelieve many trends that exist today will continue.Townsend also predicts that people will become morehealth conscious and move away from big portions.They’ll become more concerned with sustainableproducts and cleaner flavours that highlight the ingredient.People will eat seasonally and locally more often, andmake more sustainable choices. If he’s right, it’s quitepossible that what we eat for dinner 50 years from nowwill bear more resemblance to food from the 1860s thanfrom the 1960s – though with a lot less butter.Web ExtraVisit techlifemag.ca/food-trends.htmfor the recipes for each of these dishes.Shaken or stirred?NAIT Food Services has turned one of the quintessential before-dinner drinksinto a commemorative cocktail to celebrate the institute’s golden anniversary.Whether you prefer your martini shaken or stirred, this one is perfect for yournext dinner party, or better yet – class reunion.The NAITini15 ml (½ oz) blueberry juice45 ml (1½ oz) vodka15 ml (½ oz) triple sec15 ml (½ oz) lime juicePour the ingredients into a cocktailshaker filled with ice cubes. Shakefor 30 seconds. Strain into a chilledcocktail glass. Garnish with floatingblueberries or a lime wedge.76 techlifemag.ca

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get involved with nait1TIME CAPSULEAs part of the NAIT@50 celebrations, we’re asking alumni, staff,students, friends and supporters to help produce a time capsule thatwill be opened on NAIT’s 100th anniversary. The capsule will representour first half-century of success as well as this milestone year.Contact Erin Kuebler at 780.471.8499 orekuebler@nait.ca if you have something tocontribute. For more information,visit www.nait.ca/nait50.350th anniversarymerchandiseShow your Ook pride by getting50th anniversary gear. Gadgets,office supplies and clothing canbe purchased at the Bookstoreon Main Campus or online atwww.nait.ca/onlinestore.4AlumnirecognitionawardsSTAY CONNECTEDTo ensure you don’t miss out onthe latest benefits and events, keepyour contact information current.To make updates, visitwww.nait.ca/alumniconnection2or email alumni@nait.ca.Celebrate 50 years of studentsuccess by nominating a deservingalumnus for an alumni recognitionaward. Application deadline isDec. 31, 2012. For more information,visit www.nait.ca/alumniawards.5 WAYS5GIVE BACKShow your appreciation of NAIT by making a $50 donationduring our 50th anniversary year. Donations can bedesignated for programs, emergency bursaries, athletics ornew equipment. Donate online at www.nait.ca/donate.v6.1 2012 79

85yearsofinnovationcareers.slb.comProud to support the50 th anniversary of NAITWho are we?Wearetheworld’slargestoilfieldservicescompany 1 .Workingglobally—ofteninremoteandchallenginglocations—weinvent,design,engineer,andapplytechnologytohelpourcustomersfindandproduceoilandgassafely.Who are we looking for?Weneedmorethan5,000graduatestobegindynamiccareersinthefollowingdomains:• Engineering,ResearchandOperations• GeoscienceandPetrotechnical• CommercialandBusinessWhat will you be?1 BasedonForbesLeadingCompaniesReport2011.Copyright©2012Schlumberger.Allrightsreserved.12-RC-0007

ACCLAIMand the award goes to...Grads, staff, students and friends of the institute continue to amass awards and accoladesin everything from industry to innovation to athletics. Here are a few recent winners.Financial futuresWhen it comes to economic forecasting, NAIT faculty members areamong the best. This January, max varela and hardeep gill, JR ShawSchool of Business finance instructors, won two of six awards given bythe Edmonton Chartered Financial Analyst Society for best forecasts.Varela won for the Canadian Equity Index, while Gill most accuratelypegged the U.S./Canada exchange rate. ellen wilson, chair of businessin the Department of Continuing Education, was runner-up for theoverall best forecast award. Participants were asked to forecast oilprices, exchange rates, bond yields and other key economic indicatorsfor the coming year.The Shoe FitsContinuing Education businessstudent huseyin mullaoglu wonfirst place in the Business StrategyGame. Over the past year, 43,000post-secondary students in 50countries operated virtual athleticfootwear companies in theonline competition. Participantsin the simulation assessed andresponded to a variety of marketconditions in a quest to havethe most successful business.Mullaoglu won with the overallbest-performing company.BusinessBoosterFor promoting entrepreneurship,sandra spencer received the 2012HSBC Woman Leader of TomorrowAward for Western Canada inMarch. As former president ofNAIT’s Students in Free Enterpriseteam, she started the Hatchbusiness competition, which has awarded three winners $20,000each in seed funding and incubation space at NAIT. A Bachelor ofBusiness Administration student, Spencer is also a business managerat novaNAIT – NAIT’s home of applied research and enterprisedevelopment.Brawny andbrainyTying with Red Deer College,NAIT led the nation with 10Academic All-Canadian Awardsfrom the Canadian CollegiateAthletic Association. Thisprestigious designation isawarded to student-athleteswho not only demonstrateoutstanding athletic achievementbut also attain honours in theiracademic programs.Photos by NAIT STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERSMr. Fix-itThe Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionalsof Alberta awarded rj oil sands its Technical Excellence Award. Thehonour recognizes the ingenuity of the company’s phase separator,which scrubs hydrocarbons from water (see p. 28, V5.2), invented bywade bozak (Civil Engineering Technology ’93). The RJ Oil Sandsvice president hopes to see the technology put to use remediatingtailings ponds.from Sea toSummitmarl technologies’ subseadrill (p. 26, V5.2) received theProject Achievement Award atthe Association of ProfessionalEngineers and Geoscientistsof Alberta 2012 SummitAwards. Led by productionmanager mark gurnett(Machinist ’01, MechanicalEngineering Technology ’03),the project was recognizedboth for its engineering and forits contributions to technicalprogress and the bettermentof society.Flour PowerCulinary Arts grads mallorybowes and elizabeth dowdell(class of ‘11) won the provincialMission ImPULSEible fooddevelopment competition inMarch for their celiac-friendlyangel food cake recipe. Made withgarbanzo and fava bean flours,the dry cake mix – called BE Lite(BE for Bowes and Elizabeth) –is free of gluten, wheat, nutsand dairy. In June, Bowes andDowdell were runners-up at thenational Mission ImPULSEiblecompetition.v6.1 2012 81

Rewindbesides its 50th, nait is celebrating another anniversary this year –and, technically, it’s just as cool.Thirty years ago in Calgary, the men’s Ooks hockey team skatedto its first of seven national championship titles, beating Toronto’sSeneca College 3 – 0. To help mark the milestone, Brian Stein (Radioand Television Arts ’82, Computer Systems Technology ’88) recentlygave the institute an athletics relic: the Ooks sign that hung in the SAITarena the day of that historic win.At the time, Stein – an inductee into NAIT’s Wall of Fame – washandling announcing and PR duties for the team, a job for which hewas recruited by legendary coach Peary Pearn. Still working with theteam in the 1990s when SAIT renovated its rink, Stein saw the sign hadcome down and asked Trojans’ coaching staff for it. “We brought it backon the team bus,” he says. From there, the four-by-eight plywood signwent carefully into his garden shed.“I just wanted to save it,” he says. The sentimental value appealedto him: the “flying” NAIT logo, the Big Bird-like mascot, even the nameOokpiks, long since shortened to Ooks.But the sign also stood for a remarkable stretch of athleticachievement, Stein points out. Following that first national win, theOoks entered their most storied decade, winning four national titlesand posting a perfect 1984-85 season during a run that included fourAlberta Colleges Athletic Conference championships back to back,from ’84 to ’87.That was no small feat, says Stein. The league may have beensmaller then, he adds, but the other schools weren’t pushovers. “Theyrose above the competition,” he says of the NAIT squads. They hadleaders on ice and off, talented recruits and spirited determination.And, apparently, they had a good luck charm made out of threequarter-inchfir – now rightfully home.— Scott MessengerPhoto by BLAISE VAN MALSEN82 techlifemag.ca

Investing intomorrow’sbig ideas.At Cenovus, we support programs that help passionate people come up withnew ideas and new approaches for the development of energy resources.Cenovus Energy. A Canadian oil company.Congratulations NAIT on your 50th anniversary.cenovus.comNew ideas. New approaches.

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