Proudly UNB Awards 2012

In 2005, the UNB Associated Alumni broadened its awards program to recognize more groups and individuals who have made significant contributions to the work of the Association and to the University of New Brunswick. We are proud to present the 2012 recipients.

Alumni Award of Honour

The UNB Associated Alumni’s most prestigious award recognizes truly outstanding service and commitment to UNB and the Associated Alumni. The 2012 recipients are:

Ewart "Sonny" Phillips (BSE'77) 

Ewart “Sonny” Phillips is an alumnus who consistently gives back to his alma mater. While attending UNB, Sonny was an active member of the men’s volleyball team, and he has continued to stay involved since graduating. Always on his game, Sonny coaches both the men’s and women’s volleyball teams, organizes various events, acts as the lead contact for communications for the Varsity Reds and, in his spare time, raises funds for athletic scholarships.

In 2000, Sonny represented UNB by attending the Canadian Interuniversity Sport men’s hockey championship in Saskatoon, SK. Sonny has  also served as vice-chair of the planning committee for the ICS men’s hockey championships that was held at UNB in 2003 and 2004. He is a member of the Canadian Softball Hall of Fame, having played on provincial and national teams and is often regarded as one of the best softball players from New Brunswick.

A vital player in the UNB community, Sonny has continued to show support for students, staff and faculty. For all that he does it comes as no surprise that the volleyball team room in The Richard J. CURRIE CENTER bears the name Ewart “Sonny” Phillips.

Dr. Carl Tompkins (BSc'54, PhD'79)

Carl Tompkins acted as Dean of Science, Applied Science and Engineering at UNB Saint John from 1992 until 1999. Before retirement, after 33 years at UNB Saint John, Carl was made a fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada and with his retirement in 1999 he was made an Honorary Class Graduate. Retirement hasn't’t slowed this alumnus though. Since he retired from UNB, Carl has been active in retiree  gatherings and events such as volunteering within the community and acting as Faculty Marshal in both the spring and fall convocations.

Carl also partakes in tutoring high school students, helps postgraduate students work on their Master and PhD theses when their UNB supervisors are away, organizes luncheons for UNB retirees, participates in UNB charitable events and supports the UNBSJ J café in the Hans  W. Klohn Commons. Carl was also Chair of the Lorenzo Society at UNBSJ and former Chair of the Beaverbrook Scholars Selection Committee.

Even though he has left UNB, Carl continues to support students with the Dr. Carl Tompkins Prize – an annual prize given to a student on the UNB Saint John campus who achieves the highest overall standing in Chemical Thermodynamics and Electrochemistry and Chemical Kinetics.  This award was created upon Carl’s retirement through his fellow colleagues and friends. With his strong involvement with UNB both as a graduate, professor and retiree, Dr. Carl Tompkins more than exemplifies the qualities that accompany the Alumni Award of Honour.

Alumni Award of Distinction

This award recognizes the significant contributions made by UNB alumni in their local communities and beyond, for which they have been recognized regionally, nationally, or internationally.  The 2012 recipients are:

Monique Allain (BEd'87)

For the past 25 years Monique Allain has been an advocate for youth to lead healthy and active lives and, as a result, is helping coach future Olympians.

Monique has taken her impressive background and woven it into her current role as Manager, Education, Youth and Community Outreach for the Canadian Olympic Committee. She has been a public school teacher for 15 years; basketball coach for 20 years; former Athletic Director at UNB Saint John; Director of the Wellness Branch for the Department of Wellness, Culture and Sport; consultant at the Department of  Education and at the Secretariat for Sport, Recreation and Active Living; and coach of several athletic teams throughout the province. Monique has also coached over 70 teams, including two Canada Games and university teams and has served as a consultant in sport psychology and in workplace wellness.

In 2011, Monique participated in Team Canada’s mission staff at the Pan Am Games in Guadalajara and served as the Chef de Mission for the Youth Commonwealth Games in the Isle of Man in the same year. Monique also served on the Mission Team for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia; the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, India in 2010; the 2006 Commonwealth Games held in Melbourne, Australia; the 2004 Summer Olympics held in Athens, Greece; and the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.

Monique recently defended her PhD thesis.  

Rivers Corbett (MBA'89)

Have you ever relished in something you do? Rivers Corbett has made a career out of it. Founder and CEO of Corbett Ventures, Rivers has interests in The Chef Group, Relish Gourmet Burgers and Trivnet Media Systems.

Since graduating from UNB with his Masters in Business Administration, Rivers has become an award-winning entrepreneur, speaker and author, and is the founder of the Entrepreneurs Summit. UNB is proud to count Rivers amongst its distinguished alumni. Having not only successfully started his own business that continues to grow, he has also been recognized on Profit magazine’s Canada’s Hottest Start-ups list as well as Canada’s Top 100 Growth Companies. Rivers has received multiple awards including the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” in 2005, and the Saint John Board of Trade Entrepreneurial Achievement Award in 2003.

Rivers is also committed to helping other people start their own businesses; in 2008 he published a book entitled “13 Fears of Entrepreneurs.” Most recently, he is a featured entrepreneur in the best seller “That’ll Never Work” as well as coaching a local middle school to a national award in entrepreneurship. As a proud alumnus, Rivers has taught courses at UNB through the College of Extended Learning and the Faculty of Business Administration. In 2011, he received the Certificate of Achievement from the Faculty of Business. Rivers sits on the boards of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce and the Oromocto Chamber of Commerce.

Susan and Celes Davar (BA'75 & BSc'75)

Meeting at UNB, Sue and Celes Davar not only fell in love, but found a pathway from Atlantic Canada to Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba, where they have found rewards in their individual and community efforts. They are co-founders of Earth Rhythms, a boutique tourism company which offers travelers the ability to experience wild nature, local culture and artists, and regional cuisine in unique and environmentally sustainable ways.

Working previously with Parks Canada for 21 years, Celes has been involved in a variety of initiatives throughout Canada to help national and provincial parks and regional communities see each other as true partners in managing our protected spaces. An award-winning nature photographer, and part of an international team of climate change presenters, Celes is also part of a team of trainers and facilitators for the Gros Morne Institute for Sustainable Tourism where he has helped to create and deliver 28 transformational tourism training courses for over
600 Atlantic Canada tourism operators since 2005.

Sue has served on several boards within her Manitoba community, supporting arts development and a variety of programs for children. In 1995, she began a 15-year teaching career during which she helped to lead her students to numerous awards including a national Radarsat Computer Challenge and a Manitoba Association of School Trustees’ Student Group Citizenship Award. Sue was recognized for her key role in transformative, school-wide social justice programs through the Premier’s Excellence in Teaching Collaboration Award in 2009.

In 2006, Earth Rhythms was awarded the Travel Manitoba Award of Distinction recognizing an individual, business or organization best reflecting exceptional leadership in the tourism industry in Manitoba.

Sean Dunbar (BA'91, LLB'93)

You are walking down Queen Street and stop in at Picaroons for a beer – have you ever thought who was behind this wonderful creation? Sean Dunbar, UNB alumnus, is the owner/brewer/marketer behind the Northampton Brewing Company Picaroons.

Beginning the brewing process out of a passion for the exquisite flavours, Sean has since perfected the process, making a career out of it. Winning the title of Canadian Brewery of the year, this Fredericton based brewer beat 80 other breweries that took part in the competition.

Giving up practicing law to practice the art of brewing, it began with Sean discussing opening a brewpub in Fredericton with friends from law school. Finding himself more interested in what he found with the beer business than law, Sean stopped practicing and began brewing. Hoping to create a 100% New Brunswick beer – where all the ingredients are grown and processed here in NB – Sean also wants to show that a brewery can be environmentally friendly by using renewable resources and supporting organic production.

Sean, a New Brunswick native, shows a great deal of affection for his province by supporting the NB arts and culture community through numerous partnerships and special event sponsorships. Creating distinct traditional ale, and making a name for himself since he graduated, Sean is a member of the Order of the Wallace McCain Institute and a member of the Board of Directors of the Future NB initiative.

Bernard Richard (LLB'78) QC

Highly involved in the New Brunswick community, Bernard Richard has certainly made his mark. From 1991 to 2003, Bernard served as Minister of State for Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs, Acting Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Minister of Education and Minister responsible for Social Policy Renewal.

In March of 2001, Bernard was chosen as Leader of the Official Opposition and Interim Leader of the Liberal party of New Brunswick. He held this position until 2002 when he assumed the role of Opposition House Leader. Bernard then retired from politics in 2003.

He continued to play a key role as New Brunswick’s sixth Ombudsman (2004 - 2011) and first Child and Youth Advocate (2006 - 2011). Along the way, he chaired the Forum of Canadian Ombudsman, the Canadian Council of Parliamentary Ombudsman and the Francophone Association of Ombudsman and Mediators.

Presented with the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Foundation Award for his work in preventing family violence, as well as the Dr. David Stephen Memorial Foundation Award for his work in raising awareness of child abuse and its effects, Bernard also received the Legér-Comeau Medal by the Société Nationale de l’Acadie, the Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International and the Université de Moncton Order of Merit and, recently, the Lieutenant-Governor’s Dialogue New Brunswick Award.

Bernard remains involved in a variety of organizations such as Plan Canada, Plan International, founder and first chair of the First Nations Children’s Futures Fund, Dots NB (youth mental health) and as a Trudeau Foundation mentor.

Young Alumni Achievement Award

The Young Alumni Achievement Award recognizes the outstanding achievements of UNB alumni within 10 years of receiving a bachelor's degree or within five years of receiving a graduate degree. The 2012 recipient is:

Keith Brideau (BScEE'03)

With an extensive background in engineering, risk management, IT security, consulting, real estate and business development, Keith Brideau has vast experience with a diverse group of companies in many industries.

After receiving his degree in Electrical Engineering and a Diploma in Technology Management and Entrepreneurship, he began his career in NB Power’s Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Department at the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating station. Keith later received his Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP) and Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) designations.

Shortly after graduating, Keith started developing real estate and in 2007 launched his first formal real estate business – Home Improvers. In 2008, he co-founded a new group of companies under the “Historica” title. He has since won awards for entrepreneurship and developing, and is currently its Vice-President. Under the “Historica” title, Keith flips houses, apartments and commercial buildings, and now he is hoping to flip Saint John.

Renovating major urban areas of Saint John, he is hoping to create an urban lifestyle, such as Toronto, but in Saint John. Most recently, Keith was honoured with the Young Entrepreneur award at the Saint John Board of Trade’s 2011 Outstanding Business Achievements Awards Dinner. This award is given to someone under 30 who is just beginning to leave his/her mark.

Alumni Outreach Volunteer of the Year

The recipient has made a significant contribution to advancing the objectives of the Outreach Program, either by being a member of an outreach group or individually. The 2012 recipient is:

Verna Morrissey (BN'69)

After graduating, Verna Morrissey continued to assist UNB by organizing events, for both past and current students. Since 2005 she has held the position of Homecoming volunteer, registration area volunteer, activity prep volunteer and envelope stuffer. In addition to these positions, Verna has been an Alumni framing volunteer at Encaenia since 2008. Most recently, in 2011, she volunteered for Alumni warm-ups for CIS hockey, as well as acted as co-organizer of the BN ’69 reunion in Vancouver, B.C.

Group of the Year

The recipient group will have made significant contributions to UNB alumni, students, the university or the Associated Alumni during the previous year by holding events, demonstrating growth, and/or undertaking new initiatives in support of these groups.  The 2012 recipients are:

Calgary Young Alumni Network

Gathering young alumni in the Calgary area together in a meaningful, yet entertaining way, has been the mission of the Calgary Young Alumni Network since it was established in 2010. Working with the Calgary alumni chapter, network founders - Janice Linton Redmond (BA ’04),  Souvik Neogi (BS cChE’08) and Mike Kierstead (BBA ’02) - have provided a variety of networking opportunities and programs of interest to their Young Alumni members. Events such as the “Cheer on the VReds,” the annual “Calgary and Young Alumni Pub Night and Stampede Fun,” as well as an array of summer events keep the Network members connected throughout the year. Young alumni are defined as anyone who has graduated from UNB in the past 10 years, and is under 35 years old. Representing over half of the overall UNB alumni population, this is an important group within the Alumni Association.

Honorary Member of the UNB Associated Alumni

This honour is conferred on any person who has rendered outstanding service to the Association and UNB.  This year's recipients are:

Beth Currie

After teaching kindergarten for five years and working in retail, Beth Currie honed her entrepreneurial skills, prior to her marriage to Dr. Richard J. Currie, owning and operating a food specialty store in Toronto, winning national awards in the process.

Alongside Dr. Currie, Beth has applied her special touch to many joint initiatives near their Toronto home. She has established the Richard and Elizabeth Currie Chair in Health Professions Education Research and the University of Toronto Health Network; endowed the Richard and  Elizabeth Currie Director of Education and Public Programming at The Art Gallery of Ontario; as well as built Currie Hall at Canada’s National  Ballet School restoring the original heritage building and refurbishing the dining hall.

Beth Currie has supported her husband’s commitment to UNB by hosting UNB events at their homes in Toronto and Rothesay and  by accompanying the Chancellor to many UNB events, no matter the location. She has also provided guidance throughout the design, the selection of architects and the construction and completion of The Richard J. CURRIE CENTER. Beth spent many hours meeting with designers and architects to ensure the interior of the building was as exquisite as the exterior. Her time and family resources have been given to UNB  and she is very much seen as part of UNB’s family.

Roxanne Fairweather

Roxanne Fairweather is the Chief Operating Officer at Innovatia, a knowledge management consulting company based in Saint John. Reporting to the executive leadership team of Bell Aliant, the COO is responsible to Bell Aliant shareholders for the financial and operational success of Innovatia. Prior to working at Innovatia, where she has been for 10 years, Roxanne was president of Aliant Wireless.

Roxanne has been a member of UNB’s Board of Governors since 2003. During that time she served in a number of roles, including as vice-chair of the board, and sat on several committees including the Advancement Committee and the Human Resources Committee. She also served on the Joint Review Committee for the Office of President and the Joint Nominating Committee for the Office of President.

Roxanne Fairweather’s term as chair of UNB’s Board of Governors might have ended on July 1, 2012, but her service to the board and the university is far from over. Roxanne will continue to serve as a board member, lending her time, expertise and leadership to helping the university achieve its mission of being the premier university for students, faculty and staff.

In addition to being a member of UNB’s Board of Governors, Roxanne is also board chair of Facilicorp NB, and sits on the board of Emera Pipeline NB.