Seven to be inducted into U of L Alumni Honour Society
INDUCTEES INCLUDE FORMER MAYOR AND LETHBRIDGE COLLEGE BOARD CHAIR
A recent mayor and the Lethbridge College board chair will be inducted into the Alumni Honour Society at the University of Lethbridge.
They’re among seven being honoured this year, adding to a distinguished group that saluted its first members in 2002.
“It’s always exciting to share in the successes of our alumni and to see how they have impacted the world since graduating from the U of L,” says Lyndsay Montina, manager of alumni relations. “This year’s group of inductees has distinguished itself in many ways and made their respective communities better places to live.”
The seven will be inducted into the Alumni Honour Society and celebrated at “Let There Be Light Night,” an alumni celebration in the fall.
They include college board chair Kristin Ailsby, Lethbridge entrepreneur Scott Crighton, previous Lethbridge Mayor Rajko Dodic, DNA scientist René Huel, U of L student services and career counselling director Pat Tanaka, and “Amazing Race Canada” heroes Julie and Lowell Taylor.
Ailsby, an accredited mediator, collaborative lawyer and experienced litigator, is cited as a successful entrepreneur, engaged volunteer, respected advocate and effective educator.
She founded her own firm, Clarity Law, in 2016 and was named college board chair earlier this year.
Crighton is the entrepreneur and CEO behind Pop’s Taphouse North, South and West, along with Mojos Pub and Grill and the Kingsmen Ale House. His company also includes a the Coulee Brew craft brewery in Lethbridge and Pop’s Taphouse in Calgary. He’s saluted for his “flair for business, sharp attention to detail and keen ability to spot an opportunity.”
Dodic, who served two terms as an alderman, was elected the 25th mayor of Lethbridge in 2010 and retired from politics in 2013.
Described as “a shining example of a distinguished alumnus,” he served nearly 30 years as a litigation lawyer and appeared in every level of court.
Huel, who joined the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) in 2004 as a DNA scientist, is now head of its DNA laboratories division.
Based in Rossland, B.C., it’s known as one of the world’s “most advanced DNA labs dealing with human remains.”
His identification work has taken him around the world to battle fronts in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Africa as well as to disaster scenes like the 2004 tsunami and Hurricane Katrina.
Passionate about helping youth, Tanaka served U of L students and alumni for nearly three decades as they explored their career options and planned for their futures.
In her 27 years as director and manager of Career and Employment Services, Tanaka implemented a broad array of materials, events and programs, including establishing the university’s highly regarded career fair.
Julie and Lowell Taylor became nationally known in 2016 when they competed on Amazing Race Canada. Lowell, who has a degenerative eye disease, was the TV show’s first blind contestant.
From the teaming cities of Vietnam to the frozen tundra of the Northwest Territories, the couple “illustrated how positivity and teamwork can turn obstacles into opportunities.”