Sept. 13, 2016

Sept. 13, 2016
For Immediate Release

WATERLOO – Wilfrid Laurier University’s Lazaridis School of Business & Economics will recognize 11 graduates for their outstanding achievements at the fourth annual Lazaridis School Alumni Awards Sept. 23. The awards ceremony will take place at the Bingeman's Conference Centre in Waterloo beginning at 5 p.m.

“The Lazaridis School Alumni Awards are an annual opportunity to honour a group of very remarkable people – our prominent and high-achieving alumni,” said Micheál Kelly, dean of the Lazaridis School of Business & Economics. “Year after year I am amazed at the caliber and consistency of alumni nominated for their excellence in career achievements and community service. They are our premier brand ambassadors and assets to this institution. It’s wonderful to be able to celebrate their success at this annual gala with faculty, students, and their fellow alumni.”

The Lazaridis School Alumni Award winners for 2016 are:

• J. Alex Murray Alumni Award, presented by Lynn and Tom Oldfield
  • Mike Stork (BBA '77), president, Stork Holdings
  • Carolyn Wilkins (BA '87), senior deputy governor, Bank of Canada
• MBA Alumnus/a of the Year
  • Arnold Drung (BBA '87, MBA '92), president, Conestoga Meat Packers Ltd.
  • Bruce West (MBA '05), executive vice-president, finance and CFO, The Co-operators
• Young Alumnus of the Year, presented by POI Business Interiors and Steelcase
  • Jessica Chalk (BBA '11), CEO and founder, TrafficSoda
• Steve Farlow Entrepreneurship and Innovation Award presented by TD Canada Trust
  • Carinne Chambers (BBA '01), CEO, Diva International Inc.
  • Paul Weber (BA '90, DBA '91, MBA '95), president and CEO, Perimeter Medical Imaging Inc.
• Community Leadership Award
  • Axel Noriega (MBA '05), branch manager, Scotiabank
  • Jeffrey Rushton (BBA '85), president & CEO, Media Resources
• Dean’s Award for Community Service
  • Dean Elliott (BBA '87), managing partner, BDO Canada LLP
  • Tim Sothern (BBA '89), partner, BDO Canada LLP

At this year’s Alumni Awards, the Lazaridis School will also honour the accomplishments of Steve Farlow, who will retire from Laurier and transition to the private sector at the end of October. Going forward, the Entrepreneurship and Innovation award will be renamed the Steve Farlow Entrepreneurship and Innovation Award. Farlow joined the Lazaridis School in 2002 as its first executive director of the Schlegel Centre for Entrepreneurship. In addition to his role at the Schlegel Centre, Farlow has taught classes at both the undergraduate and graduate level in entrepreneurship and has been passionate about supporting students and alumni who were looking to operate and build their businesses. Most recently, Farlow served as the interim executive director at the Lazaridis Institute for the Management of Technology Enterprises, overseeing the launch team over the past year.

The annual Lazaridis School Alumni Awards aim to celebrate alumni who have consistently demonstrated outstanding achievements with awards honouring community service, career accomplishments and giving back to the Laurier community. Over 300 alumni, faculty, staff and industry leaders will be in attendance at this year’s gala to honour the next cohort of Lazaridis School Alumni Award recipients.

The awards ceremony will be held Sept. 23 at 5 p.m. at Bingemans Conference Centre, 425 Bingemans Centre Drive, Kitchener. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. and the awards ceremony will follow at 7 p.m. Tickets are $80 per person. Find more information and purchase tickets.

– 30 –