By Justin Dionne

GPRC honours community members at President’s Award Luncheon

Mar 12, 2019 | 4:41 PM

A handful of local individuals were recognized for their contributions to the community and education at the GPRC President’s Award Luncheon.

Altogether, seven people were honoured during the event on Tuesday. One of them was Pete Merlo who has served on the GPRC Board of Governors for eight years.

Merlo was presented the Board of Governors Award of Distinction, the College’s highest tribute an individual or community group can receive. During his eight years on the Board, he served three of those years as Chair of the Governance Committee. He finished his term in June of 2017.

Merlo also served on the Board of Directors for Alberta Blue Cross, he was the President of the Grande Prairie and District Chamber of Commerce, the past President and current member of the Swan City Rotary Club, and was a Construction Committee Chair for the Centre 2000 project. He is currently an active member of the College’s VITAL Campaign Cabinet.

Other award recipients included The Distinguished Volunteer Award which was presented to Marjorie Taylor.

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Taylor is described as a dedicated volunteer who has spent much of her time furthering the development of local arts and culture in Grande Prairie through assisting boards and committees. She has served as a Chairperson for the GPRC Fine Arts Advisory Committee and holds a diploma in Fine Arts from the college. She has served as Chair for the Prairie Art Gallery Board of Directors, volunteered for the Montrose Cultural Centre, served on the McNaught Homestead Restoration Society Board, the City Arts Committee and the Grande Prairie City Municipal Planning Committee.

David Lario and Joren Manz were the recipients of the Steps to the Greater Alumni Award.

Lario is a professional engineer who completed his first year in engineering in 1995 at GPRC. He moved on to the University of Alberta to complete his Bachelors before receiving a Masters in Mechanical Engineering. Lario has helped upcoming engineers by donating his time to the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists.

Manz is currently working on getting his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Alberta. He began his studies at GPRC and is described as being an active member of the Wolves community, and was a GPRC Wolves Summer Camp leader. He also was a Canada West University Athletics Association Silver and Bronze medalist, worked with the Steadward Centre, coaching para- and wheelchair track athletes and volunteered on care missions to the Philippines, Croatia, and Kenya.

The Alumni Award of Excellence went to Kelly O’Hallahan and Brett Hart.

O’Hallahan received the Female Athlete of the Year in 2013, and went on play professional basketball in Ireland. She was named Ireland’s Player of the Year in 2017 and 2018, and helped the Marble City Hawks win the Division 1 National League Championships in 2017. 

Back in 2006, Hart completed his Motorcycle Mechanic Certificate from GPRC Fairview. He has since become a Head Technician at Blackfoot Motorsports and has been competing in the biennial Yamaha Technician Grande Prix since 2012. He has won the Canadian Champion title in this year’s competition and has traveled to Japan to go head-to-head against top-level technicians from across the world. Hart bested the competition and was named the first Canadian to win the World Champion in the Sports Model Class title.  

The Distinguished Alumni Award went to Shawna Miller.

This award recognizes GPRC alumni for outstanding accomplishments in their profession or service to their community. Miller completed her first two years of her Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1994 and has since been running a small oil and gas service company, and 16 Subway restaurants in our region with over 150 employees. She has volunteered with the Grande Prairie and District Chamber of Commerce and was a board chair from 2013 – 2014. Miller currently is a Chair-elect, and coming up in May, she will take on the role of Chair on the Alberta Chambers of Commerce and will represent Alberta on the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Board.

The Luncheon also saw the induction of 20 new members to GPRC’s President’s Council.