Three Canadore grads up for 2012 Premier’s Awards

Canadore College
News Release

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Canadore College is pleased to announce its three nominees for the 2012 Premier’s Awards for outstanding college graduates to be held in Toronto in November.


Dana Hauser (pictured)(Vancouver, B.C.) - Executive Chef at Fairmont Waterfront and graduate of Canadore’s Culinary Skills – Chef Training.

After travelling the world and putting her skills, passion and expertise to good use, Hauser was appointed Fairmont Hotels and Resorts’ first-ever female executive chef in 120 years of history.

She has been privileged to coordinate and executed galas, dinners and receptions for guests of the G8 and G20 summits, the Royal Canadian Navy and Queen Elizabeth’s Royal Gala with Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Hauser believes in fostering the talent of her junior staff and mentoring aspiring chefs every day, in her kitchen and wherever her passion takes her.

She says that it was through the dedication, encouragement and help tailored to her specific learning style by a Canadore faculty member that she learned the solid foundation of her culinary skills and the confidence she needed to build her career.

Major Ryan Stich (Moose Jaw, Sask.) - Executive Officer and Lead Solo for Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds and graduate of Canadore’s Aircraft Maintenance program.

Stich’s military career has spanned 21 years as a member of both the ground and air troops in the Canadian Forces.
He was selected as a CT-Hawk instructor because of his superior technical skills and knowledge to pass along to new military recruits.

He has served in five combat deployments, including Bosnia, Kosovo and three deployments to Afghanistan; he is the only current member of the Snowbirds team to have participated in combat overseas.

As Lead Solo, he travels across North America each year sharing with audiences of all ages the importance of our Canadian military’s role in defending democracy and protecting our borders and national interests.

Stitch attributes his success in the Canadian Forces to his at the time Canadore Dean of Aviation, Paul Argue, who suggested a military career and encouraged him build on his personal aspirations.

Kevin Wassegijig (Rama, Ont.) – Director of First Nation and Corporate Affairs at Casino Rama and graduate of Canadore’s Recreation Leadership program.

Wassegijig has been advocating for equity and accessibility to sport and recreation for First Nations youth, athletes and communities for 25 years.

While working with the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, he helped to empower Northeastern Ontario First Nations to develop sustainable recreational programs through committee structure.

While working with the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, Wassegijig assisted in First Nation consultation, negotiation and participation in the resources industry.

His role at Casino Rama, the largest single site employer of Aboriginal people in Canada, centres around building community harmony through networking and partnerships.

He is the co-founder of the Wikwemikong Thunderbirds Foundation, an initiative to support young athletes in his home community in their pursuit of education and sports development opportunities.

He promotes Aboriginal inclusion and social responsibility in corporate Canada by working with the Ontario Aboriginal Sport Circle, Canada’s Aboriginal Human Resource Council, the Conference Board of Canada’s Corporate Community Investment Council and various college committees, including Canadore’s Anishinabe Education and Training Circle.

Wassegijig credits many of his career achievements to the education he received at Canadore, where he learned hands-on training from industry professionals and where his passion for advocacy for equitable access to recreation opportunities began.

The annual Premier’s Awards honour the important social and economic contributions made by college graduates to the province and the world.

Nominations are submitted by Ontario’s 24 colleges and are presented in six categories, Business, Creative Arts and Design, Community Services, Health Sciences, Technology and Recent Graduate, and reviewed by a selection committee.

The winners will be celebrated at a gala event at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto on November 26. This year, there are more than 100 nominees and over 800 guests expected to attend.

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