Georgian celebrates inspiring partners and innovators at Awards of Distinction

From changemakers to student champions, Georgian College’s Board of Governors recognized an exceptional group of employees, alumni and community partners during the annual Awards of Distinction on April 15.

The awards are considered the college’s highest honour and recognize those who exemplify excellence.

These dedicated alumni, community partners and employees have made a profound impact on our students, the college and our campus communities and have helped to deliver on a truly unrivaled Georgian experience. We’re proud to recognize their contributions and celebrate their impressive achievements.
– Steve Lowe, Chair, Georgian’s Board of Governors

Meet this year’s recipients:

Community Partner Award: Bank of Montreal (BMO) and Grey County

The Community Partner Award recognizes noteworthy partners in community or industry who’ve made a significant contribution to Georgian in support of its strategic priorities and in a way that reflects the college’s values.

Six people stand on a stage together, with one of them holding an award. — Members of BMO accept a Community Partner Award on behalf of the county at the Georgian College Board of Governors Awards of Distinction. From left: Kevin Weaver, President and CEO of Georgian; Gillian Vincent, BMO Private Wealth; Aaron Haberman, Senior Relationship Manager at BMO; Melanie Cook, Vice President Commercial Banking at BMO; Michele Peer Meng, BMO Branch Manager; and Steve Lowe, Chair of Georgian’s Board of Governors.

BMO has played a pivotal role in removing financial barriers for students and increasing access to postsecondary education as a longstanding and highly engaged partner. Among many contributions, BMO has been the presenting sponsor of the college’s signature events, including the Georgian Gala and Georgian Golf Classic since 2020, and consistently been part of student life events, volunteer committees, and career fairs.

Grey County has been one of Georgian’s most critical community partners over the past decade, supporting the college’s strategic priorities, generously investing in the student experience and advocating for the college at regional and provincial levels. The county has driven transformative growth, particularly in rural education and workforce development, and made notable investments in marine and nursing education.

Four people stand on a stage and one of them holds an award. — From left: Kevin Weaver, President and CEO of Georgian; Brian Milne, Deputy Warden of Grey County; Kim Wingrove, Chief Administrative Officer of Grey County; and Steve Lowe, Chair of Georgian’s Board of Governors.

Distinguished Alumni Award – Progress and Achievement category: Andrew Ojamae

The Progress and Achievement category is awarded to a graduate who has made significant contributions in their field and whose endeavors have distinguished them professionally or in the community and brought honour to the college.

Three people stand together, one of whom holds an award. — Andrew, centre, pictured with Kevin Weaver, President and CEO of Georgian, left, and Steve Lowe, Chair, Georgian’s Board of Governors, is the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award – Progress and Achievement category.

Andrew is President and CEO of AutoIQ Dealer Group and alumnus of Georgian’s Business Administration – Automotive Marketing (class of 2001). As a recognized leader in the automotive industry, he has contributed to enhancing student success at Georgian, including as a speaker, curriculum advisor and by expanding AutoIQ’s co-operative education program to ensure graduates have the work-integrated experience and learning opportunities needed to excel.

Distinguished Alumni Award – Changemaker category: Shakir Barmare

The Changemaker category is awarded to a graduate who illustrates passion and purpose. They’re working or volunteering to create social change and drive innovation in a rapidly changing world. This award celebrates alumni tackling society’s challenges head-on and bringing honour to the college.

Three people stand together, one of whom holds an award, in front of a screen showing the photo of another person. — Shakir, pictured on the screen as he was unable to attend the ceremony, is another recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award. From left: Presenting the award are Kevin Weaver, President and CEO of Georgian; Kelly Watson, Director of Global Engagement at Georgian; and Steve Lowe, Chair of Georgian’s Board of Governors.

Shakir is President of the Barrie Indian Association, Managing Director of Beyond Giving Inc., and alumnus of Georgian’s Business program (class of 2010). He actively champions and cultivates a thriving community built on inclusivity, mutual respect, and social harmony, inspiring others to embrace diversity and work collectively toward a more unified and peaceful region.

Each recipient, along with this year’s incredible nominees, is exceptional in their dedication to Georgian, our students and our campus communities. I’m honoured to celebrate this remarkable group of people and partners who lead with innovation and heart and am deeply grateful for their continued engagement with the college and our students.
– Kevin Weaver, President and CEO of Georgian

Seven additional awards were handed out to current and former employees – an Entrepreneurial Award, Team Award, three Awards of Excellence and two Emerita/Emeritus awards.

A group of people holding awards stand on a stage. Text on a screen behind them reads: Georgian College. — *Winners of the 2025 Georgian College Board of Governors Awards of Distinction.*

Employee Entrepreneurial Award: Becca Allan

The Employee Entrepreneurial Award recognizes teams or individuals who’ve developed and implemented an innovative new program, service, business process or other initiative that achieved a significant outcome related to the college’s strategic priorities.

Becca’s the Manager of Student Success Systems and Insights at Georgian. She has embodied the spirit of digital innovation throughout her career at the college. Recently, Becca championed the implementation and adoption of Navigate360 – a comprehensive student success management system and integrated and coordinated care network that supports students from enrolment to graduation and beyond.

Team Award: Facilities Management Projects Waste Diversion Team, and the World University Services Canada (WUSC) Student Refugee Program Team.

The Team Award acknowledges a team of three or more employees who successfully collaborated on a major initiative or project, special task, assignment or research study in support of Georgian’s strategic priorities.

The Facilities Management Projects Waste Diversion Team has made a substantial improvement to the amount of construction waste materials being sent to landfills on Georgian construction projects. Since 2023, 556 metric tonnes of materials have been diverted and an impressive 85 per cent diversion rate achieved – advancing Georgian’s commitments to tackling the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The WUSC Student Refugee Program Team brought the Student Refugee Program to Georgian in partnership with WUSC, opening doors to education and lifechanging opportunities for refugees and enriching our campuses with inspiring, resilient and diverse global perspectives. To date, the team has sponsored and supported three student refugees.

Emerita/Emeritus awards: Lisa Banks and Angela Lockridge

These awards honour retired employees who’ve demonstrated exemplary service to the college and our communities.

Lisa, Vice President Emerita (2025 recipient), successfully advocated for support for several major fundraising initiatives and advanced the vision for others, including the Algoma Central Corporation Marine Emergency Duties Centre at our Owen Sound Campus and Peter B. Moore Advanced Technology Centre in Barrie. She also championed the approval and accreditation of our standalone Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing degree.
Angela, Vice President Emerita (2024 recipient), researched, planned and oversaw execution of contribution of the Peter B. Moore Advanced Technology Centre and recognized the need for an expanded safety presence and established a Campus Safety Services department. Angela was also integral in initiating and leading a student services review, and she led the concept, design and funding approvals for our downtown Barrie location.

Award of Excellence – Support Staff: Sarah Stackhouse

Sarah’s the Housing and Outreach Coordinator at Georgian. Since joining the college in 2022, she has transformed the student housing landscape through innovation and advocacy, such as the creation of the Off-Campus Housing Portal, partnerships with organizations like SpacesShared and the Furniture Bank, and events like Housing Awareness Week. Sarah’s efforts have also directly impacted student retention metrics, supporting hundreds of students.

Award of Excellence – Administration: Cindy Mutchler

Cindy’s the Registrar and Executive Director, Enrolment Management at Georgian. Under her leadership, the college successfully implemented a near real-time admissions experience that significantly reduces application wait time. In 2024, under new federal and provincial policies and procedures, Cindy led Georgian’s effective implementation of the new Provincial Attestation Letters (PALs) processes – resulting in Georgian being the first college in the province to issue PALs.

Award of Excellence – Academic: Rich Freeman

Rich is a Professor of Design and Visual Arts and Computer Studies and a Faculty Lead for Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. His most recent project, AskMeGoC, with the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre, is an app that facilitates goals of care decision-making discussions with patients at high risk of adverse outcomes through a shared team approach. The app’s now in the process of being implemented into IT systems at other hospitals.