RRC Polytech presented Tessa Potter, an Emmy-award-winning broadcast technician, with the 2025 Distinguished Graduate Award at the Electrical Engineering Technology Homecoming event for the program’s 60th anniversary. The award celebrates the remarkable personal and professional achievements of RRC Polytech alumni.

Since graduating from RRC Polytech’s Electronic Engineering Technology program in 2000, Potter has built a successful career in television, radio, and live sports broadcasting, earning two Sports Emmy Awards for her technical work on the 2022 Beijing and 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

“I’m thankful to RRC Polytech for this opportunity…I feel very honoured,” said Potter. “It’s surprising, when you see the list of other Distinguished Graduates, that someone like me, who’s still maybe considered a ground-floor worker, would be honoured.”

Potter credits the program for giving her the technical foundation that’s supported her throughout her career.

“Learning electronics isn’t something that happens through osmosis…you have to work at it,” said Potter. “Those classes where we took apart computers or wired up microcontrollers on a breadboard were valuable because they gave us space to experiment and make mistakes in a safe environment.”

She went on to roles with CTV and Rogers Media before joining True North Sports + Entertainment (TNSE) as a Broadcast Liaison, where she has supported NHL and AHL broadcasts for more than a decade. Today, she balances her work at TNSE and her role as a Senior Broadcast Technician at SBL Engineering with freelance broadcast contracts, which have taken her to international sporting events, such as the UEFA EURO Finals, the FIFA World Cup, the Commonwealth Games, and the Olympics.

“Tessa’s career shows how far a polytechnic education can take you, particularly in technical industries,” said Fred Meier, President and CEO, RRC Polytech. “Tessa has built an incredible career through collaboration, hard work, and continuous learning, which are all qualities that reflect her character and RRC Polytech’s values. We’re proud to count Tessa among our alumni and pleased to recognize her with this award.”

Potter is also an advocate for representation in her industry, a mentor to the next generation, and a leader committed to strengthening the broadcast community.

“My first experience in the industry was at SBL Engineering, where a woman was at the helm, navigating a space that traditionally had only men in it,” she said. “I want other women to know that even though there aren’t many of us in the industry, this still is valuable work and they might enjoy it.”

She’s also served as a subject-matter expert at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) and is the first female president of the Western Association of Broadcast Engineers (WABE), a role she still holds today. Under her leadership, the WABE Annual Convention broadened its scope to include pro AV, film, radio, post-production and live-production sectors, creating more opportunities for education across the industry.

Potter said that while the technology and tools have changed dramatically since she first started, the opportunities for graduates with curiosity and technical skill continue to grow.

“As long as content is being created and consumed, there’s a place for people like us behind the scenes.” Potter said. “It’s a rewarding career. You get to solve problems, work with great people, and see your work come to life in real time. That’s pretty special.”

Potter said she’s honoured to receive RRC Polytech’s 2025 Distinguished Graduate Award and proud to represent the many behind-the-scenes workers who keep media and entertainment running. She hopes it encourages more people to explore electrical engineering technology as a career.

“There’s no career path that’s straight or easy,” said Potter. “It’s a winding road of opportunity and long days of work…but the people and teams you meet along the way and the final product you create together are things to be proud of whether you win an award or not.”

Profile by Raegan Hedley (Creative Communications, 2016).

About Distinguished Graduate Awards

One of RRC Polytech’s highest honours, the Distinguished Graduate Award celebrates graduates of the College who have distinguished themselves in both their chosen professions and their communities. It recognizes the outstanding personal and professional achievements of our finest graduates. Since 1993, RRC Polytech has awarded 40 Distinguished Graduate Awards. Learn more about the awards and past recipients here.

About EET Homecoming

RRC Polytech celebrated 60 years of Electrical Engineering programs on November 6 with alumni, instructors past and present, current students, and industry supporters at a special Homecoming event. You can view the event photo album here.

Generously supported by CTTAM (Certified Technicians and Technologists Association of Manitoba)

2025 marks more than half a century of excellence in Electrical Engineering education at RRC Polytech. To celebrate this incredible milestone, we invite members of the RRC Polytech Electrical Engineering community to join us on November 6 for Homecoming.

This free, casual event will bring together generations of alumni, instructors past and present, current students, and industry supporters for an evening of networking and fun. Food, beverages, and an interactive photo booth are on tap for the night, as well as a pop-up Campus Store booth where you can purchase RRC Polytech merch. In addition, we are proud to honour Emmy-award winning Broadcast Technician Tessa Potter as the recipient of RRC Polytech’s 2025 Distinguished Graduate Award at Homecoming.

We look forward to bringing our EET alumni community together this fall!

Event Details

Date:         Thursday, November 6, 2025
Time:         5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Location:  RRC Polytech’s Notre Dame Campus (2055 Notre Dame Ave.)
Menu:        Refreshments will be served and a cash bar will be available. *Attendees will receive a complimentary drink ticket.

A confirmation email will be sent out with event and parking details a few days prior to the event. If you have any questions, please contact Phil Klassen at pklassen@rrc.ca.

Celebrating a Distinguished Grad

The RRC Polytech Distinguished Graduate Award recognizes the outstanding personal and professional achievements of RRC Polytech’s most accomplished alumni.

This year’s recipient is Electronic Engineering Technology graduate Tessa Potter, who completed her studies in 2000. Since then, she’s worked as a Broadcast Technician in television, radio, and live sports – a behind-the-camera role that has allowed her to travel the globe to work on world-class events like the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics. She has received two Emmy awards for her work broadcasting the Olympics, one for the Beijing Winter Games (2022), and one for the Paris Summer Games (2024). She is heading to Italy next February for her fourth Olympic Games.

Here in Winnipeg, Potter works as Truth North Sports + Entertainment’s Broadcast Liaison, serving home and visiting broadcast teams. She is also a Broadcast Technician for SBL Engineering, where she monitors and maintains transmitters for radio and television clients in Manitoba, and is a subject matter expert for complex radio frequency issues and repairs.

Potter is a phenomenal advocate for the field of broadcast engineering, focusing much of her spare time on mentoring and inspiring students. She’s the current (and first female) president of WABE, the Western Association of Broadcast Engineers, where she not only advocates for the industry, but also for women and diversity in the sector. One of her main goals as president of WABE has been to promote the industry and the career opportunities it provides to current and prospective students. Through her work at True North Sports + Entertainment, she mentors students and interns who cycle through the broadcasting department, helping them find their footing and – hopefully – a passion for this work.

Potter shared words of inspiration with RRC Polytech’s graduating class of 2022 at Spring Convocation as the alumni guest speaker, describing her education at RRC Polytech as the following: “My diploma in Electronic Engineering Technology at RRC Polytech was like a cypher. A tool that over the years has allowed me to decode a whole industry. Whatever flavour of the industry I uncovered – broadcasting, media technology, or live sports – would not have been possible without the lens of my education helping to bring it into focus.”

We are thrilled to honour Potter’s leadership in broadcast engineering at Homecoming. RRC Polytech alumni and supporters are warmly invited to attend.

Thank you to our generous supporters

Title Sponsor: CTTAM

CTTAM (Certified Technicians and Technologists Association of Manitoba) is the regulatory body within Manitoba for engineering and applied science technicians and technologists, many of whom are proud RRC Polytech grads.  A longtime supporter of RRC Polytech, CTTAM has donated more than $150,000 to annual alumni initiatives and special projects like the Princess Street Campus Capital Campaign, the Global Emergency Student Support Award, the Electrical Engineering Program, the Shell Eco-Marathon Challenge, the CTTAM Instrumentation Student Games Project, the COVID-19 Emergency Student Support Fund, the establishment of the Terry Gifford CTTAM Leadership Award, and more. CTTAM CEO Robert Okabe was the 2023 Distinguished Graduate Award recipient.

Silver Sponsor: Price Institute of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics (Price Institute)

The Price Institute at RRC Polytech tackles the primary challenges facing Manitoba’s manufacturing sector. Built on three complementary goals, the Price Institute helps Manitoba manufacturers: accelerate technology transfer throughout its vast network of SME manufacturers, through collaborative applied research activities; attract new talent to design and deliver new technologies and processes that fuel their businesses; and reskill or upskill existing workforces to harness these new technologies or processes. The Price Institute is a dynamic response to the present and future needs of Manitoba’s manufacturing sector, with strong annual outputs that will benefit Manitoba’s economy and communities for generations to come.

Bronze Sponsor: Canada Computing

Canada Computing is an IT service provider headquartered here in Winnipeg. Canada Computing provides services to customers in more than ten different sectors, including the hospitality, legal, financial, and medical sectors.

About Distinguished Graduate Awards

One of RRC Polytech’s highest honours, the Distinguished Graduate Award celebrates graduates of the College who have distinguished themselves in both their chosen professions and their communities. It recognizes the outstanding personal and professional achievements of our finest graduates. Since 1993, RRC Polytech has awarded 40 Distinguished Graduate Awards. Learn more about the awards and past recipients here.

RRC Polytech is proud to recognize Ron Drepaul, General Manager of Magellan Aerospace Winnipeg, as the 2024 recipient of the Distinguished Graduate Award, one of the College’s highest honours. The award was presented last week at the Manitoba Aerospace All-Star Awards dinner, where Ron’s career achievements and dedication to mentorship were celebrated by colleagues, friends, and industry leaders.

“Receiving this award from RRC Polytech feels like a full-circle moment,” Drepaul said. “The College gave me my start and instilled values I carry with me to this day—collaboration, hard work, and a willingness to learn. I hope this recognition encourages students to see that they, too, can build careers that go beyond what they might imagine.”

Drepaul graduated from RRC Polytech’s Business Administration program in 1987 and joined Magellan Aerospace Winnipeg the following year. Starting out on the shop floor, he took on roles in production control, material planning, contracts, and procurement, eventually leading him to his current role as General Manager, overseeing 700 employees.

RRC Polytech President and CEO Fred Meier commended Drepaul’s impact on the industry and the College community. “Ron’s journey is a powerful example of what RRC Polytech graduates can achieve,” said Meier. “His dedication to his team, industry, and community speaks volumes, and his support for RRC Polytech’s mission is unwavering. He reminds us of the value of hard work, resilience, and a deep sense of community.”

Raised in Winnipeg after immigrating from Belize, Drepaul credits RRC Polytech with giving him a foundation that’s supported him throughout his career. For him, the Distinguished Graduate Award is not just a personal milestone but a celebration of the mentors, colleagues, and community who have supported him along the way – and a reminder of the importance of paying it forward.

Throughout his career, Drepaul has remained closely connected to RRC Polytech, giving back through partnerships, mentorship, and advocacy for new graduates entering the workforce. Under his leadership, Magellan Aerospace has become a valuable partner to the College, offering co-op placements and career pathways for graduates and collaborating on research initiatives, such as the Advanced Composites Manufacturing Centre.

“I look at RRC Polytech graduates as a pipeline of fresh talent with the skills and dedication we need for the future of aerospace in Manitoba,” said Drepaul.

Drepaul is particularly excited about the opportunities for RRC Polytech graduates in Manitoba’s aerospace sector, especially in space exploration and propulsion. “The sky is the limit for graduates entering this field,” he shared. “With the right skills and a drive to keep learning, today’s students can help shape the future of aerospace—and we’re counting on them to do just that.”

He offered the following advice to graduates entering the workforce: “Your education will get you through the door. Hard work and a good attitude are what set you apart. You don’t need to have it all figured out. Just keep learning, stay curious, and be ready to embrace what comes your way.”

RRC Polytech is proud to recognize aerospace leader Ron Drepaul (Business Administration, 1987) with a Distinguished Graduate Award.

This award recognizes the outstanding personal and professional achievements of RRC Polytech’s most accomplished alumni.

A graduate of RRC Polytech’s Business Administration program, Ron Drepaul joined Magellan Aerospace Winnipeg in 1988, “pretty much right out of Red River,” taking a job on the shop floor. Since then, he’s held roles in production control, material planning, contracts, and procurement – roles that have taken him across the globe. Now, he’s General Manager, leading 700 employees.

Drepaul’s experience at RRC Polytech not only equipped him with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary for success, but also instilled in him a strong work ethic and a passion for continuous learning. He loved his time at the College and now he’s looking ahead to the future – to the new graduates that serve as a pipeline of young talent to Magellan.

“We all bring our education. Hard work and a good attitude will help you stand out. Those are the two things I brought with me,” Drepaul said in a recent interview as one of 41 phenomenal graduates featured in the College’s Polytechnic Proud campaign.

Drepaul’s journey from RRC Polytech grad to industry leader showcases the power of education, dedication, and community support, and also demonstrates the endless possibilities that await those with passion and determination.

A well-deserved celebration

We’re thrilled to honour Drepaul’s leadership in the aerospace industry and his support of RRC Polytech at the Manitoba Aerospace All-Star Awards Dinner, taking place on Thursday, November 28, 2024 at the Victoria Inn.

Manitoba Aerospace has been hosting the Aerospace All-Stars Awards Dinner since 2001. Each year, the All-Star Awards celebrate the aerospace industry in Manitoba and recognize excellence in the aerospace community.

The event is also an important fundraiser, with all proceeds going to the Manitoba Aerospace Student Awards Endowment Fund, which provides financial awards to students to help them access rewarding, enduring careers in the aerospace industry, including those studying at RRC Polytech.

RRC Polytech alumni and supporters are warmly invited to attend. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Manitoba Aerospace website.

The vice-president of one of Manitoba’s leading heavy construction businesses — E.F. Moon Construction Ltd. — is the latest recipient of Red River College’s Distinguished Graduate Award.

Jack Meseyton, who’s also the chair of the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association, graduated from RRC’s Civil Engineering Technology program in 2005 with a diploma in Municipal Engineering Technology. His passion for, and commitment to the heavy construction industry in Manitoba, along with his dedication to the community of Portage la Prairie, set him apart and made him an outstanding candidate for RRC’s highest achievement.

“I am very humbled, excited and proud to be receiving this award,” says Meseyton. “I am a very strong believer in higher education and learning — our company has several RRC grads working with us. So, I am proud to have attended the College, proud to have RRC grads and alumni working for me, and very, very proud of this award.”

The Distinguished Graduate Award honours and recognizes RRC’s finest graduates — those who have distinguished themselves in both their chosen profession and their community through outstanding achievements in one or more of the following areas: humanitarianism, professional excellence, and community service.

Meseyton was a clear and deserving candidate for this honour, as he’d demonstrated all of the above in his life, through achieving professional excellence in construction and also by giving back to Portage’s community in a big way. Examples of this include his work fundraising for the United Way, his personal involvement in the Portage Potato Festival and for Merit Contractors Association of Manitoba.

“Red River College is proud to honour Jack Meseyton with the Distinguished Graduate award. His professional achievements exemplify the kind of commitment and leadership we strive to teach our students every day. They also represent the important contributions that RRC graduates make to Manitoba’s economy, including the heavy construction industry,” says Christine Watson, Vice-president Academic at RRC.

Meseyton began working in the construction industry in 1985 when he joined his father’s company, Meseyton Construction. By 1992 he was made partner and helped run the business through daily operations and projects.

He entered the Civil CAD program at RRC in 2003 and graduated with honours in 2005 — the same year he began working at E.F. Moon. He later went on to obtain his Civil Engineering Technologist (CET) designation and his Gold Seal Certificate (GSC) in project management.

One of the reasons Meseyton is proud to be recognized as this year’s distinguished graduate is because of the strong connection RRC has with the heavy construction industry in Manitoba.

“RRC has provided skilled people with the technical knowledge and problem-solving skills they need,” he says. “This has given many companies the support staff needed to work on ever increasingly complex construction projects. Knowing some of the theory behind how and why things are constructed in the way they are has allowed companies to make educated, informed decisions on how to proceed with and undertake the construction of these projects.”

RRC programs that filter into the heavy construction industry take place in the Jan den Oudsten Vehicle Technology & Research Centre and the new Skilled Trades and Technology Centre (STTC), a state-of-the-art 104,000-sq-ft. facility that opened in 2018. The STTC has allowed RRC to increase its capacity for skilled trades and technologies programs by up to 1,000 additional students each year. This upgraded facility and the equipment it houses allows students to remain ahead of the curve in meeting the ever-changing demands of their chosen industries.

Meseyton was presented with the Distinguished Graduate Award on Nov. 14 at the Portage & District Chamber of Commerce’s Business Awards Celebration.

Photo credit: Sara Jane Photography

Thirty years ago, Dr. Mark Torchia started tinkering with an idea that had life-saving potential — a tool that could destroy inoperable brain tumours.

The seed was planted during a conversation with neurosurgeon Dr. Michael West at St. Boniface Hospital. A short time earlier, West had used a minimally invasive procedure to access a brain tumour and collect a sample for biopsy. To Torchia, it seemed logical to expand on that idea to deliver a killing blow to the target tissue.

“Taking the idea and turning it into something viable is where the challenge arises,” he explains. “It was one of those situations where the idea was there, but the core technology that was going to be required to really bring the idea to fruition didn’t exist.”

A 1995 recipient of Red River College’s Distinguished Alumni Award, Torchia and engineer Richard Tyc eventually met the challenge, developing the NeuroBlate System at the St-Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre and in 1999, founding Monteris Medical Inc. to take it to market.

Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a visual guide, the complex system lets neurosurgeons insert a laser probe into the brain and destroy tumours without damaging surrounding tissue.

Approved for use in the U.S. in 2009, the system was first used in Canada in 2015. It’s now available in some 45 hospitals in the U.S. and in three Canadian hospitals — in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. Torchia says it’s only a matter of time before it’s available in Winnipeg.

The invention earned Torchia and Tyc a $100,000 Principal Award from the Ernest C. Manning Awards Foundation in 2015, and one of six inaugural Governor General’s Innovation Awards in 2016.

But the real reward is in knowing that so far, more than 1,000 patients have been given a new lease on life.

“It’s hard not to smile when you hear about the patients’ stories or witness the patients’ stories first-hand,” Torchia says.

Those stories are growing in number, as neurosurgeons adopt the system and find new ways to use it for patients with different types of tumours and even epilepsy.

When Torchia was invited to speak about the evolution of the technology at a NeuroBlate Network meeting in January, it was a dramatically different experience from his first such meeting, when he tried to convince a handful of attendees that it might actually have positive impact.

“And then I was the first speaker at the last meeting and there were 65 or 70 neurosurgeons in the audience listening to the history of the thing. It’s quite surreal, but it’s great,” he says.

“The goal here is improving patient outcomes and if we can do something to impact and provide a reasonable quality of life for people with really difficult diseases, well then we’ve done our job.”

An associate professor of surgery in the Max Rady College of Medicine at University of Manitoba, and executive director of the UM Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, Torchia began his career at St. Boniface Hospital as a principal investigator in the Department of Surgery laboratory, landing that job immediately after graduating from RRC’s two-year Biochemical Technology program in 1978.

He had completed a year of pre-med studies at the U of M when he decided RRC’s hands-on approach to learning was a better fit for his career goals at the time.

While his mother, Win Torchia, later worked at RRC — as department head of women’s programs, she encouraged women to pursue non-traditional careers — it was another woman who first drew Torchia’s attention to the college.

His girlfriend – now his wife, Barbara (nee Balon) — was in the Medical Laboratory Technology program, from which she graduated in 1977. They attended an open house together and, through her, he had other opportunities to check out RRC’s laboratory facilities.

“And just because I am immediately attracted to flashing lights and beeping buttons and things like that — I think that was probably not the only draw, but I think it introduced me to the idea that this might be something in the near-term that would be a good place for me,” he says.

“I knew I wanted to do something in medicine. I knew I wanted to do something that could impact patient care. I knew that my skills were in science and math and, although I didn’t define it then, in engineering. Basically I was a tinkerer and … I wanted to take that ability and translate it into something that could be useful.”

Mission accomplished. Torchia earned his MSc and PhD from the Faculty of Medicine at the U of M while working full-time at St. Boniface Hospital and he’s put his education to work on several useful projects.

Besides co-authoring a couple of medical textbooks related to one of his specialties, human embryology — which he teaches at the university — he has also patented many health care-related inventions. His first, an automated device for collecting samples of bodily fluid, was made with a valve used in air conditioning systems, linked to a computer controller.

He later co-developed an automated system to quickly and safely prepare contaminant-free medications for IV bags and syringes. Called RIVA (robotic intravenous automation), it’s used for chemotherapy and other applications.

While he’s no longer with St. Boniface Hospital, Torchia was inducted into its Research Hall of Fame last year. He could rest on his laurels as he approaches retirement age, but he says he and Barbara are both committed to using their brainpower.

Many years ago, he encouraged RRC students to make a similar commitment when he sat on a College curriculum committee.

“I went in and talked to students about potential career paths using mine as an example, which is probably really a bit freakish, ” he says. “But nonetheless, opportunities exist out there and I think it’s important to remind people that it’s not just about the courses that you take; it’s how you apply that knowledge that you’ve been given and those skills.”

“I think Red River College provides an opportunity for students to get some really important fundamental knowledge, experience and training that they can apply throughout their lives.

“Look at me — I think about all the crazy and wonderful things that have happened. A lot of that has resulted from that core knowledge that I gathered at Red River so I’m always thankful for that. I took it and built something with it and I think everybody should hopefully be rewarded with an experience like that because it’s certainly life-changing.”

— Profile by Pat St. Germain (Creative Communications, 1989)

(Photo courtesy the University of Manitoba)

We want to celebrate the success of our alumni and the diverse, innovative organizations that employ our grads. Building on the momentum of our previous billboard campaigns, we invite you to join us in a creative, co-operative advertising opportunity.

You pick the grad, and we handle the purchasing and production work. Then we’ll split the hard costs — and share in the campaign’s success!

Deadline for submissions is Jan. 14, 2015.

Learn more about the new campaign →

He’s built a local business into a national retailer, cultivated a passionate base of customers through a tireless focus on service, and devoted himself to revitalizing his community and helping dozens of young people pursue their own career dreams.

That’s why Red River College is proud to name entrepreneur and philanthropist Bob Tallman as the 2012 recipient of our Distinguished Alumni Award.

Bob Tallman joined the family business, Princess Auto Ltd, in the mid-seventies, shortly after graduating from RRC with a diploma in Business Administration.

“I was the first in my family to be attending a post-secondary school,” he says. ”Our life had been focused around the family business, and I wanted to know something about business in general before I began working there on a full time basis.”

The investment in education paid off, as Bob and his brother Larry grew the small Winnipeg-based firm into a nationwide retail operation through the late-seventies and the eighties. Bob Tallman became the sole owner and CEO of Princess Auto in 1989.

Today, he oversees a network of 34 retail stores with over 1,800 staff specializing in industrial, garage and surplus items. The company prides itself on its diverse product assortment, boasting its one of the few places in the world where you can purchase a gas powered air compressor and an HDMI cable in the same building.

But it’s Princess Auto’s commitment to providing exceptional customer service that has earned it a cult-like following among shoppers, which is something Bob says was inspired by his time at RRC.

“I learned through my experiences at Red River College that a business ultimately is about the people who work in the business, the roles they play and most importantly, how they interact as a team,” he says. “It is probably the greatest lesson I learned at RRC, and has driven much of my strategy in building Princess Auto.”

As his business has grown, Bob has also shared his success with the community through his charitable efforts. He founded the Princess Auto Foundation to provide student bursaries for trades education at 12 Canadian colleges (including RRC), and Bob and his wife Cathy created the Tallman Foundation to support educational and community needs throughout Winnipeg.

“Today I look back and recognize that the opportunity to attend Red River College was a significant point in my life,” Tallman explains.  “I’m very proud to be part of today’s Red River College through our foundations and my own personal involvement.”

Bob Tallman will be honoured at RRC’s 2012 Alumni Dinner, taking place Friday, Nov. 16, and the Fairmont Winnipeg. To order tickets, or to learn more about becoming an event sponsor, contact RRC Alumni Coordinator Dale Oughton at doughton@rrc.ca.

Click here for more information about RRC’s Business Administration program.

Red River College alum Scott Hinkson has been honoured by RRC and PMI Manitoba, having received a $1,000 student achievement award at the organization’s annual conference last week.

Hinkson, who earned his Project Management certificate through RRC’s School of Continuing and Distance Education in November 2011, works as a project manager for the Western Canada Lottery Corporation. But he is also well-known in certain local circles as an acclaimed singer and songwriter.

“Every year, we ask all of the Project Management instructors to nominate a student for this award based on a combination of academics and attitude,” says Kirk Johnson, RRC’s Program Manager, I.T. and Professional Studies. “This year, the clear winner was more than just a good student — he’s actually an all-out rock star!”

Hinkson now has two RRC credentials under his belt, having completed the College’s Business Analyst program in 2010. Johnson says he made such an impression on his instructors, they quickly recommended he join the Business Analyst program’s advisory board — first as a student, and later, as a permanent member.

“(In the last year), on top of being a new father, Scott has somehow found the energy to successfully complete the PMP (Project Management Professional) exam, finish the Project Management program, and begin teaching in the Business Analyst program — all of this while holding down a fulltime Project Management job and releasing a fantastic new album,” says Johnson. “I’ve always said if you want something done, give it to a busy person — and Scott proves my point!”

For his part, Hinkson says both the Business Analyst and Project Management programs provided him with the tools, techniques and core fundamentals to succeed in his job. The Project Management program, in particular, helped him fast-track his PMP certification.

“I finished the program in November, took a month of study and then wrote my certification in a month, which is really quick,” says Hinkson. “It’s usually recommended that you take six to eight months — one of the reasons I was able to do it so quickly is because the program really hit on everything I needed to know.”

Having worked for the Lottery Corporation for the last 15 years, Hinkson says his RRC training also proved invaluable in the course of his day-to-day duties.

“(While taking the program), I was involved with a three-year, $8-million project,” says Hinkson. “(The program) helped me and prepared me to complete that work successfully — and the project itself was considered a great success.”

As a performer, Hinkson juggles a similarly hectic schedule, having released two albums — 2011’s One Beside Two and acoustic follow-up Howlings from High Lake — in the last year. Prior to that, his 2008 album The Torrent Sessions landed him on Power 97’s River City Rawks compilation and CTV/NBC’s The Listener.

Shown above, from left: Vida Reader (2012 Conference Committee Co-Chair, PMI Manitoba), Debbie Wilgosh (President, PMI Manitoba), Kirk Johnson (Program Manager, IT and Professional Studies, RRC), and RRC alum Scott Hinkson.

Red River College alum Dawna Friesen has been named the best news anchor in Canada, for her efforts in front of (and behind) the camera on nightly news show Global National.

Friesen, who serves as Anchor and Executive Editor of Global National, was named Best News Anchor at last month’s Gemini Awards Industry Gala honouring news & sports, documentary, lifestyle and reality programming.

“I take this one for the team, for Global National,” Friesen said at the event, held Aug. 30, 2011, at Toronto’s Metro Convention Centre. “We are not the biggest, but we are the best.”

Friesen, a 1984 graduate of RRC’s Creative Communications program, thanked all the people who work on her show, in particular the reporters “who are out there every day working their butts off.”

During the same ceremony, Global BC’s News Hour was chosen as the nation’s Best Local Newscast, Large Market. Earlier this year, Global Toronto won “best newscast” honours at the Radio-Television News Directors Association of Canada (RTDNA) Awards

“To win Gemini Awards for both Best News Anchor and Best Local Newscast in Canada is proof that Global News has taken its rightful place among the world’s leading news organizations,” said Troy Reeb, Vice-President of Global News.

“This is a tribute to the leadership of Dawna Friesen, the incredibly talented team at Global BC, and the hard work of our teams around the world every day.”

A former Winnipeg resident who grew up on a farm outside the city, Friesen joined the Global team in July 2010, following a distinguished career with CBC and CTV, and most recently as a foreign correspondent for NBC.

While reporting for NBC, she covered some of the decade’s top international stories, including the fall of Iraq and the war on terror, the struggle to bring peace to Afghanistan, the abduction and murder of journalist Daniel Pearl, and the search for suspects in 2004’s Madrid bombings. She earned an Emmy in 2009 for her part in team coverage of Barack Obama’s presidential victory.

Friesen returns to Winnipeg later this year to host RRC’s 2011 Alumni Dinner, taking place Nov. 18, 2011, at The Fairmont Winnipeg.

Click here for more information on the Alumni Dinner, and here for more information on Friesen’s many accomplishments.

Click here for more information on RRC’s Creative Communications program.