1995 Recipients

Ray Brunka, Commercial Baking, 1963

After graduating in 1963, Ray Brunka worked in the baking trade in a variety of Bakeries in both Manitoba and British Columbia between 1963 and 1973.

In 1974, Ray Brunka was elected to Winnipeg City Council for one term. Ray spent nine years as a resident advisor in a volunteer capacity.

He obtained is Master Cake Decorating papers in Toronto along with his sugar and chocolate art work diploma.

He operated a wedding cake boutique until he moved to Alberta where he worked as a Pastry Chef at the University of Lethbridge. Ray trained bakers in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba and owned and operated a Pastry house in Alberta.

He spent 15 years with the Bakery’s Union reaching the level of Vice President of British Columbia interior and acted as a negotiator in the Western provinces and mediator for the union movement.

Ray Brunka is a Culinary Arts award winner in British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan/Manitoba.

In the political arena, he received public service awards from Winnipeg as well as East Kildonan Community Committee for services rendered. He was the Vice-Chair of the Finance Committee, Chair of City grants committee, Police Commissioner and Vice – Chair of the Parks Board. He served as a board member of St. Gerards school board in Winnipeg and was the founder of Parent council for Elmwood High.

Ray Brunka is presently retired and has been a Karaoke operator for the past 6 years.

Dr. Mark Torchia, Biochemical Technician, 1978

Dr. Mark Torchia completed the Biochemical Technology program at RRC Polytech in 1978 and immediately began his career at St. Boniface General Hospital (SBGH). He graduated with an MSc and PhD from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba. Mark has been a member of the medical staff at SBGH for 17 years and is the Director of Development for the Department of Surgery and a principle investigator at the SBGH Research Centre. In the Faculty of Medicine, he is the Director of the Med I – Cognitive program, and a professor in the Departments of Surgery and Human Anatomy and Cell Science.

Mark is the author of numerous scientific publications, inventor on many patents, and most recently received the UM Outreach Award and the Canadian Society of Surgical Oncology Research Award. For the past 5 years, he has been a scientific advisor to the Canadian Society for Medical Laboratory Science. This past year he was appointed Chief Scientific Officer of Monteris Medical, Inc., developers of the first automated system for laser treatment of tumors using real-time magnetic resonance imaging for therapy monitoring.

Mark’s other interests include secondary school and community outreach programs for delivery of enabling scientific information to students and the general public and continues to be an invited speaker at many conferences.

Mark’s wife Barbara (nee Balon), a 1977 graduate of the RRC Polytech Medical Laboratory Technology program.