She’s one of few female faces in a largely male-dominated field. And she’s building a reputation as a quick study — one brick at a time.

Meet Nina Widmer, the first female apprentice in the history of Red River College’s Bricklayer Apprenticeship program. The daughter of German-born master craftsman Alfred Widmer, Nina has been working at her father’s side on historical restoration projects since she was nine.

The Widmer family moved to Canada when Nina was just six weeks old, after Alfred was commissioned produce ornate plaster mouldings and statuary at Fort Garry Place. In the ensuing years, father and daughter have worked together on such projects as the University of Winnipeg’s Wesley Hall, the A.A. Heaps Building (Bank of Nova Scotia), and the Union Bank Tower — soon to be RRC’s Paterson GlobalFoods Institute.

“It’s keeping history alive,” says Nina of her passion for restoration work. “You walk into some of these buildings, and they just take your breath away. And it’s really phenomenal if they can be brought back to their original state — which always looks so much better than plain old drywall.”

Since opportunities for historical restoration work are limited, Widmer entered RRC’s Apprenticeship Bricklaying program on her father’s advice. Given her background in masonry, she hoped it would give her an increased understanding of bricklaying, so was pleasantly surprised to discover there was still much to learn. Read More →

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!” Read More →

A trio of Red River College grads have teamed up to launch a new company that’s poised to become the leading distributor of specialty foods in Central Canada.

Chris Boreski (Business Administration, 2004), Wayne Doerksen (Red Seal Chef, 2001), and Brennan Taniguchi (Business Administration, 2010) are the driving forces behind World Wise Distribution, a new Winnipeg-based company that was launched to meet the growing demand among retailers and restaurants for natural, organic, gluten-free, kosher, vegan, locally-grown and other specialty food products.

“It’s a great feeling to see the amazing reaction from our wholesale customers when they see our wide assortment of products,” says Boreski, operations manager at World Wide Distribution. “They know they can purchase them here — from a local company.”

Since most distributors are based in Toronto or Vancouver, local retailers are usually forced to purchase specialty items from out-of-province.

“Shipping dollars outside (of Manitoba) is no longer necessary,” says Doerksen, a former chef and self-described product guru who saw the market need for a local distributor specializing in locally-grown products.

“Our business model is based on fast delivery and local expertise — something that was really lacking in the marketplace, when the closest specialty natural foods distributor was based in Toronto.” Read More →

Red River College grad Scott Brown (Creative Communications, 1998), has been named Manitoba Communicator of the Year by the provincial chapter of the Canadian Public Relations Society.

Brown, Senior Director of Corporate Communications for True North Sports & Entertainment, will receive the award at a special luncheon on March 27, 2012, at the Hotel Fort Garry.

Though he’s been with True North since 2004, Brown recently found himself at the centre of the biggest local news story of 2011 — the triumphant return of the Winnipeg Jets. He and his communications team (which includes fellow CreComm grads Kalen Qually and Christina Caligiuri) played a crucial role in both the high-profile announcement and the ensuing strategic rollout, which covered everything from the new logo to uniforms, team name to ticket purchases.

“There’s no question that a great deal of rehearsal, planning, strategizing and thought had to happen behind the scenes,” said Siobhan Kari, president of CPRS Manitoba. “The media attention on the return of the Jets was enormous — locally, nationally and internationally — and the pressures to meet all requests must have been daunting. Yet it was all handled professionally.”

CPRS Manitoba received two separate nominations to acknowledge Brown with the award, which honours individuals or organizations that have demonstrated excellence in public communications.

“It was indeed a tremendous challenge to bring the NHL back to Manitoba’s passionate hockey fans, not only on the communications front, but in all areas,” Brown said. “We have been overwhelmed by the public’s support of the team and the organization, from the ‘Drive to 13,000’ to the unveiling of the logo and jersey, to the vocal presence at not only every home game, but games away from the MTS Centre, as well. The return of the NHL has truly been a community success.”

Mendoza, right, with RRC President Stephanie Forsyth.

“My life has certainly changed for the better and it is because of the support that I had received from generous people like you”.

So ended the inspiring words of Desiree Mendoza (Creative Communications, 2011) at the annual Red River College Donor Appreciation Reception in October 2011.

As the keynote speaker, Mendoza shared her story of moving with her husband and children from Brunei to Winnipeg in 2005.  With the encouragement of her husband to pursue her studies in Canada, she applied to the two-year Creative Communications program at Red River College.  Although it would be financially challenging to leave a job that helped pay the bills, Mendoza entered the program.

She applied for and was awarded the Enterprising Women’s Conference Award which helped defray the costs of her tuition and other school expenses. Because of the financial support the award provided, she was able to focus on successfully completing the program, including providing public relations and fundraising support to a Winnipeg homeless shelter, as part of the CreComm program’s Independent Professional Project (IPP). Read More →

It’s been a whirlwind couple of months for Red River College grad Lisanne Pajot (Creative Communications, 2003), whose debut documentary Indie Game: the Movie won the World Cinema Documentary Best Editing Prize at last month’s Sundance Film Festival in Utah.

Directed and produced by Pajot and James Swirsky (shown above), the film chronicles the world of independent video game developers, and has drawn rave reviews from critics across North America since it bowed at the Park City fest in January.

Even in its infancy, the film received strong support from the online community. After launching the project in May 2010, Pajot and Swirsky appealed to fans online via a pre-order campaign that helped raise production capital. They met their initial goal in just 48 hours, and in June 2011 again reached out to fans to help offset post-production costs. Their second goal was met in just 24 hours.

“We cannot tell you how much this means to us and how completely and utterly our minds are blown,” the duo wrote on their website following the Sundance win.

“The festival’s belief in this little film has very much changed our lives. It’s been amazing, hugely educational and most importantly, endlessly inspiring.

Pajot and Swirsky recently announced plans to tour the film through the U.S., via a series of in-person screenings in 15 American cities. (Earlier this month, they debuted the film for Winnipeg audiences at two back-to-back sold-out screenings.) Read More →

But if you want to find work at CGA Manitoba — the self-regulatory body responsible for 2,000 CGAs and almost as many students in this province — there are other avenues open besides a straight business background.

For proof, look no further than the above trio of Red River College grads, who followed divergent career paths on their way to the Donald Street employer: Bruce Granke (Business Administration, 1982), Director, Professional Regulations; Marni Russell (Business/Technology Teacher Education, 1999), Manager, Communications; and Zachary Minuk (Creative Communications, 2008), Coordinator of Marketing and Communications.

Of the three, Granke was the first to pass through RRC’s doors, having seen the College’s Business Admin stream as a good gateway to the CGA program.

“I thought for me it was going to be a terrific learning environment, and I thought from an educational point of view it would be a very hands-on, practical education,” says Granke, whose roles in professional regulations — and communications and recruitment — help ensure the CGA Association’s membership is properly qualified, and held to a code of professional, academic and moral standards.

Granke worked in the private sector after graduating, and says he benefitted as a student from the program’s Entrepreneurship Project, in which teams spend nine months building a model company from the ground up.

“It was a great example that I found out afterwards was a very realistic exercise,” says Granke, noting some of the companies that arose from the project are still in existence. “Those are the types of skills and tools that were a huge help to me going into the workforce and into the CGA program.” Read More →

Entertainment reporter Rob Williams, a self-professed “music nerd”, has more than just enthusiastic expertise and humble attitude to recommend him. He also juggles an insanely busy work schedule, and even manages to have fun while doing so.

Keeping one step ahead of the game (or even two or three, if possible) is Williams’ winning strategy. Strict deadlines at the Winnipeg Free Press keep the Red River College grad in a constant state of writing and researching. His copy must be filed at least three days ahead of when it’s due to appear in print, meaning each week is a balancing act of scheduling and conducting interviews, composing feature stories and concert reviews, and compiling daily entertainment briefs.

A music critic and reporter, Williams, 38, also interviews non-music-minded celebs such as William Shatner, noting he “likes talking with people who are my heroes and figuring out what makes them tick.” Oh, and for the last 11 and a half years, he’s hosted a radio show every Friday morning for campus station UMFM.

Williams, a 1997 grad of RRC’s industry-renowned Creative Communications program, says technology has made things a lot easier since he landed his first job at the Selkirk Journal in the 1990s.

“Three of us had to literally cut and paste stories onto a wax table,” he explains. “A 48-page paper took us 12 hours to complete. Now, that just sounds ridiculous.”

The biggest change arrived with the transition from modem-based internet hook-ups to high-speed and WiFi. In the past, hard-copy concert reviews had to be delivered personally to the Freep’s offices by 11 p.m., for the next morning’s paper.

“Now, sometimes I haven’t finished the final version before it appears online and the concert is still going on,” Williams says. Read More →

Inspired in equal measure by his passion for family and for family-run businesses, Regina resident Wayne Morsky has been working for his own family business since the age of 13.

He’s now President and CEO of Morsky Group of Companies, head of a thriving infrastructure development operation that for 55 years been involved in diverse sectors of the industry, including general contracting, highway construction, railway maintenance, industrial services, HySpeed soil nailing, and oil and gas development.

Born and raised in Virden, Man., Morsky graduated from RRC’s Business Administration program in 1981, having attained skills he now describes as vital to his success as an entrepreneur.

“I could take the things I learned at Red River College and put them into daily effect quite quickly after getting out of school,” says Morsky, “especially because I was involved with a family-owned business.”

Since graduating, Morsky has helped take his family business to new heights, while maintaining his commitments to the profession and to the community. He’s a founding member of the Regina chapter of the Canadian Association of Family Enterprise (CAFE), and was the 2010 Chairman of the Canadian Construction Association.

He’s served as past president of the Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association of Saskatchewan and past chair of the Western Canadian Roadbuilders Association, and sits on the boards of both the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Saskatchewan Centre for Excellence for Transportation and Infrastructure. Read More →

Just because you start out in an entry-level position doesn’t mean you can’t ascend to great heights.

For proof, look no further than Red River College grad Richard Graumann, who over the decades has worked his way from a job as a construction industry estimator to a senior management position at one of Canada’s leading construction management companies.

“Who would think you could go from being an estimator to being vice-president of a national organization?” says Graumann, a Civil Engineering Technology (CET) grad who’s now the Vice-President (Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario) for Canadian construction firm Stuart Olson Dominion.

“But in fact, at our company, we’ve got 12 VPs that represent different divisions, and of those 12 VPs, five of them came out of estimating.”

Graumann got his industry start working for his father — a local contractor — but enrolled in RRC’s CET program as a means of furthering his career in the field. He says the two-year program provided him with the skills required to make a quick transition to industry, and like many, he found work in Alberta’s building boom soon after graduation.

“Within days of sending out resumes I had three requests for interviews, so it was a good indication there was demand for my background and training,” he says. “Also, as it turned out, the employer I ended up working for had hired other students from Red River College, so they recognized the value of the program at that time.” Read More →