Alberta Order of Excellence
Alberta Order of Excellence
2003 image Council header

 
The Alberta Order of Excellence Council considers the nominations of candidates to the Alberta Order of Excellence. The Council is made up of prominent volunteer representatives appointed by Order-in-Council from across Alberta. Below are brief biographies of the council members.

The Lieutenant Governor of Alberta serves as the Chancellor of the Alberta Order of Excellence.
The Honourable Norman L. Kwong has been sworn in as Alberta's sixteenth Lieutenant Governor.
Office of the Lieutenant Governor website

The Honourable NORMAN L. KWONG, CM, AOE
Lieutenant Governor of Alberta

The Honourable Norman L. Kwong The Honourable Norman L. Kwong of Calgary was installed as Alberta's 16th Lieutenant Governor on January 20th, 2005. He is the first person of Chinese heritage to serve as Lieutenant Governor in Alberta.

One of six children, Mr. Kwong was born in Calgary to Chinese immigrants Charles and Lily Kwong. He completed his secondary schooling at Western Canada High School in Calgary where he discovered his talent for football. In 1948, at the age of 18, he joined the Calgary Stampeders Football Club as a halfback. That year, he became the first Chinese Canadian to play in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the youngest player to win a Grey Cup.

After three years with the Stampeders Mr. Kwong was traded to the Edmonton Eskimos, where he spent 10 years and won three more Grey Cup championships. He was chosen to receive the "All-Canadian Fullback" award five times and won the Schenley Award as the Most Outstanding Canadian in 1955 and 1956. In 1955 he was also selected as Canada's Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year. By the time of his retirement in 1960, Mr Kwong held over 30 CFL records. He is a member of the Canada Sports Hall of Fame, the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and the Edmonton Sports Hall of Fame.

Upon his retirement from the CFL, Mr. Kwong moved to the private sector and spent the next few decades in sales, mainly in commercial real estate. He eventually became Vice President and General Manager of Torode Realty.

From 1988 to 1991 Mr. Kwong served as President and General Manager of the Calgary Stampeders. He was also co-owner of the National Hockey League's Calgary Flames from 1980 to 1994, during which time the Flames won the Stanley Cup Championship (1989). He was the first Canadian to have won both the Grey Cup and the Stanley Cup as a player, manager or owner.

A popular dinner speaker and Master of Ceremonies, Mr. Kwong has spoken in support of numerous non-profit organizations across the nation from Vancouver to Halifax. He is a former National Chairman of the Canadian Consultative Council on Multiculturalism (1979-1980) and also served as Honorary Chairman of the Easter Seal Campaign in Calgary (1982-1984).

Mr. Kwong is a Member of the Order of Canada (1998) and is Chancellor of the Alberta Order of Excellence (2005). In May, 2005 The Queen appointed him a Knight in the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. The Canadian Embassy in Beijing dedicated their gymnasium to Mr. Kwong in recognition of his tremendous contributions to Canadian football and to sportsmanship. In appreciation of his participation in bringing the Flames Hockey Team to Calgary, donors endowed the "Normie Kwong Bursary" in Medicine at the University of Calgary which is given annually to a student in financial need.

Lieutenant Governor Kwong and his wife Mary have been married for 49 years. They have four grown sons. Their Honours remain devoted grandparents to their eight grandchildren.

ROBERT C. P. WESTBURY, PhD, LLD (Hon.)
Chair

Robert C. P. WestburyDr. Westbury is the President of Context & Contacts Inc., Chair, Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research, Chair, the Telus Edmonton Community Board and Chair, the Enoch Paragon Management Board. From 1986 to 2001, Dr. Westbury served as the Vice President, Corporate Relations, TransAlta Corporation. Before joining TransAlta Utilities, Dr. Westbury served as the President of the SEEDS Foundation.

Dr. Westbury received his Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education degrees from St. Francis Xavier University in 1957 and1958. He received his graduate diploma in Administration from the University of Alberta in 1962 (Kellogg Fellowship), and his M.Ed. in 1969 from the University of Oregon. In 1974, he received his Ph.D. from Florida State University.

Dr. Westbury was named one of Alberta's 50 Most Influential by Alberta Venture in 2004 and 2003. In 2002, Dr. Westbury was a recipient of the Golden Jubilee Medal; awarded to Canadians who have made a significant contribution to their fellow citizens, their community or to Canada. He received the Alberta Centennial Medal in 2005. The University of Alberta presented Dr. Westbury an Honourary Doctor of Laws degree in 2007. Dr. Westbury is involved in a variety of community activities, serving on a number of boards, foundations and advisory groups. This year, the Westburys celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

BRIAN FELESKY, CM, QC, LLD (Hon.)

Brian FeleskyBrian is Counsel to Felesky Flynn LLP, Barristers and Solicitors, Tax Counsel. Currently, he is founding Co-Chair of Homefront (to prevent domestic violence); Co-Vice Chair of the Canada West Foundation, and a founding member of Awali (an East Africa teacher development project, in partnership with the Aga Khan Network and the U of C). Mr. Felesky is on the Board of the Calgary Stampede Foundation, the Senate at Athol Murray College of Notre Dame, Advisor to the Immigrant Access Fund and on the Council of the Alberta Order of Excellence. As well, he is currently on the board of three public companies.

His past affiliations include: President, Canadian Bar Association (Alberta); President, Calgary Bar Association; Co-chair of the United Way of Calgary Campaign; Governor, the Canadian Tax Foundation and on the board of the International Development Research Centre, the 2001 World Track and Field (Edmonton), and the Calgary Olympic Development Association. He served on two Alberta Tax Commissions and Revenue Canada's Tax Advisory Committee. He also served on the Board of University Technologies Inc. (Chair) and the Board of Governors of the University of Calgary (executive).

Brian's honours include: Honourary Doctor of Laws from the University of Calgary (2009); The Chief Justice W.K. Moore Award (2007); Member of the Order of Canada (2005); Alberta Centennial Medal (2005); University of Alberta Alumni Honour Award (2004); Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal (2005); Law Society of Alberta and CBA Distinguished Service Award (1998).

MICHAEL JOHN FREY

Michael Frey Michael Frey is an active business and volunteer leader in the community of Grande Prairie. For over thirty years, Michael led a successful chartered accountancy firm while offering extensive community service to the City of Grande Prairie and the province as a whole. His list of volunteer service includes contributions to the Knights of Columbus, the Grande Prairie Chamber of Commerce, Grande Prairie Regional College, the Kinsmen Club, the Rotary Club, the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital Foundation, the Grande Prairie Hospice and Palliative Care Society, the United Way and the Grande Prairie Regional Airports Authority. He has also served as a board member of the Alberta Law Foundation, a member of the Provincial Court Nominating Committee and a member of the Access to Funding Committee for Alberta Advanced Education.

Michael retired from his accountancy firm in 2003 and now works as an independent consultant for small businesses. He and his wife, Gail, have two adult children.

KATHLEEN HERMAN

Kathleen HermanKathi received her R.N. from Victoria Hospital in London, Ontario. She married rancher/farmer Dennis Herman of Schuler, Alberta in 1968. Kathi worked at the Medicine Hat General Hospital until 1973 when Dennis and Kathi bought their uncle's farm at Schuler and moved to the farm. Over the next 35 years, they raised four children and continued to expand their ranch and farm to its present size of 8000 acres. During this time, the family was very involved in their community through many volunteer organizations including sports, education, conservation and health organizations.

Kathi has been involved with the Rural Further Education Council, V.O.N. board and Cancer Society. She has served as a board member on the Cypress-Medicine Hat P.C. Board, the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital, the Alberta Blue Cross Foundation and the Shortgrass Library System; as a provincial board member of the Alberta Blue Cross and as founding chair of the Medicine Hat and District Hospital Foundation.

Kathi continues to work in her community. Volunteers are the backbone of a small rural community and she feels it takes a community to raise a child. Kathi believes it is important for everyone to have a healthy interaction between generations which is one of the joys of living in a small community. Kathi received the Alberta Centennial Medal in 2005. Kathi and Dennis live in Medicine Hat while remaining actively involved in the family farm and ranch, where their son and his family now reside.

AUDREY LUFT

Audrey LuftAudrey Luft is the President and Owner of the Manpower Alberta Franchise, and has over 30 years industry experience with Manpower Inc. She is responsible for the vision and overall management of Manpower. In addition to active participation on numerous business advisory groups, she is actively involved at the community level within the province.

She contributes much of her time on various boards, committees and foundations in Alberta including: the Premier's Council on Arts and Culture, the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the TELUS Community Board, Pilgrim's Hospice Society and is past Chair of the Alberta Economic Development Authority and Edmonton Economic Development Corporation. In 2004, Audrey was appointed as an Ambassador for Alberta's 2005 Centennial.

Audrey is financially supportive of many organizations that are either directly supportive or geared toward children and youth, and include: Kids Cottage, WIN house, Inner City Agencies, Youth Emergency Shelter Society, Scouts Canada, Edmonton Food Bank, United Way, to name but a few.

Her dedication to the quality of life in the City of Edmonton and the Province of Alberta has been an ongoing commitment and she has been recognized with numerous awards, the most recent being, The City of Edmonton Citation Award. She has also received Global's Woman of Vision Award and Grant MacEwan College's prestigious, Dr. Charles Allard Chair in Business.

BRYAN D. PERKINS, AOE, B.Sc.

Bryan D. PerkinsBryan is a successful farmer and entrepreneur from Wainwright. He lives with his wife Sharon and four generations of Perkins on the family farm. Bryan has served as Chairman of the Agricultural Diversification Alliance, Vice President of the United Grain Growers, President of the Western Hog Growers Association, Director of United Oilseeds Products, board member of the Alberta Agricultural Research Institute and Chairman of both the Board of Fletcher's Fine Foods and the Prairie Swine Centre in Saskatoon. He has served with the Wainwright Credit Union, the Wainedge Gas Co-op and on the board of the Grace United Church.

Bryan is currently focusing his energy as Chair Elect for the Banff Pork Seminar. He is also President of Sunhaven Farms, which is made up of approximately 150 farms. He fundraises for the Buffalo Interpretive Centre in Wainwright and is a member of the local Rotary Club. Bryan was awarded the Alberta Order of Excellence in 2004 and the Alberta Centennial Medal in 2005.


Former Chancellors

The Lieutenant Governor of Alberta serves as Chancellor of the Alberta Order of Excellence. Chancellors automatically become members of the Order. In addition to the current lieutenant governor, the following five former lieutenant governors have held the position of Chancellor since the Order's inception in 1979:

The Honourable Lois E.HoleThe Honourable Lois E. Hole
Chancellor 2000-2005
 

The Honourable H.A. The Honourable H.A. "Bud" Olson
Chancellor 1996-2000
 

The Honourable Gordon TowersThe Honourable Gordon Towers
Chancellor 1991-1996
 

The Honourable Helen HunleyThe Honourable Helen Hunley
Chancellor 1985-1991
 

The Honourable Frank Lynch-StauntonThe Honourable Frank Lynch-Staunton
Chancellor 1980-1985


  • Office of the Lieutenant Governor
  • spacer graphic

    [ HOME ]   [ ABOUT ]   [ MEMBERS ]   [ INVESTITURE ]   [ NOMINATION ]   [ NEWS RELEASES ]   [ CONTACT US ]   [ LINKS ]   [ TOP OF PAGE ]

    Copyright © 2008 The Government of Alberta