Latest news with #AlbertaOrderofExcellence
Calgary Herald
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Three Calgary philanthropists receiving Alberta Order of Excellence
Three Calgary leaders will be inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence later this year. Article content Geoff Cumming, Brian Felesky and Stephanie Felesky of Calgary have been named as part of the list of inductees for 2025. Article content Article content Cumming, a University of Calgary Alumnus and philanthropist, is well-known for his historic $100 million donation to the University of Calgary's Cumming School of Medicine. Article content Article content Brian and Stephanie Felesky have each contributed to the community through different initiatives and sitting on many boards in Calgary, where they've received many awards for their philanthropic efforts. Additionally, Brian served as a founding member for Awali, an Alberta-based initiative that worked with the Aga Khan Foundation to support teacher development in East Africa. Article content Also recieving the award is John Scott of Longview, south of Calgary. Scott has played a major role in placing southern Alberta on the radar for many big-budget movie and TV productions. He was also a Top 7 Over 70 winner in 2023, inducted into the Canadian Stunts Hall of fame in 2022, and was recognized by the Global Production Awards for Location of the Year. Article content Article content The ceremony will take place in Edmonton in October. With the new additions, this will bring the total members in the Alberta Order of Excellence to 229. Article content Article content Albertans also receiving honours include Sine Chadi, John Day and Doug Stollery of Edmonton, Nichole Neubauer of Medicine Hat, and Lyn Radford of Red Deer. Article content The order recognizes exceptional service and achievement in a variety of fields, and is part of the Canadian Honours System. It celebrates Albertans whose leadership, innovation and dedication have played a role in Alberta's identity and future. Article content Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, Salma Lakhani, said the Alberta Order of Excellence has recognized individuals who have been making transformative contributions to the province since 1979.
CBC
02-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
STARS air ambulance founder Greg Powell dies at 77
Current STARS president says countless people alive today due to Powell's vision STARS air ambulance announced on Thursday night that its founder and former CEO, Greg Powell, died earlier this week. Powell, 77, died on Wednesday at Foothills Hospice in Okotoks, with his family by his side. Current Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service (STARS) president and CEO John Froh said in a release that Powell recognized too many patients were dying because they couldn't receive the care they needed quickly enough, and was motivated to improve the delivery model. "Countless people are alive today because of his ground-breaking vision and enduring tenacity and for that we are honoured to carry on his mission," Froh said. Powell grew up in Edmonton and studied medicine at the University of British Columbia, according to a profile of his career published for his induction into the Alberta Order of Excellence in 2021. During his second year of studies, he used a medical elective to join the Flying Doctor Service in Darwin, Australia. While on the way to Australia, he visited a mobile army surgical hospital (MASH) unit in Saigon during the Vietnam War, where he watched helicopter rescues in action. Watching war casualties survive traumatic injuries thanks to the rapid intervention inspired him to create a helicopter emergency medical service closer to home, the profile says. After graduating from UBC, Powell attended Canada's then-only emergency medicine training program at McGill University and worked as the director of emergency medicine at Calgary's Foothill hospital. Powell co-founded STARS in 1985. The charity survived early financial struggles and expanded beyond Calgary in 1991, opening an Edmonton base. The emergency medical service is celebrating its 40th year of operation this year. It has flown more than 60,000 missions across Western Canada, from bases across the prairies in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. For his work launching STARS, Powell was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2006. Powell also received the Alberta Centennial Medal in 2005, and the Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012. Powell also served as chair of emergency medical services for the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics and as medical director for internationally protected persons at the 2002 G8 Summit in Kananaskis. He was later inducted into the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame in 2018, and the Foothills Medical Centre helipad was named after him in 2015.
