Local businessman and municipal politician Frank Pullia (BAdmin'84, MBA'10) received a Cultural Ambassador of Universum Canada award in Pescara, Italy during the International Congress of the Universum Academy of Switzerland in February 2015.  Received in recognition of his contributions in the cultural, social and humanitarian fields, the Universum Academy is a non-governmental organization whose mission is to promote culture, history and traditions of nations, affirmation and sharing of common values, including the respect of life and of the family, peace among the nations, the promotion of human rights, of justice and solidarity.  

Spencer Orr (HBOR’02) is making waves as the vice president of design and merchandising for Canada Goose Clothing – the company that makes the iconic parkas that can withstand frigid temperatures and harsh environments. Spencer began his career as a design and product manager with Sierra Designs before signing on as a product manager with Canada Goose in 2010.

Dolores Wawia (BEd.'85) is a leader, pioneer in native education and storyteller who has expanded educational opportunities for Aboriginal people. In February 2015, the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, appointed Dolores to the Order of Ontario.

She spent 15 years at Lakehead developing the Native Teacher Education Program (NTEP), followed by three years helping set up McMaster University's Indigenous Studies program. Also known as "The Frog Lady," she has championed Aboriginal teacher education and served as an inspiration and role model for thousands of Aboriginal students.

Dr. David Magee (BA '68) was awarded the Order of Canada for his work in physical therapy.

David, a professor with the University of Alberta's Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, has a BA in History and Political Science from Lakehead. He is a world-renowned physical therapist who has helped professional athletes succeed at the highest level. He received three Stanley Cup rings and a Grey Cup ring for his work.

David has been a faculty member in the University of Alberta's Physical Therapy department since 1972. He was also chair of the Physical Therapy department from 1980-1993 and the associate dean in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine from 2003 to 2011.

In 1994, Liana Frenette (BEd.'88) and her husband were approached about purchasing a small materials testing lab with a three-person staff. Fast-forward to 2015, and Frenette’s company (TBT Engineering & Ozaanaman Engineering) now employs over 100 people full time and boasts an expanded roster of services catering to northwestern Ontario’s mining industry. In that same year, Frenette was voted one of PROFIT/Chatelaine's Top Female Entrepreneurs.  

The PROFIT/Chatelaine W100 ranks female business leaders according to a proprietary formula that combines the sales, three- year revenue growth rate and profitability of their businesses. All data is verified through financial statements supplied by candidates. To qualify, candidates must be owners or significant stakeholders who at least share chief decision-making capabilities.

"Building positive relationships with indigenous communities has been key to their success," Frenette says, adding that her greatest achievement to date was helping found Ozaanaman Engineering, a First Nations–owned firm. “Developing relationships is important to any business doing work in and on traditional First Nations lands.”

Larry Thompson (COMM '97) was one of three nurses awarded the Award of Excellence in Nursing by Health Canada in May 2015. The award recognizes the "dedication, initiative and high standard of excellence" of registered nurses working in Inuit and First Nations communities.  The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Health acknowledged the recipients of the annual award. They are provided annually during National Nursing Week to employees who provide nursing services in First Nations and Inuit communities.

It was an unforgettable afternoon on Saturday, May 30th when members of The Lake Superior Scottish Regiment and their guests gathered at Thunder Bay's O'Kelly Armoury for a Change of Command ceremony.  Incoming Lt.-Col. David K. Ratz, CD, (MA History '95) was born in Fort William. He commenced his military career with the LSSR as a Private in 1983.

During his career with the LSSR Lt.-Col. Ratz has commanded at all levels, including Rifle Platoon, Adjutant, A Company, Headquarters Company and Deputy Commanding Officer of 18 (Thunder Bay) Medical Company, Military Career Counsellor, and Detachment Commander at Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre Detachment Thunder Bay.

He has also served as the Northwestern Ontario Provincial Recruiting Officer for 38 Canadian Brigade Group. Most recently, he was the Officer Commanding Headquarters Company of the LSSR.

Outside of the military he is a contract lecturer with the history department of Lakehead University. His formal education includes a bachelor and a master's degree in History from Lakehead University and he is currently a doctoral student in History at the University of Oulu, Finland. He has also completed the Joint Command and Staff program at Canadian Forces College in Toronto.

Throughout his career, Lt.-Col. Ratz has been involved in domestic operations, most notably as the Regional Liaison Officer, Operation Forge and Forest Fire Evacuations in Northern Ontario. Despite his busy agenda he ensures that there is time to relax with his charming wife Wendy, their son and two daughters.

It’s no surprise Lt. Shannon Westlake (BEd. '13) is excited about competing in the 2015 Toronto Pan Am Games.  She will compete in a field of 27 athletes in the women’s rifle three-position event (3-20). The top eight scores from qualifying advance to the final, to be held July 18. “It takes a lot of hard work to focus and concentrate on one task at a time, obviously,” said Westlake, who earned her Pan Am berth at the Championship of the Americas competition this spring at Fort Benning, Georgia. 

Westlake served as a member of the Queen’s York Rangers 2799 army cadet corps in Aurora, ON for seven years. That’s where she first picked up a rifle as a 12-year-old.  Currently, she is an area cadet advisor for Western Ontario who resides with her family in St. Thomas. Beyond the Pan Am Games, Westlake and teammate Sharon Bowes, a four-time Olympian, will shoot to secure Canada a spot for the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Jylisa Williams (BA'15) has signed a one-year contract with Evo New Basket Oberhausen in the German Damen Basketball Bundesliga (DBBL).

Williams, a 5'8" guard/forward, is coming off of a record-breaking season at Lakehead University in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS). In 2014-2015, she broke the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Conference single-season scoring record with 548 total points and led the entire country in scoring with an average of 28.8 points per game. She won both the CIS Player of the Year and OUA Player of the Year awards. Williams was also 7th in the country with an average of 9.3 rebounds per game and 1st with 4.0 steals per game, while leading the Thunderwolves to a 2nd place finish in the OUA Central standings. 

On February 6th, 2015, Williams made OUA Conference history, breaking the OUA's single-game scoring record with a 50-point performance in a win over the University of Toronto. This eclipsed the nearly 33-year-old record of 49 points set by Candi Lohr in the 1982-1983 season.  

Pop artist and Thunder Bay native, Coleman Hell (BA '11) is among the Canadian artists singled out by Spotify on a list of artists "poised to hit it big."  
The "Spotlight" list, which a spokesman for the streaming service said was derived from demographic breakdowns of its data, said the company also looked at viral charts, which track how often users share songs as opposed to simply streaming them.  Coleman Hell officially released the music video for their hit song "2 Heads" in July 2015.