CPA Alberta Achievement Awards recognize 22 individuals for remarkable contributions

EDMONTON, April 28, 2016 /CNW/ - Twenty-two individuals have been honoured by CPA Alberta for their contributions to charitable and professional causes, receiving CPA Alberta Achievement Awards. Among them are eight newly named Fellows of the Chartered Professional Accountants (FCPA)—the highest designation bestowed by Alberta's accounting profession.

"These award recipients represent what it means to be a CPA," said Rachel Miller FCPA, FCA, CEO of CPA Alberta. "They share their expertise with colleagues, champion integrity in their communities and set an example for future generations of CPAs. Their hard work and dedication to the profession are exemplary, and we are thrilled to recognize them at the upcoming inaugural award celebration."

Recognition is given in four categories: Lifetime Achievement, Fellows of the Chartered Professional Accountants, Distinguished Service, and Early Achievement. Award recipients will be recognized at the first-ever CPA Achievement Awards Gala in Edmonton on Wednesday, June 1.

This year, recipients come from a diverse list of industries and organizations from across Alberta, including 10 from Edmonton; nine from Calgary; one from Red Deer; one from Vegreville; and the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Bruce Thurston FCPA, FCMA, from Lethbridge. The full list of award recipients, including their place of employment and location, is included in the backgrounder at the end of this release.

In addition to the CPA Alberta Achievement Awards, the CPA Education Foundation has announced the recipient of its 2016 Impact Award—Garry Cook FCPA, FCA—who will also be recognized during the celebration on June 1. The Foundation's Impact Award honours an individual for their contributions to the work and goals of the Foundation and is presented annually.

"Garry Cook FCPA, FCA is an outstanding individual on so many levels; he's a business leader, an inspiration to the profession, and an exceptional contributor to the CPA Education Foundation's efforts to support business and accounting education in the province," said Joanne Belliveau CPA, CA, CGA, Chair of the CPA Education Foundation. "People like Mr. Cook set a precedent in the community and it is an honour to award him with the 2016 Impact Award."

Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) is the Canadian business and accounting designation representing more than 200,000 professional accountants across the country. As part of the CPA profession in Canada, CPA Alberta is the professional organization for more than 28,000 CPAs across the province.

Backgrounder         

See the full list of 2016 CPA Alberta Achievement Award Recipients below. For more information on each award recipient, please visit the CPA Alberta website here: http://www.cpaalberta.ca/Members/Achievement-Awards/2016-Award-Recipients

Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award formally recognizes Fellows of the Chartered Professional Accountants who have continued to render exceptional services to the profession or whose achievements in their careers or in the community have earned them distinction and brought honour to the profession.

• Bruce Thurston, FCPA, FCMA (Management Resource Services)

Fellows of the Chartered Professional Accountants

The Fellow of Chartered Professional Accountants (FCPA) is granted to those members who have rendered exceptional service to the profession or whose achievements in their careers, the community, or in the profession have earned them distinction and brought honour to the profession.

• Sue Bohaichuk, FCPA, FCMA (Alberta Urban Municipalities Association; Edmonton)
• Sandip Lalli, FCPA, FCMA (Keystone Excavating; Calgary)
• James McKillop, FCPA, FCA (Retired; formerly ATB Financial; Edmonton)
• Robert Penner, FCPA, FCA (Retired; formerly KPMG, Calgary)
• Nora Rea, FCPA, FCMA (NRForce Resource Management; Calgary)
• Steve Wilson, FCPA, FCA (Retired; formerly Shaw Communications; Calgary)
• Doug Wylie, FCPA, FCMA (Office of the Auditor General of Alberta; Edmonton)
• Samuel Young, FCPA, FCA (Collins Barrow Edmonton; Edmonton)

Distinguished Service Awards

The Distinguished Service Award recognizes members or supporters of the profession who have demonstrated a significant achievement within the last five years and have therefore brought honour to the profession.

• Ronald Allen, CPA, CMA (Ronald C. Allen Professional Corp.; Calgary)
• Steve Janz, CPA, CGA (SAIT Polytechnic; Calgary)
• Liliana LeVesconte, CPA, CMA (University of Alberta; Edmonton)
• Pamela Sigvaldason, CPA, CA (Donnelly & Co.; Edmonton)
• Sandy Umpherville, CPA, CGA (CPA Alberta; Calgary)
• Stuart Weatherill, LLB (Emery Jamieson LLP; Edmonton)

Early Achievement Awards

The Early Achievement Award recognizes CPAs who have had their accounting designation for 10 years or less and have rendered exceptional service to the profession or whose achievements in their careers or in the community have earned them distinction and brought honour to the profession.

• Lance Bick, CPA, CA (MNP LLP; Red Deer)
• Priya D'Souza, CPA, CA (Alberta Securities Commission; Calgary)
• Shawn Kanungo, CPA, CA (Deloitte Consulting; Edmonton)
• Hayat Kirameddine, CPA, CA (AutoCanada; Edmonton)
• Irfanali Moledina, CPA, CA (RMI & Associates and Natural Distributions Ltd.; Calgary)
• Carly Rigler, CPA, CA (CPA Alberta; Edmonton)
• Darcie Sabados, CPA, CA (Wilde & Company; Vegreville)

SOURCE CPA Alberta

For media inquiries, or to arrange an interview with an award recipient, please contact: Gordon Turtle, CPA Alberta, Tel: [phone], E-mail: [email protected], www.cpaalberta.ca