The Olds College Alumni Association gathered for the Alumni Reunion on July 21 and 22, reminiscing of days past, and learning about the future of the College. The 50th Anniversary of the Class of 1968 was celebrated, and Alumna Patti Bauer rocked the house at the dance on Saturday evening. The highlight of the weekend was the new inductions into the Hall of Merit and Hall of Fame.
David J. Doyle - Hall of Merit
David J. Doyle, Heavy Equipment Technician grad (2007) was welcomed as the third inductee into the Hall of Merit. David was born and raised on a farm northwest of Olds, and currently lives with his wife Teresa and twin daughters on a beautiful acreage in the same area, reflecting his love for family life in rural Alberta.
In 1993 David began working for his family’s business, Netook Construction Ltd., a heavy equipment contractor that has been based in Olds for over 35 years. David has held numerous roles with Netook including site foreman, equipment operator, heavy equipment technician, and most recently, VP of Business Development and Origination. In addition to his role in the family business, David is an emerging realtor in Olds with Widmer Realty Ltd.
In David’s spare time he enjoys family time, being active in the community by volunteering, golfing, and singing in the church choir. David is a past member of the Olds Institute, is a member of the Knights of Columbus, sits on the board of directors of the Alberta Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association (ARHCA), and has been involved in countless committees at Olds College including industry advisory committees for the Heavy Equipment Technician and Heavy Equipment Operator programs. As Chair of the Heavy Equipment Technician Industry Advisory Committee, David has been instrumental in providing guidance to the program and the trade as a whole, ensuring that students receive the best education that will prepare them for a career in the trade. He also volunteers to help students in the Land and Water Resources - Reclamation and Remediation program by speaking to them about the use of Heavy Equipment in those areas.
David’s volunteerism extends past Olds College and into the Community where he is quite active with various organizations. As chair of the ARHCA Human Resources Committee, he has helped create pathways for those in the industry and has provided a number of training and educational opportunities, including working with Alberta Industry and trade in developing program curriculum.
For over five years, David has been involved in the Olds Institute for Regional Development. As a Board and Committee member, David has helped to focus in on areas such as economic development, community lifestyle, sustainability, among others.
In addition to being an Olds College alumni, supporter, and guest lecturer, David has shown support to the College by attending numerous events, making personal and corporate donations to the College, and becoming a genuine Olds College supporter in the community. Thank you David for your years of support and commitment to Olds College and to the Olds community.
Sandra Mackinnon-Jahn - Hall of Fame
Sandra Mackinnon-Jahn graduated from the Secretarial Arts program in 1985. She has lived her life in central Alberta. Sandra began to work full time at the tender age of 14, in order to help support her family. Knowing the importance of education, she also strived to complete high school. She has been a lifelong learner ever since.
Sandra has had a career filled with exciting opportunities, including working for a theatre chain, hardware outlet, law firm, social services and community health organizations, and Olds College. She has been an entrepreneur, owning a grocery and gas outlet, cow/calf beef operation, rental properties, and a small pet supplier. Her volunteer commitments have been just as plentiful, spending time supporting senior lodges, provincial senior games, museums, and the Royal Canadian Legion. She did all of this while raising four children as a single parent, often holding three jobs at one time to support her family. It was after her children graduated from high school that she met and married Max Jahn.
Being a single mother of four, Sandra was intent on improving her family’s future. Therefore, she decided to expand her education by enroling in the Secretarial Arts program at Olds College. After graduating she was fortunate to acquire work at the College for the next eleven years. She achieved success with further training and a position at Olds College as Operating System Manager until her retirement. She truly loves the College and the atmosphere of learning and sharing knowledge.
Team spirit, developed by her lifetime participation in sports, enhanced her involvement as a member and/or volunteer with numerous boards, associations and community events. She is a strong supporter of the World Wildlife Foundation, Royal Canadian Legion, Alberta 55 plus, Alberta and Olds Horseshoe Club, and Olds College Alumni Association.
Sandra’s love for the outdoors and all animals, along with her sincere appreciation of both, helped solidify her involvement in a vast variety of agricultural endeavors throughout her life with such things as hands on raising of exotic animals and farm birds, raising and promoting the sale of rabbit meat and creating a small rodent business. She then moved on to the marketing and operation of a 32 cow calf operation, a small herd of swine and later was involved in a joint forage/grain operation before semi-retiring.
Sandra has been a positive force within the Alumni Association while serving as a Director 1991-1993, 2001-2002, 2004-2005 and as President in 2006-2007. She was instrumental in the development of the Olds College Alumni Association museum, devoting thousands of hours fashioning, cataloguing, organizing, and manning the museum. She is a proud and passionate advocate for the Olds College Alumni Association and museum, clearly demonstrating her commitment in 2016 when asked to come back to help re-establish and enhance the importance of the museum with the College, to which she did with no hesitation.
She has been a board member and/or volunteer/supporter, over the years with multiple organizations/groups/clubs - Calgary Zoo; Calgary Brewery Aquarium & Gardens; Alberta Girls In Training; Acme Legion; Acme Women's Fastball Club; World Wildlife Association through a promotion and campaign membership; Didsbury Museum; Yeoford Community Association; Alberta 55 Plus Senior Games through the 1998 games promotion / campaign; Medicine River Wildlife Centre; Olds College Alumni Association; Alberta Hunter Education Instructor Association (AHEIA) - Alford Lake Conservation Education Centre; Olds, Innisfail, and Alberta Horseshoes Associations; Olds Legion helping with horse races, 50/50 draws, and shuffleboard club; Town of Olds yearly garbage clean up; and the Olds College Alumni Museum Committee.
Sandra MacKinnon-Jahn is a self-motivated leader, with a common sense approach to life, who has gone above and beyond her work and personal life to accomplish what is required. She is a fine example of the spirit and the 'stuff ' a person needs to be made of, to become a recipient of the Olds College Alumni Hall of Fame award.
Congratulations to both Sandra and David on their recent induction into the Olds College Alumni Association’s Hall of Fame and Hall of Merit.
