S AT U R D AY, D E C E M B E R 1 0 , 2 0 1 6 C A L G A R Y H E R A L D B7Y O U

B I L L B R O O K S

After almost two decades leading Alberta’s largest and fastest grow-ing community college, Sharon Carry will be retiring from her position as president and CEO of Bow Valley College.

Such a magnificent milestone is reason to say thanks, and that’s precisely what scores of guests did at the Hyatt on Nov 24.

In 1997, Carry was hired to lead the college through its transition from a provincially administered institution to a public board-gov-erned school. Under her lead-ership, the college doubled its enrolment, introduced dozens of new programs, embraced a new mandate as the Calgary region’s comprehensive community col-lege, expanded and opened the new South Campus and reno-vated the North Campus, and substantially increased revenues, largely through entrepreneurial efforts.

“To see how much Bow Valley College has grown and how it’s widely respected in the com-munity is a true testament to Sharon’s foresight,” said vice-president, academic and chief learning officer, Anna Kae Todd.

Carry’s list of awards and honours is impressive indeed. It includes: the Alberta Centennial Medal (2005); Calgary Award for Education (2010); Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal (2011); Alberta Order of Excellence (2014); and, Women’s Execu-tive Network’s Canada’s Most Powerful Women Top 100 Award (2014).

More recently, Carry was given an honorary title and received a Blackfoot name, Niipaitapi Askinimatstohki, which means Lifelong Educator.

Guests in attendance thanking Carry for her many years of ser-vice included: Marlin Schmidt, Alberta Minister of Advanced Education; Mayor Naheed Nen-shi; MLA Richard Gotfried; ATB Financial president and CEO Dave Mowat; Larry Day of Pyra-mid Productions; Carol Ryder; Jean Merriman; Boyden Calgary partner Kevin Gregor and his wife Deb; Corporate Director Bonnie DuPont; Barry Bultz, professor and head, division of psychosocial oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary; Bow Valley College board chair Dave Collyer; Carry’s brother Tim and his wife Kathy Carry; Carry’s daughter Stepha-nie Talbot and her husband Ste-phen Hurley; Bow Valley Credit Union president and CEO Larry Bohn; Bow Valley College former board chair and avid community supporter Joanne Stalinski; Trico Homes founders and invalu-able philanthropists Wayne and Eleanor Chiu; Bow Valley College original board chair John Currie and his wife Bobbie; political pundits and brothers Tom and Gordon Olsen; and AltaLink president and CEO Scott Thon and his wife Deb.

Celebrating Carry’s extraordinary leadershipScores of guests turn out at Hyatt hotel to honour retiring Bow Valley College president

Celebration and giving thanks were the themes at a retirement party held on Nov. 24 for outgoing Bow Valley College president and CEO Sharon Carry. Pictured with the guest of honour, second from left, are her brother Tim Carry, daughter Stephanie Talbot, sister-in-law Kathy Carry and son-in-law Stephen Hurley.  P H O T O S : B I L L B RO O K S .

Pictured at Sharon Carry’s retirement celebration are former Bow Valley College board chair Joanne Stalinski and Bow Valley Credit Union president and CEO Larry Bohn. Carry joined Bow Valley College in 1997, and under her leadership, the college doubled its enrolment.

Trico Homes’ Eleanor Chiu, left, and her husband Wayne Chiu joined outgoing Bow Valley College president and CEO Sharon Carry at her retirement celebration. Scores of supporters gathered to thank Carry for her years of outstanding leadership.

Well-known Calgarians John and Bobbie Currie were among the scores of guests who gathered at the event. John Currie was the very first Bow Valley College board chair.

Boyden Calgary partner Kevin Gregor, left, and Bow Valley College board chair Dave Collyer were among the scores of supporters who gathered at the Hyatt.

Pictured at Sharon Carry’s retirement celebration are Corporate Director Bonnie DuPont with Barry Bultz, professor and head, division of psychoso-cial oncology, at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary.

There aren’t many people who know their way around the political arena as well as brothers Tom Olsen, left, and Gordon Olsen. The political consul-tants attended Sharon Carry’s retirement celebration.