ABBOTSFORD – The UFV Alumni Association celebrated the service of outgoing board members, welcomed incoming board members, and honoured several people with awards at its reception and annual general meeting on Sept. 24, 2014.

At the AGM, the board of directors bid farewell to outgoing board member Len Goerke (BA ’98) after six years of service and one year as board secretary, and Stephanie Jackson (AA ’11) for one year of service. The board welcomed newly elected members Ali Siemens (BA ’13), Darren Whitehouse (BA ’14), and Lisa McMartin (BA Crim ’06).

During the Alumni Hall reception, UFVAA board chair Justin P. Goodrich presented UFV Alumni Association Chair Emeriti awards to Stacey Irwin as long-term chair of the Alumni Association from 2001 to 2008 (and first elected chair), Tony Luck for serving as chair from 2008 to 2013, and Jason Barnes for being immediate past chair in 2013.

The board also awarded Dr. Joanna Sheppard with an honorary life membership to the UFV Alumni Association for her exemplary dedication to UFV students (Sheppard chose to attend UFV’s convocation ceremony last June to see her students graduate, rather than attend her own convocation at the University of Toronto for her doctoral degree). It also recognized Natalia Montgomery with the Alumni Volunteer of the Year award.