The President of Unifor Local 444 is one of six St. Clair College alumni who have been selected to receive an award for their professional and community contributions.
Dave Cassidy will be honoured at the 31st Annual Alumni of Distinction Awards, which will take place on April 13.
The 2024 recipients have all reached great success in their chosen fields, and this year's list of honourees will bring a total of 137 graduates recognized by the College since 1992.
Cassidy graduated in 1991 from the Electrician Construction Maintenance Program. He is being honoured as a graduate of the College's Apprenticeship Program.
Cassidy says he was shocked to find out he had been nominated for the award.
He says he's ecstatic to receive this award.
"When President Patti France called me and said she had submitted my name, and this is obviously Patti's leaving in May and it was quite the honour, I've had quite the relationship with Patti over the years. And for her to put my name forward for the Apprenticeship sector there, it was amazing. I was just tickled pink."
Cassidy says he wasn't interested in post-secondary but decided to go into the trades through an apprenticeship program.
"I went out and I got a trade, and I went to St.Clair to fulfill my academic part of my trade. And it sure has changed over the years, I've been there quite a few times since and what the administration has done at St.Clair is amazing the stuff that they've done."
John Fairley, Vice President, College Communications and Community Relations, says it's wonderful to be able to honour these individuals.
"St.Clair College alumni are everywhere. When you look at what they're doing in our community, running businesses, donating their time, community events, and making a difference, that's what our alumni are doing. And these are examples of six people who have got the wow factor."
The other honorees for 2024 include Ursell Arends, Vice Prime Minister of Aruba, Larry Delaey, President and CEO of Aarkel Group, Chaouki Hamka who is the Community Leader for Windsor-Essex Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Dan MacDonald, Radio Host at CKLW Radio, and Bhupinder Singh, Professional TNA Wrestler.
This year's Alumni of Distinction ceremony will take place on Saturday, April 13 in the Alumni Skyline room at the St. Clair College Centre for the Arts in downtown Windsor.
-with files from AM800's Rob Hindi