Six St. Clair College alumni have been recognized for their local successes.
The 32nd annual St. Clair College Alumni of Distinction Awards took place on Friday night to celebrate and honour the recipients who have industry experience ranging from the culinary arts to tool and mold.
Dino Miceli, Founder and President of Calibur Tool and Mold was one honouree. He graduated in 1992 from the Mold Maker program and successfully leads approximately 30 employees at the mold shop.
Calibur Tool and Mold makes parts for vehicles, agricultural and construction vehicles, among other consumer products.
Miceli says he's humbled to receive this award.
"Finding that you learn something at the college, and it takes you throughout your whole career, and you've made a life out of it it just so rewarding. And then taking all that stuff that I've learned and trying to pass it to the kids coming along, that's what I really want to do."
He says despite the fear of tariffs from the United States that the company hasn't been negatively impacted.
"What we have right now, we have a steady workload, but moving forward we want to get these tariffs lifted. But it hasn't affected us directly, but the parts manufacturers are the ones who are seeing it."
Miceli adds that by making a range of molds, the company has remained steady.
"We've diversified our company, so we're building products like chairs, plastic chairs, plastic tables, house doors. So we've kind of put the mix into the shop and we've carried it through. And our shop is steady."
Chuck Kelly, the President and CEO of Movati Athletic is another recipient this year. He graduated from the Ambulance and Emergency Care program at the college in 1991.
There are currently three Movati locations locally, one in Windsor, one in Kingsville, and another in Amherstburg. Across the country, there are 17 locations, with more in the works.
Kelly says he's proud and humbled to have received this award.
"I was kind of actually bewildered when they called. I didn't know anybody knew that I went to school there, it was 1991. It seems like so long ago. But, I'm very honoured and appreciative of the opportunity."
He says his job is still related to what he went to school for.
"I always say I'm still in healthcare, I'm just in preventative healthcare. So I worked 16 years and I'd always wanted to own my own business, and I thought I'd like to do something more positive in healthcare. So we opened up a health club, and it just kept growing and we moved across the country."
St. Clair College President Michael Silvaggi says it's extremely important to recognize these individuals.
"Certainly this is a celebration of what has been achieved thus far, whether that's in a professional life, whether that's in their personal lives, but ultimately there's always some themes in terms of giving back. And in a community like Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent, it's always about what we can go for each other so it's wonderful to see."
The other recipients include:
This year's list of honourees brings the total to 143 graduates recognized by St. Clair College since 1992.