Retired IVP Sandy MacDonald, l., receives congratulations from IVP Ed Power upon being named ― with retired IVP Rick Albright ― as honorees for the Award of Excellence.
Retired IVPs Albright, MacDonald named honorees
SINCE 1995 THE Canadian Boilermakers Apprenticeship Competition Award of Excellence has been named after Donald G. Whan. On June 25, the event retired Whan’s name. Two new honorees now share the title: Richard “Rick” Albright, retired IVP for Western Canada, and Alexander “Sandy” MacDonald, retired IVP for Eastern Canada.
The award, now officially known as the “Richard Albright – Sandy MacDonald Industry Award of Excellence,” is presented annually to a person who has substantially contributed to advancing Boilermaker apprentices and the apprenticeship training program. The physical award is a bronze sculpture of a boiler.
Ole Florell, a retired member of Local 555 (Winnipeg, Manitoba) and a past supervisor with B&W and Alstom Canada, became the first recipient of the renamed award.
Eastern Canada IVP Ed Power presided over the name change during the awards banquet June 25, held at the Fairmont Hotel in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Power paid tribute to Whan for his long involvement with apprentices and his service as president and later business manager of Local 146 (Edmonton, Alberta), International rep, International Vice President, and International Secretary-Treasurer.
“Don did so much for the apprentices and apprenticeship training program through the years,” Power said. “Others have come along afterward who also have contributed a lot of time and effort. It is appropriate that we recognize them as well.”
Power praised Albright and MacDonald, noting that they came up through the ranks as Boilermakers — Albright in Local 146, MacDonald in Local 73 (Halifax, Nova Scotia). Both men held positions in their local lodges before serving as International Reps and later International Vice Presidents. “Both Rick and Sandy sat on the National Training Fund for many years,” Power said. “It’s a real honor to have their names placed on the award.”
