UNews - 1st Choice Savings

Partnership with 1st Choice Savings helps bring community together

trevor.kenney — Fri, 06 Feb 2015 21:14:06 +0000

The 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness will be the site for a pair of exciting community events in the coming days, thanks to the strong relationship between the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and 1st Choice Savings and Credit Union.

On Saturday evening, 1st Choice Savings is sponsoring the final Canada West regular season home games for the Pronghorns men’s and women’s basketball teams (games at 5 and 7 p.m. against the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan) by presenting a Free Student Night. With the Horns men’s team seeking a playoff berth, the evening promises to be wildly entertaining.

During a break in the action, 1st Choice Savings will be making a significant donation to support the facility that bears its name – the 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness.

“Over the years, this outstanding facility has become a hub for community activity by hosting major sporting events, serving as the home court for Pronghorn Athletics and acting as an important venue for a variety of initiatives, such as being a site for community flu clinics,” says Dr. Mike Mahon, President and Vice-Chancellor of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. “And, of course, we can’t forget about our annual Play Day.”

Now in its fourth year, Play Day has seen southern Alberta families flock to the 1st Choice Savings Centre for the annual festivities. This year’s superhero-themed event will take place on Monday, February 16 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“These next few weeks are very special to us at 1st Choice Savings as we get to experience the great relationship we have with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge,” says Brian Kinahan (BMgt ’79), president & CEO of 1st Choice Savings and Credit Union and a U of L alumnus. “Through our support of this building and the annual Play Day event, to sponsoring this weekend’s basketball games, we are so grateful to have a part in opening this wonderful facility to southern Albertans. We invite everyone to come out, enjoy some excellent basketball and have a fun day of play with us. We sincerely thank the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ for these opportunities to celebrate our vibrant and exciting community.”

The activity list for Play Day 2015 will include classic favourites such as the cardboard box free build, the basketball, floor hockey and bouncy castle activity zones as well as the ever-popular face-painting area. Those looking to scale new heights can take advantage of the climbing wall, while open swim is once again available in the Max Bell pool.

The superhero theme will be reflected in a number of zones, including a Spiderman Web Maze and Green Arrow Archery and Wonder Woman Golden Lasso games. The ASPIRE Zone will feature the ins and outs of fingerprinting, the chance to construct super zoomer airplanes and a coding challenge whereby participants learn how to code their own superhero character or game on laptops and iPADs.

“Every year our organizers and volunteers come up with some really engaging and fun family activities,” says Mahon. “I really look forward to hosting Play Day every year. As a university, we are always striving to better our community, and through our partnership with 1st Choice Savings, we are able to provide this opportunity for families to spend some quality time together and really strengthen those family bonds.”

Admission and parking for Play Day are free and people are encouraged to bring gym shoes, comfortable clothing and a swimsuit to maximize their opportunity for fun. A Toonie BBQ will also be set up on the north end of the upper track.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ partners with 1st Choice Savings to present community events

trevor.kenney — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 22:29:13 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is thankful for the support from 1st Choice Savings and Credit Union as they partner for a pair of exciting community events taking place on campus in the next week.

On Wednesday evening, 1st Choice Savings is sponsoring the final Canada West home games of the regular season for the Pronghorns basketball teams (games at 6 and 8 p.m.) by presenting a Free Student Night. With a possible home playoff berth on the line for the Horns men’s team, it promises to be a big night in the 1st Choice Savings Centre gymnasium.

During a break in the action, 1st Choice Savings will be making a significant donation to support the facility that bears their name. The 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness is a hub for community athletic events, regularly hosting athletes, coaches and community members from across southern Alberta.

One such event, Play Day, will take place Monday, February 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., inviting families from Lethbridge and area to come out and play.

Thousands of children and parents have converged on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ the past two Family Days, and with an out-of-this-world space theme planned for the third annual event, Play Day promises to reach even greater heights.

“We have a lot of really wonderful events here on campus where we can connect with the southern Alberta community and Play Day just seems to take it to another level,” says ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President and Vice-chancellor, Dr. Mike Mahon. “It’s something I’m always extremely excited about because the concept is so simple, and yet the benefits of bringing families together to engage in play are so far-reaching.”

All this would not be possible without the vision and support of 1st Choice Savings and Credit Union, who partners with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to host the annual event.

“The opportunity for us to partner with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in a program that really promotes family and community is very close to the heart of what makes credit unions different,” says Brian Kinahan (BMgt ’79), president & CEO of 1st Choice Savings and Credit Union and a U of L alumnus. “One of our core values is “care for our community” and seeing the smiles on the faces of children and their parents as they come out to enjoy the great facilities that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has to offer helps us to know how important that value is.”

The activity list for Play Day 2014 includes everything Play Day veterans have come to know and love as well as some exciting new offerings. The ever-popular cardboard box free build returns, as do the physical activity zones such as basketball, floor hockey, gymnastics and the climbing wall. The photo booth and face-painting areas will once again be hives of activity, while the swimming pool is also expected to be busy.

This year’s space theme will integrate itself into a variety of zones, including the Science Zone, where participants can first create and then launch their own rockets. There’s also an opportunity to build a solar system, colonize Mars, program your parent and succeed in space-themed computer challenges. Add in a variety of space games such as Angry Birds Space, Alien Invasion and Lightsabre Wars and Play Day offers a full day of activity.

Admission and parking for Play Day are free and people are encouraged to bring gym shoes, comfortable clothing and a swimsuit to maximize their opportunity for fun.

“I’ve always found that families who encourage play and spend time playing together really strengthen those family bonds,” adds Mahon, whose play research has focused on sports, physical activity and the concept of play among youth in developing countries. “As a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ devoted to bettering our community, Play Day is the essence of that spirit.”

Kinahan values community service opportunities

trevor.kenney — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 23:11:08 +0000

Graduating from high school, Brian Kinahan (BMgt '79), president and CEO of 1st Choice Savings, planned on a year of work and play before settling down to attend university. Due to an unfortunate work accident, Kinahan's year of adventure quickly lost its appeal.

"I found myself sitting around, not able to do a lot. Worker's compensation offered to pay for me to go to university. All my friends were going to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge so I thought I might as well too," remembers Kinahan. "I don't think I took it very seriously; I was too interested in having a good time and had no focus. It took two years to realize that this wasn't leading me anywhere, so at the end of 1975 I took some time off."

Kinahan spent the next year and a half working odd jobs, including driving truck, working at a feedlot, a car rental agency and a home renovation centre.

"At the end of the year and a half, I travelled for two months. When I was in Europe, I started thinking about what I wanted to do with my life. I knew I wanted to get an education. I did not want to work at lower paying jobs that I knew would not provide for the things I wanted in life, so I returned to the U of L in the fall of 1977," recalls Kinahan.

Unlike his previous two years, Kinahan came back to school with a determination to work hard and to focus on management, mathematics and economics.

"I realized that if I wanted to succeed it was up to me, no one else was going to do it for me. I started searching out my professors, picking their brains and building relationships with them. One of my professors, Stash Sikora, gave me insight into things I could possibly do and directions I could take with my degree. Another professor, Roger Rickwood really helped me buckle down and think about things. He helped me work on my reasoning and cognitive thinking. I finished my last few years with a much better GPA simply because I took an interest in my education," says Kinahan.

"At the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ I gained the ability to think through problems and come up with solutions, to expand my mind and think beyond more than just one focus. I was well prepared for the work world when I graduated."

While helping to build a successful financial institution is something he is very proud of, he is also grateful for the opportunities he has had to serve in the community.

"I was very involved in the LA Swim Club and the Lethbridge Cosmos Soccer Club when my children were young. Through the credit union, I also spent several years working with Habitat for Humanity, which later led to my involvement with the Social Housing in Action Committee in Lethbridge," says Kinahan. "It was very rewarding to see people get their own housing. I view my current position as probably the last position I will have before I retire. My goal is to continue building on the success of 1st Choice Savings, guiding it to be a viable and important part of the financial world that focuses on being a community-minded institution that cares about individuals."

Alma Matters

trevor.kenney — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 21:54:27 +0000

What's new with our alumni? Let your classmates know what you are up to by sharing a note about your life. Share your news with us through e-mail (alumni@uleth.ca), or by phone (toll free 1-866-552-2582).

Check out the latest news from our alumni below.

1970

Kinahan holds community focus
Brian Kinahan (BMgt '79) believes his time spent at the U of L was foundational for his career. "At the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ I gained the ability to think through problems and come up with solutions, to expand my mind and think beyond more than just one focus," he says.

Now the president and CEO of 1st Choice Savings, Kinahan has played an integral part in the growth of the credit union, which currently boasts a balance sheet in excess of $400 million. While helping to build a successful financial institution is something he is proud of, he is also grateful for the opportunities he has to serve his community.

"My goal is to continue building on the success of 1st Choice Savings, guiding it to be a viable and important part of the financial world that focuses on being a community-minded institution that cares about individuals."

1980

Nancy Walker BMgt '82
Walker was awarded a Fellow of Chartered Accountants (FCA) from the Alberta Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Bill Neudorf BEd '88
"In memory: some of you may remember the little three-year-old girl who would come to class with her dad and spend the time colouring or playing with dolls. Her name was Bobbi Renee Neudorf. Bobbi later suffered from Crohn's disease through her time at university but finished a BSc in Occupational Therapy at the U of A and worked for three years in the QEII hospital in Grande Prairie. Bobbi succumbed to complications from the disease and passed away from a massive blood clot on Sept. 21, 2009. She was 25 years and two months old."

Pamela Zollner BEd '86
After graduating from the U of L, Zollner taught for a couple of years in Alberta before developing a taste for international travel by backpacking around Australia and New Zealand. Zollner incorporated this love for travel into her work by teaching in Singapore and India. Zollner completed her Master of Education in June 2008 and is currently teaching Grade 2 in Calgary.

1990

Winner of the $10,000 Alberta Readers' Choice Award
Michael Davie (BMgt '94) won the inaugural $10,000 Alberta Readers' Choice Award for his first novel

Author Michael Davie

, Fishing for Bacon. The Alberta Readers' Choice Award is modelled on the very popular Canada Reads prize. Five books, each one championed by a celebrity, vie to win a popular vote. With $10,000 going to the winner, the competition is on the same financial level as the Governor General's Awards.

Aaron Berg BSc '95, MSc '97
Dr. Aaron Berg was recognized as GeogNews' (News Digest of the Canadian Association of Geographers) Geographer of the Week. Berg is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Guelph. He completed a BSc and an MSc degree in Geography at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, an MS in Geological Sciences at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Texas at Austin and his PhD in Earth System Science at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of California, Irvine. His research focuses on hydrology and hydro-climate simulation. Areas of current research interest include: macro-scale modeling of hydrological states and fluxes; climate change and water resources; the spatial scaling of hydrological properties; and evaluating the impact of land use change on regional hydrologic cycles.

Thomas Latta BMgt '97
"I am currently working as the manager, Operations Accounting and Business Solutions for Enerplus Resources Fund and have been with Enerplus for a year and a half. Prior to that, I was with ConocoPhillips Canada and its predecessor companies for 15 years."

2000

Amos Altman BA '04
Altman's play FORTITUDE is part of Fuse 2010 (The Enbridge New Play Development Program) at Theatre Calgary. This heartwarming and hilarious play emerged from the 2008/09 FUEL Playwrights' Circle at Theatre Calgary.

Ryan Epp BA/BMgt '05
Epp, former captain of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's hockey team, is now a constable with the Lethbridge Police Department.

Barry Gergel BSc '05, MSc '07
"I'm currently working toward my PhD in the Department of Computing Science at the U of A."

William Katelnikoff BMgt '05
"I received my chartered accountant designation in January, and I am currently assistant coach with the Pronghorns men's hockey team."

Matthew Berrigan BEd/BA '06
Lethbridge College announced their 2010 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients and recognized U of L alumnus Matthew Berrigan with the Rising Star Award. Since completing his education degree, Berrigan's rise as a teacher has been meteoric. Named best new teacher by the Foothills School Division for his work in Cayley, Berrigan is now a lead teacher in Turner Valley. The success of his teaching is reflected in his students' achievement results.

Angela Kastelic BN '06
"I am currently pursuing a Master of Nursing (Family/All Ages) with intent to become a family nurse practitioner."

Keely (Kavanagh) Semenuik BEd/BA '09
Following graduation in April 2009, Semenuik was married and travelled to France. She is now excited to begin her teaching career with École St. Mary School in Lethbridge, teaching French immersion kindergarten.

Kinley passes on the inspiration
After attending a presentation by guest speaker John Carr from Pixar, Brad Kinley (BFA '04) remembers telling a friend that the talk was life-changing.

"Seeing what he does and his approach to the whole process of character animation crystallized what I wanted to do," says Kinley.

Now, after being a key player in the design of Mass Effect 2, one of the most popular and highly rated games ever made for the Xbox platform, Kinley returned to the U of L this spring and gave a presentation to the next generation of new media students.

"I know how influential my exposure was to somebody actually working in the business," he says. "If I can lend a little knowledge or inspiration to someone else, hopefully it will help them the way it helped me."

Congratulations
Daniel Wong (BFA '03), Mary-Anne McTrowe (BFA '98) and Robyn Moody (BFA '00) have made the long list (Prairies and North region) for the 2010 Sobey Art Award.

Munton & Co. chartered accountants recently announced that Curtis Michaelis (BMgt '03) and Michael Quinton (BMgt '04) have been admitted to partnership.

Susie Martin (BEd '81), Judy Lynn Miller (BA '91, BEd '93), Matthew Berrigan (BA/BEd '06) and Tracy Inaba (BEd '92) were among 23 outstanding Alberta teachers selected to receive the prestigious 2010 Excellence in Teaching Award.

Sports Hall of Fame

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Chinooks women's basketball team (1970/1971) was inducted into the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame at this year's celebration. The team won the provincial and national championships and represented Lethbridge with pride.

Members of the team included: (Back row, L-R) Wilma Winter (coach), Dixie Dow, Linda Dogterom, Leona Voth, Minnie Van Dieren and Sharon Giduk (BA '73, BEd '75). (Front row, L-R) Marge Moore, Linda Voth, Rosemary Brodrick, Joan Cannady and Linda Dow (BEd '71).

Andrea Hlady (BEd'93) and Sharon Chmielewski (BEd'75) were also inducted at this year's celebration. Hlady was recognized in the athletes category. She was a two-time All-Canadian basketball player with the U of L Pronghorns. Chmielewski, recognized in the builder category, was honoured for building high school and high-level curling in Lethbridge with her work as an official, instructor and coach.

To view the entire issue of SAM in a flipbook format, follow this link.

UNews - 1st Choice Savings

Partnership with 1st Choice Savings helps bring community together

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��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ partners with 1st Choice Savings to present community events

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Kinahan values community service opportunities

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Alma Matters

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��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ partners with 1st Choice Savings to present community events