Agricultural leaders honoured with Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medals

Several beef industry advocates and leaders were recently recognized through the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Award program.

In December, Nate Horner, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation and MLA for Drumheller-Stettler presented the Jubilee Medals to recipients in his constituency and to those chosen for their contributions to Alberta’s agriculture sector:

Al Campbell – former Stettler councillor

Cam Christianson – owner, Canalta

Cherie Copithorne-Barnes – leadership and dedication to improving Canada’s beef industry

Melissa Downing – agrologist; RDAR board member

Cecilie Fleming – leadership and advocacy in Alberta’s beef industry

Tracy Gardner – leadership and advocacy to promote youth in agriculture

George Glazier – former reeve, County of Paintearth

Ian Goodbrand – vet; businessman; rancher; feedlot; auction mart

Rob Grandfield – community involvement

Gwen Hampton – former school trustee; community involvement

Kathy Hankins – Rotary member, community involvement

Jill Harvie – improving connections among agriculture communities and dedicated work on bettering rural Alberta

Brent Heidecker – community involvement; feedlot owner

Linda Hunt – advancing mental health efforts across Alberta’s agriculture sector

Tyler Kraft – for leadership in rodeo and livestock management

Gord Lawlor – founder and owner/operator, Lawlor’s Jewelry; Victim’s Services volunteer; Alberta Works volunteer; HYC

Jean MacDonald – community builder

Kim McConnell – leadership in Alberta’s agriculture sector and for being a catalyst behind major initiatives that helped build public trust in food and farming

Elson McDougald – businessman; rancher  

Wayne Nixon – former reeve, Stettler County

Brad Osadczuk– leadership in both the cattle industry and community

Ray Price – bringing substantial international trade and business to the agriculture sector in Alberta

Dr. Rithesh Ram – owner and founder; Riverside Medical

Margo Jarvis Redelback – exemplary leadership in Alberta’s irrigation sector

Doug Sawyer – significant contributions to Alberta and Canada’s cattle industries

Stanley Solberg – Drumheller community builder

Janice Tranberg – vocal and effective advocacy for the livestock industry in Alberta and Canada

Michele Toews – community involvement

Bobbi Usselman – community builder; former CAO, Czar and CAO, Hardisty

Dr. Renata Weller – leadership in addressing Alberta’s shortage of trained veterinarians

Dianne Westerlund – director of CARA in Oyen

Back row (left to right): Tyler Kraft, Wayne Nixon, Kim McConnell, Doug Sawyer, George Glazier, Gwen Hampton, Nate Horner, Dr. Renata Weller, Gord Lawlor, Brent Heidecker, Al Campbell, Cam Christianson, Bobbi Usselman, Tracy Gardner, and Cherie Copithorne-Barnes.

Front row (l to r): Linda Hunt, Dr. Rithesh Ram, Michele Toews, Cecilie Fleming, Janice Tranberg, Jean MacDonald, Margo Jarvis Redelback, Jill Harvie, and Melissa Downing.