The volunteers who make this industry hum

The volunteers who make this industry run are being honoured at MagNet, Canada's Magazine Conference. Already announced is that Terry Sellwood has been named Volunteer of the Year and will receive his honour at a Magazines Canada luncheon on June 14 during the conference. In addition, there are regional volunteer award winners who will be feted at a champagne reception later that day. They are (we crib from the Magazines Canada press release):

Lisa Manfield is the British Columbia Association of Magazine Publishers (BCAMP) Volunteer of the Year. Lisa contributes enormously to the Canadian magazine industry through her volunteer work with Room and her many years of dedicated service on the Boards of both Vancouver’s Word on the Street and BCAMP. Lisa is a marketing consultant to publishers, a freelance writer and editor, and contributes to the industry by volunteering her time to speak to writing groups and schools about the importance of Canadian magazines.

Derek Beaulieu is the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association (AMPA) Volunteer of the Year. He is the Managing Editor of filling Station, and brings energy and dynamism to the Calgary literary community where he has worked over the last decade as editor for dANDelion and filling Station. Derek is a powerful champion for creative expression, literary excellence and artist promotion and has been a strong force in Alberta’s magazine publishing community.

Andris Taskans is the Manitoba Magazine Publishers Association (MMPA) Volunteer of the Year. Andris is the Editor and Publisher of Prairie Fire and a founding member and long-time Director of the MMPA. He is also a founding member of the Manitoba Writers’ Guild, founding President of the Winnipeg Writers’ Festival and initiated Words on Wheels, a tour featuring aboriginal writers. Andris has mentored dozens of new authors and brings vision and energy to the industry through his extensive volunteer work.

Suzanne Lamouche is the Magazines du Québec (AQEM) Volunteer of the Year. Suzanne is a long-time Board member of AQEM where she was an active volunteer since 1993, and a former VP, Finance and Administration, for Rogers Media in Montreal. Suzanne has represented AQEM on the National Postal Committee, the Media Committee of the Québec Association of Media Directors and the Marketing Committee of Magazines Canada. She was also the driving force behind many professional development events for AQEM, including its annual Gala event.

Patty Baxter, Sheila Blair-Reid, Dawn Chafe,Shawn Dalton Jim Gourlay, Krista Hewey Ivanov, Leith Orr, Bill Skerrett, Anne van Loon, Dianne Williams and Grant Young are the founding Board members of the Atlantic Magazine Association (AMA). Each has worked tirelessly to create and guide the development of an association for magazines in the Atlantic region of Canada. For their dedication to enhancing the magazine industry on the east coast, and for their individual volunteer achievements, they are the AMA Volunteers of the Year.