TORONTO, April 28, 2003 -- York University will recognize the dedication and contributions of its alumni and friends during its Bruce Bryden Alumni Recognition Awards dinner to be held Wednesday, April 30.

Those being honoured are Bell Globemedia President and CEO Ivan Fecan; Toronto mayoral candidate John Tory; Ontario Minister of Culture David Tsubouchi and Cinespace Film Studios Vice-President Steve Mirkopoulos.

"York University takes great pride in this year's alumni award recipients who have distinguished themselves in many fields of endeavour ranging from media and communications to public service and business," said Barbara Sutton, director of the York University Alumni Office. "Their extraordinary achievements demonstrate that York is a place where students can break the mold and follow their own paths to success."

The award is named after the late Bruce Bryden (BA ‘64), founder of the York University Alumni Association (YUAA) and the first alumni Chair of the York University Board of Governors.

A description of each award recipient follows:

Ivan Fecan (BA '01, LLD) -- Alumni Contribution Award
One of North America's most experienced broadcasting executives, Ivan Fecan is president and CEO of Bell Globemedia and CEO of CTV Inc. Before joining CTV in 1994 (then Baton Broadcasting) as senior group vice-president, Fecan was news director at Citytv in Toronto (1976-80), where he helped develop the station's innovative CityPulse newscast format. He was also vice-president of creative affairs for NBC in Los Angeles (1985-87) and vice-president of English language television at the CBC (1993-1994). He has served on the board of the Wellesley Hospital, the McMichael Gallery and the Hospital for Sick Children Foundation. Fecan has a BA in Fine Arts from York (2001) and is on the board of the York University Foundation.

John Tory (BA, LLB ’78) -- Alumni Achievement Award
As president and CEO of Rogers Cable Inc. since 1999, John Tory has led Canada's most extensive broadband cable service provider with more than 2.2 million customers. Previously, he was president and CEO of Rogers Media Inc., one of Canada’s largest broadcasting and publishing companies. Before joining Rogers, Tory was a managing partner and member of the executive committee at the law firm of Tory Tory DesLauriers & Binnington (now Torys). In the early 1980’s, he served as principal secretary to Ontario Premier Bill Davis and associate secretary of the Cabinet. He recently announced his candidacy for mayor of Toronto in elections scheduled for November. Tory has a law degree from York's Osgoode Hall Law School (1978).

David Tsubouchi (BA '72, LLB '75) -- Alumni Leadership Award
David Tsubouchi is the chair of the Management Board of Cabinet and Ontario Minister of Culture and has held several other cabinet positions since his election as MPP for Markham in 1995. Tsubouchi was senior partner in the law firm of Tsubouchi & Nichols & Associates and was a councillor for the Town of Markham (1988 to 1994). He is a member of the Markham Lions Club and has held directorships with the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre, Optimist Club of Markham, Rouge Valley Advisory Committee and the Unionville Home Society Seniors' Foundation. Throughout his political career he has received numerous awards and accolades. In recognition for his commitment to law enforcement, Tsubouchi received a special award from the Police Association of Ontario. He also received an award of appreciation from the First Nations Chiefs of Police and from the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He is an honourary patron of the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art and a recipient of the Queen's Jubilee Medal. He has a BA from York (1972) and an LLB from York's Osgoode Hall Law School (1975).

Steve T. Mirkopoulos (BSc, PEng) Contribution - Friend of York University Award
As vice-president of Cinespace Film Studios, Steve Mirkopoulos heads Toronto’s largest provider of film production studios and ancillary facilities. He also serves as President of the Ontario Film and Television Owners Association. Mirkopoulos is former president of the Hellenic Heritage Foundation (HHF), a non-profit charitable organization that seeks to enrich the unique social and cultural fabric of Canada by preserving and sharing Hellenic culture and heritage with the broader Canadian community. The Hellenic Heritage Foundation Chair in Modern Hellenic Studies at York is Toronto’s first permanent Chair and program in modern Hellenic Studies, and is focussed on modern Greek history. Mirkopoulos is a member of the advisory board for the Chair and the York University Foundation board of trustees.

The dinner and awards presentation will be held in the Arcadian Court, Hudson's Bay, Queen Street Store, 401 Bay St., 8th Floor, (access from the Simpson Tower), at 6:30 p.m. There will be a reception at 5:30 p.m. in the lobby of Thomson Gallery on the 9th Floor.

Event sponsors include Magnotta Wineries, Manulife Financial and Meloche-Monnex.

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For further information, please visit http://www.yorku.ca/alumni/html/bryden2003.html
or contact:

YU/040/03