Loyalist College has chosen the recipient of this year’s Hugh P. O’Neil Outstanding Alumni Award.
Janak Alford, Chief Technology Officer and Enterprise Architect at the Government of Canada is being honoured for his entrepreneurial spirit, technological expertise, and visionary leadership.
Alford graduated from the College’s Architectural Technician diploma program in 2002.
“We are immensely proud of Loyalist graduate Janak Alford and look forward to presenting him with the Hugh P. O’Neil Outstanding Alumni Award at this year’s Convocation,” said Mark Kirkpatrick, Loyalist College President and CEO. “I know Mr. Alford’s passion for innovation and his extraordinary personal journey will inspire this year’s grads to become innovators and leaders of change in our community and beyond.”
As Chief Technology Officer and Enterprise Architect for the Government of Canada, Alford is the foremost expert assisting the federal government to improve, transform and modernize its IT systems to support a more secure, efficient Canada.
Alford earned his Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Architecture from Carleton University.
A prolific designer, project manager, builder and developer, he is also Executive Director of MadeMill, a Makerspace and Advanced Digital Media Lab at Bayview Yards in Ottawa; Chief Ecosystem Officer at Symaiotics Corporation; and founder and CEO of prototypeD TEAM Inc.
“As a proud Loyalist graduate, I’m honoured to be recognized as the 2023 recipient of the Hugh P. O’Neil Outstanding Alumni Award,” said Mr. Alford. “I can draw a clear line connecting my education at Loyalist to my many personal and professional experiences and accomplishments. The skills I learned in the Architectural Technician program prepared me for and accelerated my future education and entrepreneurship activities. I have become a better designer, thinker, and doer because of the education I received at Loyalist College.”
The award will be presented at this year’s convocation ceremonies.
The Hugh P. O’Neil Outstanding Alumni Award was established by the College Board of Governors in 1998 in recognition of Mr. O’Neil’s leadership as Chair of the College’s Foundations for the New Millennium Campaign. Recipients are approved each year by the Board of Governors before presentation at Convocation.
