2004 Order of Merit
Irvin Wiebe
Nominated by Agassiz Credit Union
Irvin Wiebe served on the board of Morden Credit Union from 1977 to 1985, but is better known in the system as the 10-year chairman of the Credit Union Deposit Guarantee Corporation (CUDGC) of Manitoba. He was both a system and government appointee over his 13 years on the CUDGC board.
Irvin served his profession as a board member and president of the Manitoba Institute of Agrologists, and was named a Fellow of the Agriculture Institute of Canada in 1993. He is currently on the Family Farm Business Advisory Board and the Morden Veterinary Services board. His commitment to his wider communities includes being the current chair of the Board of Management of the Manitoba Mennonite Brethren Church Conference, Morden Senior Citizens Home, Pembina Valley Water Co-op, Morden Corn and Apple Committee and past moderator of Westside Community Church. Irvin also serves on the Morden town council as Deputy Mayor.
He has asked that the $500 bursary go to a student in the field of Farm Business Management at the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences.
George Sawatsky
Nominated by Niverville Credit Union
George Sawatzky began his career with Niverville Credit Union in 1965 and was made general manager (now CEO) in 1966. He was a member of CUCM’s board from 1982 to 1990, which included four years on the executive committee.
Outside the credit union system, George continues long tenures on the boards of Niverville Funeral Aid (a co-operative cemetery), the Manitoba Land Appraisal Commission, Niverville Health & Community Foundation and Niverville Senior Housing Inc. His past activities include service as the President and Secretary Treasurer of both the Niverville Co-op Curling Rink and the Niverville Chamber of Commerce, and as a board member of the Manitoba Lotteries Commission and the Co-op Loans and Loans Guarantee board. George also spent 21 years on the Church Council of St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of Steinbach — 15 as president, two as vice-president, one as treasurer and three as a deacon. That period included 15 years as a member of the Church Council for the Manitoba/Northwestern Ontario Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, 12 of which he served on the executive as treasurer.
George has asked that the $500 bursary go to a student in the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences at the University of Manitoba. The faculty awarded the $500 bursary to Ms. Nina Hladio of Winnipeg.
Dave Hughes
Nominated by Crocus Credit Union
Dave has been with Crocus Credit Union for 33 years — the last 32 as General Manager. Over three decades in the system, Dave has served on four committees of CUMIS, the Manitoba Co-op Council board and CUCM’s Equity Task Force and Human Resources and On-Line Advisory committees. Outside the system, Dave has volunteered or been a board/committee member on a wide variety of organizations including Westman Media Co-op, the Canada Winter Games, Big Brothers and Sisters, the Brandon Seniors’ Village, the Municipal Heritage Advisory Committee, Brandon Neighbourhood Development Corporation, Downtown Brandon Improvement Association, Lions Manor, the CNIB, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports, Pan Am Games, World Curling Championships and Olympic curling trials, Lions International and the Lions/Habitat for Humanity Coalition.
Dave received the Brandon Mayor’s Volunteer of the Year Award in Community Service Work (1999), Lions International’s prestigious Melvin Jones Award (1993) and, in 2004, a Manitoba Co-op Council Distinguished Co-operator Award.
Dave has asked that the $500 bursary go to a Business Marketing student at Assiniboine Community College. The college added 50% to the $500 bursary and awarded $750 to Ms. Lindsay Webber of Brandon.