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Neil Kobewka, President 
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 With
two years of experience as your PAC Vice-President, I’m honored to be elected
as this year’s President. I look forward to a positive and productive year for
our Club, with many opportunities for strong connection and growth – both
personally and within our group network. PAC is built and maintained through
our combined energies, and I encourage each of you to add your synergy in
creating a Pursuers’ Alumni Club abundant with rich and meaningful experiences.
I
was introduced to the Excellence Series in the fall of 2003 by a close friend
of mine. The last few years have proved to be a most dynamic, challenging, and
rewarding journey of personal growth in my life. I graduated from the
Advancement of Excellence in spring of 2004, and I’ve been part of the PAC
Executive since fall of 2005.
Please
feel free to contact myself, or anyone on the Executive, to pass on your
thoughts or suggestions. Through a combination of your appreciated feedback and
the inspiring energies of my dynamic and passionate Executive team, Pursuers’
Alumni Club will become dramatically more Excellent… and alive!!!
A wise man once (and continues to) encourage me to fully participate in my
life, and I’ve always found good reason to do so. I encourage you to join me! …
I look forward to meeting you at the PAC breakfasts and events. :)
Warmest
regards,
Neil
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Joanne Swensrude, Vice President
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I first took the Pursuit of Excellence in 1988. It really helped me getting going in my career and I gained a whack of confidence. Later that year, I met my husband-to-be. (Coincidence? Hmmm…) In 2004, I decided with all the challenges in my life – parenthood, working, marriage, etc. – that I needed a refresher and took the course again. This time, I continued my learning and made a commitment to myself that I am worth the time and money it takes to make me a happier and more successful person. I took the Wall and the Advancement of Excellence. Boy, did I make the right decision! Today, I have a flexible job, one that allows me to enjoy my family which is my number one priority. This also led to my relationships skyrocketing to a new level. It really is amazing when one realizes what needs to be changed in order to find happiness.
Being on the Executive has proven to be a bonus as I get extra support and on going learning from the other wonderful people in the group.
All of this, along with the fantastic friends I’ve met, has meant “making it” as opposed to “breaking it” for me!!
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Maxine Charlton, Past President
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Tracy Nadiger, Treasurer
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Tracy is woman who keeps herself very busy. She has an infectious laugh and a devious sense of humor. More details will be posted when we next track down our elusive treasurer. Me, I'm going to start looking in the Bahamas.
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Glenn Nemeth, Secretary
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 Since taking the Pursuit of Excellence in August of 2007, I realized that my life was lacking in many areas. And it was time to do something about it!
So in late December I took in the PAC Bowling Bash Extravaganza and followed it up with one of the many breakfast meetings that are held on a monthly basis. Wow, I learnt so much about myself and had so much fun!
I needed more, so I become an Executive Committee Member as Secretary.
Go figure!
This group has surrounded me with nothing but positive influences.
Now, as an Executive Member I have direct access to individuals who always continue to inspire me on a daily basis. It has proven to be with out a doubt the best move in my life. I can honestly say that I have the added edge I need to achieve my own personal growth.
I look forward to sharing my experiences with others and I’m looking forward to meeting the new members that join.
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Rhonda Hunter, Breakfast Coordinator
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 Back in 2005 my sister went to see a Speaker named Kevin
Burns that came to her work and signed up to receive his newsletters. She was
so impressed with the newsletters that she sent one to me one day. I read it
and immediately went to his website and looked around. I listened to his videos
on line and noticed that he was a Context Associated Grad. Curious what Context
Associated was I looked around his website and found a link to the Pursuit of
Excellence. Voila, it was the link to Context Associated. I read on and was
curious, I especially wanted to sign up for the Advancement of Excellence so I
contacted them. I found out there was a prerequisite to taking the Advancement
of Excellence and that you had to take the Pursuit of Excellence then The Wall.
So I reluctantly signed up for the Pursuit of Excellence thinking I was above
that and that all I needed was the Advancement of Excellence, boy was I
mistaken.
I immediately took The Wall the next month and then went
on to take the Advancement of Excellence. I can’t say enough about these
programs. I was doing an assessment of how things in my life have changed and I
was completely impressed. Not only did I have more time and money, my life has
become more fulfilling and my relationships all around have vastly improved. People are more supportive of me and my life
choices and I have more people around me that are winning in life.
Since taking these programs I have assisted in each of
them whenever I can. Assisting has fulfilled my life even more and I get to
give back to society. Also, to mention I
am a mother of four children ranging in ages from 12 to 25 and a grandmother of
a 2 1/2 year old. My children keep me busy as well as my work in the Civil
Engineering field and doing workshops on Card making and Scrapbooking. I am so
pumped to be part of Pursuers of Excellence Alumni Club and look forward to a
great Year!
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Kathy Erickson, Membership Coordinator
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 In 2004, I
had it all, married, two lovely daughters, stay at home mom, and so
on. But, I was unhappy. Something was missing. After several months
of coercing by my good friend, and many conversations with Bobby, I
finally signed up to take the Pursuit of Excellence, without even attending
an intro session. I learned so much about my self in just one weekend,
that I was hungry for more. I continued with the Wall in December of
2004, after which I immediately enrolled in the Advancement of Excellence
in January 2005. I discovered what was missing in my life. I needed
connection with people! I needed to accomplish things throughout my
day, more than changing diapers and mopping floors. I needed to feel
worthy and appreciated for who I am.
So, I obtained a part time job
at the University as a filing clerk for one professor. With the confidence
and personal skills I discovered and built up, I soon became in high
demand and was working for many professors, as well as Alberta Canola
Producers, and Alberta Agriculture, as Administrative Support, and setting
my own hours around my children’s school schedule. I was soon turning
away work as my schedule became more than I could handle. As part of fulfilling
my driving needs, I joined the PAC Executive in 2004 as the Events Coordinator,
then became the Breakfast Coordinator. I have made many wonderful, close
friends through the Excellence Series, and still keep in touch with
them to this day. They know things about me that many other friends
would not, and accept me for who I am.
I have assisted several
of the courses, which I would encourage each and every one of you to
do, if you have not done so already! The learning of my self (again)
in a different light, was phenomenal; it brought me to where I am today.
Through many of life’s challenges and trials, I have recently moved
to Kelowna, BC, where I work from home, and have put my girls first
and foremost in my life. I spend a lot of time volunteering at the school
and on field trips. It is where I belong, with them; they are of utmost
importance to me, and I meet my driving needs through volunteering!!
And, being the dedicated person that I am, I have recently returned
to the PAC Executive as Membership Coordinator, supporting you, my
fellow members, by creating and sending out the emails that you all
receive every month. It is fun, creative, and a great way to stay connected.
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Bobby Ng, Excellence Series Facilitator
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 Bobby
Ng brings a wealth of experience to the service of
clients:
- 15 years of
leading personal development courses
- 54 years in professional public speaking
- and 70 years of life experience.
Starting in 1993 he facilitated programs like
The
Pursuit of Excellence as far west as Parksville BC and Wenatchee WA and
as far east as Rochester, New York.
He is owner, president and program leader
at BNG
Pro Motion Ltd., offering
courses which since 1979 have assisted over 80,000 people to lead happier, more
successful lives.
His broadcasting career began at age 16
with a company that grew into the Philippines’ largest network. This career spanned 39 years in three cities
– Manila, Vancouver and Edmonton.
Among highlights of his broadcasting
career:
- emceed two concerts by The
Beatles, wrote 4 front page articles on them for the Philippines’ #1
newspaper
- conducted celebrity interviews with John Wayne, Ray Charles,
ABBA, Tony Bennett, Paul Anka, Harry
Belafonte, Nana Mouskouri, Anne Murray, the Everly
Brothers, Tom Jones, and others
- covered state visits by President Eisenhower and Gen. Douglas
MacArthur
- hosted a weekly TV dance show and a weekly TV boxing card
- covered basketball leagues, the Asian Games in Indonesia, etc.
In Manila he co-founded a company that grew
into a leading advertising agency, eventually acquiring and operating a major
TV-radio network. For 9 years he served
as vice-president and general manager.
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Maxine completed the Excellence Series in Regina in 1997 (did The Wall in Edmonton). After moving to Edmonton in July of 1998, Maxine joined the PAC Executive as Treasurer that October. Since then she's served on the Executive, taken 21st Century Leadership and assisted many Excellence Series programs. Serving on the Executive and assisting programs keep her focussed on "moving forward with excellence!'" 
I like to think of my life as an incredible journey. It isn't the destination, it is the path to the journey that counts. When I was first introduced to the Excellence Series I was already on a journey of self improvement and self discovery. The program blasted me into realms I only dreamed of.