Each year, RRC Polytech presents an Honorary Diploma or Degree to an individual or individuals who demonstrate high standards of excellence in their personal and professional achievements, and whose involvement in the community is widely recognized.

RRC Polytech is pleased to present the 2026 Honorary Diploma in Child and Youth Care to Ron Brown, and the Honorary Degree, Bachelor of Technology in Advanced Manufacturing.

Ron Brown recently retired as President and CEO of BGC Winnipeg (formerly Boys and Girls Club of Winnipeg), concluding a remarkable 16-year tenure dedicated to empowering children, youth, and families across the community. Prior to joining BGC Winnipeg, he built an extensive career in sport administration and high-performance coaching, earning a reputation as a respected leader both on and off the field.

“Throughout my career I have seen many young people who have changed their life’s trajectory by way of a post-secondary education. RRC Polytech has been a leader in this area in Manitoba, and it is both an honour and a privilege to have this honour bestowed on me by an institution I respect deeply,” said Brown.

A lifelong community builder, Ron remains deeply engaged in civic and volunteer leadership. He currently serves as Chair of the Board of Governors at MITT, is a board member of Sport Manitoba, and serves as Vice-President of the Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg. He has also been named the incoming Campaign Chair for the United Way Winnipeg 2027 fundraising campaign.

In recognition of his outstanding contributions to sport, leadership, and community service, Ron has been inducted into four Sports Halls of Fame, including the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and the North American Indigenous Athletics Hall of Fame. Earlier this year, he received the prestigious BGC Canada Visionary Award for his lasting impact and leadership.

A proud Winnipegger since 1974, Ron is also a proud member of the Annapolis Valley Mi’kmaq First Nation in Nova Scotia. When he’s not volunteering or serving the community, he enjoys spending time with family at the cottage in Ponemah, reading, travelling, and cheering on the Winnipeg Jets, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and Denver Broncos.

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Dr. Gerry Price holds B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics. In 1977, Gerry joined E.H. Price Limited (now Price Industries Limited) and became President in 1986.

“I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition. We are happy to support students to partially relieve their financial pressures, so that they can concentrate on their studies and be the best they can be. In addition, since world class manufacturing today requires automation, process control and robotics skills that were not commonplace many years ago, we are happy to support Red River College Polytech in its efforts to impart these new skills to manufacturing engineers of the future, so that they can build rewarding careers and make meaningful contributions to their industries and communities across Manitoba,” said Dr. Price.

As Chairman and CEO of Price Industries, Dr. Price has grown the company from 250 employees to more than 4,400 employees with 18 sales offices and 25 manufacturing sites across North America, Australia and New Zealand. Despite branching out to sites across the globe, Dr. Price has kept his headquarters in Winnipeg, Canada.

Price Industries is now a leader in air distribution equipment and technology. Manufactured products range from HVAC mechanical products to transit windows, aluminum extrusions and other industrial products. Each Price business is a market leader in its category as a result of operating in the “Price Way” – a focus on customer service, operating in a principled way, and investing in new technologies to better serve their customers.

In 2023, the Price Family Foundation provided a $10-million gift to RRC Polytech, supporting the establishment of the Price Institute of Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics. The Price Institute empowers RRC Polytech to bridge critical skills and labour gaps, spur applied research activities within small-to-medium enterprise (SME) employers, and foster an innovation ecosystem where industry-education partnerships shift the technologies disrupting the sector from threats to opportunities.

In addition to this gift, the Price Family Foundation continues to provide financial support to hundreds of manufacturing and engineering students at RRC Polytech through Price Scholarships.

As a key employer in the community, Gerry and his wife Barb give back in a substantial way to a variety of charitable organizations through the Price Family Foundation.