Outstanding Service Award recognizes heavy duty support for VIU

May 31, 2010 - 3:18am

“A


delightful surprise.”




That’s how


Ross Somerville describes his feelings about receiving this year’s Outstanding


Service Award from Vancouver Island University.


Somerville


will receive the special honour at VIU’s Faculty of Trades and Applied


Technology graduation ceremony June 25.. The award recognizes


Somerville’s outstanding service to VIU over many years.


“This is


completely unexpected and I am deeply humbled,” he said.


Somerville


retired in January 2009 as Sales and Marketing Director at Cummins Western


Canada after 30-plus years of service. During his career, he supported VIU


Trades and Applied Technology Department by arranging donations to the Heavy


Duty mechanic program from Cummins Western Canada. The total value of these


donations is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.


The list of


donated items range from software to a 700-horsepower diesel engine with


computer-controlled engine systems. The donations were mainly focused on the


Heavy Duty /Commercial Transport program, but the Power Sports and Marine


Technician program also recently received a complete new diesel engine/stern


drive package valued at $35,000.


Somerville


also developed and taught two courses in Leadership and Supervisory Skills in


the Trades program for two separate cohorts, in addition to his regular job


with Cummins Western Canada.


“Ross not


only did an amazing job in the development and instruction of these courses but


he took the salary he had earned from VIU and put it back to VIU students


through a bursary,” said Fred MacDonald, Dean of Trades and Applied Technology


at VIU. “He is a person who has demonstrated in word and action his dedication


to student learning and to VIU.”


Somerville


started his career as a marine engineer on the Great Lakes. After a few years,


he thought it would be more fun on land and became an apprentice mechanic.


After


earning his Red Seal certification, he started working for Cummins Engine


Company in eastern Canada as regional service manager. He was promoted to Sales


Manager at the company’s western Canada office.


Years ago,


Somerville met Dan Lines, former Associate Dean of VIU’s Trades and Technology


program
and Heavy Duty Mechanics Instructor Paul Mottershead.


 “Paul was always very


helpful to us at Cummins and, like Dan, was one of the reasons we choose VIU


for most of our contributions,”he


said.


“I had a


soft spot in my heart for VIU, so they got bulk of the donated goodies,” said


Somerville. “They had the deepest roots in the industry that we earned our


living in. VIU truly teaches young people the diesel business. So I thought


they should have the latest equipment on which to train students.”


“It was a


great opportunity to give back to the industry that had been so good to us.”


Today,


Somerville is enjoying retirement at his home on Protection Island with his


wife Joan. They have two children.


He’s


rekindled his love of marine life by launching a second career driving the ‘pickle


boats’ between Newcastle Island and Maffeo Sutton Park.


“There’s


nothing better than being on the water,” he said. “It soothes the system.”


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