More than 100 business and community leaders joined tournament honouree John F. Wood and Conestoga President John Tibbits for the ninth annual Conestoga Golf Classic at Rebel Creek Golf Club in Petersburg, Ont., on August 23. The outcome was one of the most successful in the event's history.
This year's event has raised approximately $80,000 to be used towards the acquisition of a robotic welding cell for instructional programs at Conestoga's campus in Guelph. The Guelph campus is noted for its emphasis on technical and skilled trades education, and is a centre for industrial and automated welding training, from basic skills to apprenticeship studies to welding and manufacturing engineering.
Robotic welding cells are found increasingly in advanced manufacturing industries, where they are essential for improving and maintaining precision and productivity. These highly sophisticated, multi-axis machines are computer programmed for specific, accurate, high-quality tasks in repetitive-motion manufacturing applications. Yet because of their programming capacity and production flexibility, these cells can perform multiple tasks and change tasks rapidly to conform to production needs and demands. Industry requires highly skilled employees who have knowledge of and practical experience with such equipment, and Conestoga will be in an excellent position to extend its reputation for excellence in welding education.
The Conestoga Golf Classic has two aims - to recognize an outstanding, successful, forward-looking community business or industrial leader and to raise funds to advance Conestoga's mandate of providing practical education which contributes directly to economic growth and prosperity. Funds are used for purposes such as scholarships, student computer labs, instructional equipment, specialized learning facilities, and development of academic curriculum and programs.
John Wood is President and Chief Executive Officer of Guelph-based W.C. Wood Company, an internationally known and respected manufacturer of home appliances.
In his address at the Golf Classic dinner, Mr. Wood commented, "We all like to be associated with success and when it comes to education, I know of no better way to be associated with success than to be associated with Conestoga . . . a very fine, growing and productive institution."
In its nine-year history, the Golf Classic has raised almost $400,000 in total for Conestoga.
CONTACT: Ingrid Town, 519-748-5220, ext. 3490, itown@conestogac.on.ca