Former IPC President to Receive Alberta Order of Excellence

Former International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Dr. Robert Steadward, is one of eight people who will be inducted into the Alberta Order of Excellence (AOE) this month in recognition of his lasting contributions on the provincial, national and international stage.

The AOE is the highest honour the Canadian province of Alberta can bestow on a citizen and it recognizes Albertans who have made long lasting and positive contributions to the province.

As founding IPC President from 1989 to 2001, Dr. Steadward helped to move disability sport out of the hospitals and rehabilitation centres and onto the biggest world sporting stages, helping to reshape attitudes about people with a disability in society in the process.

In addition to his work for the Paralympic Movement, he worked as professor at the University of Alberta as well as founded the Steadward Centre, which provides fitness facilities for persons with a disability.

Besides Steadward, the new members chosen for investiture in 2010 are Philip Currie (Edmonton), Alex Janvier (Cold Lake), Ralph Klein (Calgary), Janice McTighe (Calgary), Louise Miller (Edmonton), Bill Mooney (Calgary) and Reza Nasseri (Edmonton).

The new members will be invested into the Order in a ceremony in Edmonton on Wednesday, 20 October. This will bring the total AOE membership to 109.