March 19, 2018

Medicine Hat College is excited to announce Warren Vancuren as Business Person of the Year. He will be honoured at Building Future Leaders (formerly known as Connecting Students to Business) on March 28, 2018; an annual event that focuses on helping students succeed in the workplace by connecting them with business people in the community. 

Vancuren currently operates Medicine Hat Brewing Company with his wife and two sons.

He got his first taste of entrepreneurship when he helped his parents run and upgrade a motel in Melfort, Saskatchewan. Following that endeavour he had several companies in the oil and gas industry throughout Saskatchewan and Southern Alberta. He has also owned and developed land in the Box Springs area for commercial and industrial use. 

“There are a lot of well-known business leaders in our community, so to be nominated and selected was something that I didn’t expect. My success is to be shared with all the people that have been part of my business team throughout the years - my various business partners and the great mentors who have worked with me,” says Vancuren. 

As part of the program, the local entrepreneur will have a chance to share his story with attendees, something that Karl Schwonik, associate dean of business at MHC, feels will benefit students.

“Warren is an excellent mentor for our students because of his experience, entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to learn from mistakes. Business is not always perfect and in speaking with Warren he, like most of us, has made mistakes along the way. During those times he has embraced opportunities and grown exponentially both personally and professionally.”

Schwonik also commends Vancuren for his generosity to the communities that he serves and his forward-thinking approach to business.

“In his career, Warren has been fortunate to be a part of growth industries and is currently a part of one of the largest business trends of the decade, micro-brewing. Being at the forefront of these trends will no doubt be a benefit for MHC students as they interact with Warren over the next year.”

Building Future Leaders is organized by the Business Ambassador Students (BAS) with support from a committee of MHC staff and faculty. Tickets are available until March 23, 2018. For more information visit www.mhc.ab.ca/buildingfutureleaders.