Rocky View resident Dr. David Chalack received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for his contributions to the field of animal care and to the continued success of the Calgary Stampede, Feb. 6.
The presentation ceremony took place in Ottawaís Rideau Hall with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Governor General David Johnston in attendance.
ìIt was an honour and privilege,î said Chalack, the former president of the Calgary Stampede who hails from the Bearspaw area.
Chalack, a veterinarian, was one of 60 Canadians awarded the medal during the event, which marked the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth IIís accession to the Throne.
Chalack was born in 1950 and raised in the Calgary region, attending Balzacís one-room school before graduating from Cochrane High School.
He is the co-founder and president of Rocky Mountain Holsteins Inc., a livestock business, as well as the Canadian sales and marketing director with Alta Genetics Inc. Chalack was also appointed as the chair of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
ìI am locally grown and raised and have a lot of roots in the community,î said Chalack, who was inducted into the Canadian Agriculture Hall of Fame last November.
Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz also honoured Chalackís contributions.
ìDavid is a leader, and his contributions to the field of livestock genetics and to the success of the Calgary Stampede have raised the profile of Canadian agriculture on the domestic and international stage,î said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz.
ìThe recognition is certainly well deserved.î
The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal will be handed out to 60,000 Canadians in 2012 who have dedicated themselves to their fellow citizens, their community and their country.
