Principal Daniel Woolf (far left) and Calgary Branch President Jeremy Mosher (far right) present Mike Rose and Sue Riddell Rose with the Johnson Award.

By Communications Staff

Mike Rose (Artsci'79) and Susan Riddell Rose (Sc’86) were awarded the Queen’s University Alumni Association’s Johnson Award, the highest honour bestowed by the association’s Calgary Branch. Principal Daniel Woolf, who was on hand to present the award at a recent ceremony in Calgary, spoke about the couple’s dedication to Queen’s and the Calgary community.

“I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Mike and Sue a little bit over the last few years and can say that I’ve been inspired by both their dedication to their community and their deep commitment to Queen’s,” says Principal Woolf. “They know the importance of community and the rewards of giving back, as did Ernie and Edna Johnson, for whom this award is named.”

Mr. Rose and Mrs. Riddell Rose are active philanthropists and volunteers with numerous organizations, including Queen’s University, UNICEF Canada, Alberta Children’s Hospital, United Way of Calgary, and the Premier’s Council for Alberta’s Promise, as well as coaching youth baseball and hockey.

“We focus on youth, education, health, and sports,” says Mrs. Riddell Rose. “There are an infinite number of organizations that need funding, all of which are extremely important. Queen’s fits in on the education part.”

Mr. Rose, who studied geology at Queen’s and started several successful oil and gas companies, is president and CEO of Tourmaline Oil Corp. Mrs. Riddell Rose, who studied geological engineering at Queen’s, is the president and CEO of Perpetual Energy Inc. They both highly value their Queen’s experience.

“We made some of our best, lifelong friends while at university. I still have tons of vivid, fun memories. Attending Queen’s was one of the highlights of my development,” says Mike.

Despite busy careers and raising three boys, the pair believe it is important to find the time to volunteer and invest in Queen’s and the Calgary community.

“Mike and I have a full life. We have each other, a wonderful family, many friends and colleagues and enriching and challenging careers. We are blessed to know many wonderful people and be a part of solutions in the community,” says Sue. “Charitable work is something we have found really rewarding. It’s always been a part of us. Mike and I like to do what we think is the right thing. Kids are the future and that’s where we can really make an impact.”