The Holland College Foundation has named Kent MacPhee, Marsha Doiron, and Wayne Young as recipients of its fifteenth annual Distinguished Alumni Awards.

Foundation Board Chair Kent Scales said that the 2022 recipients are being honoured for their accomplishments and commitment to their chosen professions.

“Kent, Marsha, and Wayne are all incredible examples of what a Holland College education, coupled with hard work, can do. This year’s recipients join a prestigious group of Holland College alumni whose collective leadership in their industries and their communities has been remarkable.”

Kent MacPhee – Business Administration, 1984

Kent MacPhee graduated from Holland College in 1984 with a diploma in Business Administration. MacPhee realized early on in life that he thrived while working with people, and he often worked more than one job at a time. Early in his career, MacPhee entered the business process outsourcing industry and joined On-Line Support. As Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer, he led the dynamic growth of this P.E.I. based start up to unprecedented growth across Eastern Canada. Establishing relationships with several Fortune 500 companies, he facilitated openings of nine centres throughout Ontario and Eastern Canada while growing the company from its original 30 people to 1,700. In P.E.I., the company quickly became one of the three largest employers in the private sector.

His next adventure with local investors was the acquisition of Charlottetown-based Advantage Communications Inc. Once again, he was able to grow a smaller local company by establishing global relationships and leading international expansion. As President and CEO, he led the growth from 100 employees to over 1,000, including expansion in the Maritimes, Kingston, Jamaica, and Mexico.

MacPhee has received many honours and awards over the years, and in 2015 he was a finalist in EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year, Technology and Communications, Atlantic Region. In 2017, he decided to step back from active duty with Advantage Communications Inc. to pursue other ventures, but he has stayed with the company as a consultant and Chairman of the Board of Directors.

In 2018, he and his business partner purchased Claddagh Holdings Inc., parent company of two iconic restaurants in Charlottetown, The Claddagh Oyster House, and The Olde Dublin Pub. In 2021, the duo opened a new restaurant called The Local Pub and Oyster Bar.

MacPhee has served his community through his long-standing commitment to his local church, both as an elder and as a member of the board. He has chaired multiple fundraisers for many organizations, has sat on a variety of boards and advisory committees, and has taught youth public speaking.

MacPhee’s commitment and work ethic is admirable. From the time of his graduation, he was a visionary, known as a compassionate and caring individual, focusing on the core value that every person mattered in a company. His commitment to customer service contributed greatly to his company’s overall success. He demonstrates that the value of a Holland College education, hard work, commitment, and a passion for customer service is a winning combination. 

Marsha Doiron – Travel Counsellor, 1989; Business Administration, 1994

Marsha Doiron, a two-time graduate of Holland College, has become an influential leader in the hospitality, leisure, travel, and tourism industry. Doiron graduated from Holland College’s Travel Counsellor program in 1989 and graduated again in 1994 with a diploma in Business Administration. In addition to her two diplomas from Holland College, she was employed as the Manager of Ancillary Services at Holland College from 2008-2012.

In 2012 she joined Coach Atlantic Group where she became co-owner and took on the role of Vice President of Marketing and Development. Under her leadership, Coach Atlantic Group became one of the longest-running sightseeing tour companies in P.E.I. She has since sold her shares in Coach Atlantic Group. In 2013, She obtained her MBA from UPEI, and in 2019 she completed the Customer Experience Leadership Training program at the Disney Institute.

After Doiron and her husband, Adam, sold Coach Atlantic Group, she started a new company, Level Up Consulting and Training, which is a training and consulting company focusing on helping companies provide excellent customer service. In this new role, she continues to be a vital contributor to the tourism industry in P.E.I. with her education, vast experience, and energetic personality.

In 2021 Doiron opened Cottage Life Boutique in Cavendish, which has quickly become a popular destination for tourists. Also in 2021, she and her husband opened a Mezza Lebanese Kitchen franchise in Moncton, New Brunswick. In the same year, she participated as a contestant in Dancing with the Stars, a fundraising event put on by Hospice PEI, winning the People’s Choice award and raising over $20,000. In 2022, the Doiron’s purchased The Prince Edward Island Preserve Company in New Glasgow, P.E.I.

As an active member of the Island community, she has sat on the Board of Directors with Discover Charlottetown, Meetings & Conventions PEI, the Greater Charlottetown Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Association of PEI, and the PEI Business Women’s Association, and she currently sits on the Board of Directors of Central Coastal Tourism Partnership. She keeps in tune with the community by exchanging ideas, opportunities, and challenges through the Startup Zone’s Coffee Chats, and has been a facilitator with UPEI’s Sustainable Tourism and Tourism Management program. Doiron has a great love and passion for the Island, which she has demonstrated throughout her career.

Doiron is a solid example of an individual with an entrepreneurial spirit and a go-getter attitude who, through hard work and dedication, has led and continues to lead a fulfilling career in P.E.I. She embraces the desire for life-long learning, and after 25 years in the tourism industry, continues to come up with new and fresh ideas to better the industry in which she works. In addition to her robust career, she is a loving and proud mother of three beautiful children, Breagh, Kyle, and Porter. She is a passionate Islander who gives her time and talent to bettering our communities in many ways.

Wayne Young – Journalism, 1978

Wayne Young graduated from the Journalism program at Holland College in 1978. He went on to work at several daily newspapers including the Amherst Daily News, The Guardian, and The Journal Pioneer, first in layout and design, then for many years as a reporter/photographer, and later as a bureau manager, editorialist, managing editor, and opinion page columnist.

In 1996, Young moved from the editor’s desk at The Journal-Pioneer in Summerside to the Journalism instructor’s office at Holland College in Charlottetown, where he worked until his retirement in 2019.

Through his captivating writing in daily and weekly newspapers and his thoughtful approach to teaching in the journalism program, he has touched the lives of many on and off the Island. His impact on his students is evident in many tangible ways. In fact, one of his former students established an award in his name and honour. She said she wanted to create a legacy for Wayne and to acknowledge the impact he had on his students.

Entering Young’s classroom for the first time, students quickly learned how passionate he was about the field of journalism, and how important they would feel here. Students loved him as a teacher because he was easy to talk to and he was genuinely interested in their lives and well-being.

Teaching in and of itself is a service to the community, where students are shown how to conduct themselves in a professional setting. However, Young went well above and beyond that. He did everything in his power to ensure his students would graduate feeling confident in themselves and their skills.

In the application for this honour, several students offered first-hand stories on how his influence on them directly impacted the trajectory of their lives and careers. Young inspires others to be the best version of themselves. He has been a leader in the field of journalism and has left an indelible mark in the classroom and on his students. (Photo courtesy Guardian/SaltWire Network)

MacPhee, Doiron, and Young join past recipients Lloyd Compton, Carolyn Simpson. Robert Morris, Vince McKenna, Harvey Stewart, Dawn Rix-Moore, Brian Burke, Chris Murray, Cheryl Roche, Jan Cowper, Irwin MacKinnon, David Poirier, Melody Dover, John Sylvester, Melanie Wildman, Scott Annear, Patti Larsen, David Trainor, Wayne Stewart, Cory LeDrew, Kevin Proude, Sue LeFort, Delaney Chisholm, Norma Lee MacLeod, John Ledwell, Paul Livingston, Robert Webster, Barry Sheen, Kathy Ward Doucette, Steven Barber, Tim Banks, Louise Vessey, David Garcelon, Basil Stewart, Jeff Poirier, Eva O'Hanley, Jamie Hill, Sonya Corrigan, Alan MacLeod, Steven Collicutt, John Avery, Brent Blackmore, Alanna Jankov, and Kevin O'Brien as Holland College Distinguished Alumni. A display celebrating all alumni who have been honoured with the award is located at the college’s Prince of Wales Campus in Charlottetown.

Jo-Ann Campbell-Boutilier, Holland College’s Executive Director, Foundation and Alumni, said that celebrating the achievements of graduates is a priority for Holland College.

“We have nearly 50,000 alumni across the globe, and we are so proud of the impact they are making worldwide” said Campbell-Boutilier. “We can’t wait to celebrate Kent, Marsha, and Wayne and their incredible accomplishments. All three serve as a wonderful example to current and future students.”

Find out how to nominate an alumnus of Holland College for a Distinguished Alumni Award here, or by e-mailing alumni@hollandcollege.com. Nominations are accepted year-round.