Al Trotter

Al was born in 1922 and lives in Kamloops. He fought in Europe as a pilot where he flew 44 missions before being shot down after a bombing raid on the Opel Car Works in Russelsheim, Germany. He spent 268 days in a prisoner of war. Al endured interrogation, torture and was one of the soldiers involved in the 1,000-mile march from Breslau to Bremen, before finally being freed by Allied forces in 1945. He served the Canadian Armed Forces for 26 years, taking on many duties until he retired as a Lt. Col. in 1970. But his battles weren't over. Al didn't know about a pension supplement that had been set up for veteran POWs in 1976. When he did learn about the supplement in 1991, it took 13 years to get money owed him. He credits MP Betty Hinton for her assistance. "Betty has been working awfully hard. I give her a lot of credit."

Suzi Rawn

"Everyone stops and listens when Suzi gets up and sings. She has charisma." Suzi Rawn was two years old when people first said that.

By 11 she played the guitar and wrote her own songs. At 14 she was singing professionally with her Dad, at 18, Suzi made her first demo tape in Ireland.

King Sized Suzi, her second band, brought together "the cream of Kamloops." They toured BC and Alberta and recorded 2 albums. But by February 2005, Suzi knew that being good wasn't enough. They needed to "get known. On a whim I decided to try out for Canadian Idol."

"I am so absolutely grateful for all the support and opportunity Canadian Idol brought me. I'll carry it with me always. If I can bring people together and inspire them, I've succeeded. That's what music is about."

Suzi Rawn, fourth place, CTV Canadian Idol, 2005.

Paul Tennant

Paul was born in Saskatchewan and raised in Kamloops. After graduating from the University of British Columbia, he obtained his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago as a Woodrow Wilson National Fellow. He then spent a year in the United States Congress as the first Canadian to hold a Congressional Fellowship. Paul has taught at the University of British Columbia since 1966, specializing in local government, British Columbia government and politics, and the politics of aboriginal peoples. He has been adviser to First Nations and municipalities in Alberta, the Yukon, and British Columbia, to the British Columbia, Yukon, and federal governments, to the British Columbia Claims Task Force, the British Columbia Treaty Commission, the Council for Yukon First Nations, and to aboriginal land councils in Australia. Paul is author of Aboriginal Peoples and Politics: The Indian Land Question in British Columbia (UBC Press, 1990).

Jim Clark

Jim was born and died in Kamloops (1917 - 1989), the son of one of Kamloops first Lawyers. After serving Overseas in WWII he settled in the Okanagan with his wife Hazel. In 1952 Jim moved back to Kamloops and worked as City Clerk. He assisted in the amalgamation of Kamloops, North Kamloops and Valleyview. Jim held board or Executive Positions with the School District 24, Kamloops United Church, Sea Cadets, Civil Defense, Cancer Society, Kamloops Museum, and Royal Inland Hospital. Through his tutelage, some of his children and grandchildren continue to contribute to this growing city.

In April 1989 Jim was made a Freeman of the City of Kamloops, a few months before he passed away of ALS. Jim was a quiet gentleman who never sought recognition for his work in the community and is remembered as "a real prince of a man." (from Bobbi Clark)
 

Jann L.M. Bailey

Jann has been the director of the Kamloops Art Gallery since 1987. During her tenure at the KAG Jann has been president of the Western Canada Art Association, the Canadian Art Museum Directors Organization, and the Canadian Museums Association.

She has been on the boards for the Kamloops Centennial Committee, Kamloops Chamber of Commerce, Kamloops Hospice Association, Multi-Cultural Society, the City’s Economic Development Commission, and most recently, on the committee for an arts school in Kamloops. From 1996 to 2000, she worked as a provincial appointee on the board of directors for the Royal British Columbia Museum, and from 1995 to 2001 she was appointed to the board of the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, holding positions of both chair of the Compensation Committee, and Vice President.

In 1993, Jann received the Governor General’s Canada 125 Award; in 1995 the YM/YWCA’s Woman of Distinction Award in the cultural field; and, in 2003, the Queen’s Jubilee Medal.