News Release
NR-07.075 - August 10, 2007
OTTAWA - The Honourable Gordon O’Connor, Minister
of National Defence, is proud to announce the appointment of three notable
Canadians to honorary ranks.
Brigadier-General (Ret’d) Ernest Barton Beno,
OMM, CD, has been appointed Colonel Commandant, The Royal Regiment
of Canadian Artillery.
Dr. Neville G. Poy, OC, has been appointed Honorary Colonel,
The Queen's York Rangers, after serving as that unit’s Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel.
Colonel (Ret’d) Z.M. Zawislak, OMM, has been appointed
Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel, 735 (Winnipeg) Communication Regiment.
Honorary
rank is granted to persons who have rendered distinguished service to the Canadian
Forces (CF) or who, from an educational or administrative point of view, are
likely to promote the well being of the CF.
“We are proud to be able to count these individuals among our numbers,” said
Minister O’Connor. “Their commitment to Canada and to the CF is
significant, and it is appropriate that we recognize their steadfast dedication
through these appointments. Figures of leadership are important, and I am certain
they will make a difference within the units that nominated them.”
Appointee bios:
Brig.-Gen. (Ret’d) Beno devoted 37 years to the CF
before retiring in 1997. He first served as a Gunner/Lance Bombardier with
42 Medium Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery. He was commissioned in 1964.
He attended Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College in 1970, and in
1973 completed the British Army Instructor-in-Gunnery course. Brig.-Gen. (Ret’d)
Beno was promoted major in 1976 and assumed command of 1 Airborne Battery,
First Canadian Airborne Regiment until its disbandment. In 1977, he was appointed
Battery Commander E Battery (Para), 2 RCHA. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel
in 1980, received a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University
of New Brunswick, and assumed command of 2 RCHA. He attended the National Defence
College of Canada, and in 1987 was appointed Deputy Commander of the Special
Service Force. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Military Merit in
1989. In 1990 he earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from
Queen’s University. He has served as Director General Reserves and Cadets
and Director General Military Personnel.
Currently, Brig.-Gen. (Ret’d) Beno is a consultant in human resources
training and management, professional development, contingency planning and
emergency response management. Brig.-Gen. (Ret’d) Beno holds memberships
in many military associations and organizations. He and his wife, Mia Johanna
(Holland) Beno, live in Kingston, Ont.
Dr. Poy was educated at McGill University, where he earned
both his Undergraduate in Science and Post-Graduate in Surgery. He served for
15 years as Director of the Scarborough General Hospital Burn Unit. He subsequently
owned an ambulatory surgical unit for cosmetic surgery. He retired from clinical
practice in 1995, and a year later took up as a new career his lifelong enjoyment
of fine-art photography. Since retiring he has remained active in the
community. An award in his name was created at McGill University in 1994. Dr.
Poy holds many honours including the Officer of the Order of Canada, to which
he was appointed in 1998, in recognition of being an "internationally
renowned plastic surgeon whose extensive research in trauma has greatly improved
the quality of medical care received by accident victims” as well as
the Honour of Recognition as a Canadian Volunteer, which he received in 1991.
Dr. Poy and his wife, Senator Vivienne Poy, have three children and three grandchildren,
and reside in Toronto.
Col. (Ret’d) Zawislak enrolled in the militia and was
transferred to the 10th Independent Signal Squadron in 1961 as signalman. He
progressed through the ranks, and was commissioned in 1972. He commanded
735 (Winnipeg) Communications Squadron and was promoted major in 1975. When
the squadron was reorganized as a regiment, then Major Zawislak was appointed
its first commanding officer. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel in 1978, and
in 1980 relinquished command of 735 Regiment to accept an appointment with
Prairie Militia Area. Subsequently, he was attached to Manitoba-Lakehead District.
Col. (Ret’d) Zawislak was appointed an Officer of the Order of Military
Merit in 1991. He retired from the CF in January 2001 and transferred to the
Supplementary Reserve list. In his civilian career, Col. (Ret’d) Zawislak
worked at Motor Coach Industries in Winnipeg as Director of Information Security.
Currently, he is an IT consultant and the owner of a military art print business.
He is active in a number of professional and voluntary organizations. His
hobbies include amateur radio, computers, photography and golf. Col. (Ret’d)
Zawislak and his wife, Jo-Ann, have two sons and reside in Winnipeg.
Appointments as Colonel Commandant are restricted to former officers of the
Canadian Forces who, normally, held the rank of colonel or above upon retirement.
Honorary Colonels may be appointed for each unit that is commanded by a lieutenant-colonel,
except units within a regiment that has a Colonel of the Regiment. Honorary
Lieutenant-Colonels may be appointed for each unit that is commanded by a lieutenant-colonel
or a major.
The responsibilities of honorary appointments include fostering esprit de corps,
developing, promoting and sustaining strong community support for the unit,
establishing and maintaining liaison with unit charities and associations,
establishing and maintaining a liaison with the commander as well as with other
persons with honorary appointments, participating in parades and official functions
in which the unit takes part, and advising the unit’s commander.
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