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JOE MIMRAN
BComm ’76
J
oe Mimran
taught the
world that the
foundation for
success is as
simple as black
and white.
Mimran founded
Club Monaco,
the fashion
retailer known
for its minimalist
style. Today, he is the brains behind
Canada’s biggest clothing brand, Joe
Fresh, with 350 stores across the country.
“I graduated with a Bachelor of
Commerce degree from UWindsor in
1975. It was the toughest educational
experience of my life,” says Mimran,
president and creative director of Mimran
and Associations and creative director of
Joe Fresh. “I am constantly amazed by
how much of that education has stayed
with me.That strong foundation helped
build the rest of my professional career.”
Mimran launched Club Monaco in
1985 and sold it to Polo Ralph Lauren
Corp. in 1999 for $52.5 million. His next
venture, Joseph Mimran & Associates
design consulting firm, developed a
line of private label President’s Choice
housewares and home accessories for
Loblaws/Zehrs stores, and Holt Renfrew’s
private label collection for women.
In 2006, his Joe Fresh revolution in
apparel merchandising—offering smartly
designed, well-priced clothing in the
grocery store environment—took the
fashion world by storm.
Mimran is chair of Fashion Design
Council of Canada and has been involved
with REENA, a group that assists those
living with developmental disabilities.
JOE BOWEN
BA ’73
J
oe Bowen has provided the voice of the Toronto Maple
Leafs for more than 30 years, broadcasting the play-by-
play of more than 3,000 games.
He also gave the blow-by-blow of Muhammad Ali’s last
fight, three Toronto Rock World Championship Games and
the 1981 Trevor Berbick vs Larry Holmes World Title Fight.
Bowen began sports broadcasting right after graduation,
and began calling games for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1982.
Currently, he and Greg Millen call 41 games annually on
television with either Rogers Sportsnet or Leafs TV. He teams up
with Jim Ralph for the remaining games and any playoff contests
on Talk 640 Radio Network. He is also the host of Molson
Canadian Leaf Classic games on Leafs TV digital channel.
Bowen is a strong supporter of leukemia research since his own son Sean beat the
dreaded disease.The alumnus acts as guest speaker and MC for the annual UFCW
Leukemia Celebrity Golf Classic, now named in his honour. He is also very involved with
the Beer Store’s Returns for Leukemia annual fundraiser in conjunction with UFCW
local 12R24, which raised more than $1.7 million in 2013.
His trademark cry of, “Holy Mackinaw!” is now emblazoned on a Leaf T-shirt with
proceeds going to Leukemia Research.
Bowen received the Fred Sgambati Award from the Canadian Children’s Foundation
in 1988 and the Barbara Frum National Media Award from the Leukemia and
Lymphoma Society of Canada in 2008.
In 2011, he joined the University of Windsor Alumni Sports Hall of Fame.
KATHRYN BERNARD
BSc ’76
K
athryn Bernard is the only University of Windsor graduate who has a bacterium
named in her honour.
Bernard heads the Special Bacteriology Unit National Microbiology Laboratory
at Public Health Agency of Canada where she and her team of scientists provide
emergency response to bioterrorism and biocrimes on behalf of Health Canada. She is
also lecturer in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Manitoba.
Her work encompasses everything from analyzing the contents of “suspicious” packages
and letters that may contain bioweapons, to providing on-site response services for high-
profile events like the G-8 Summit held in Kananaskis, Alta., in 2002.
“I find (my job) just fascinating. It’s like detective work,” she says. “When you figure
it out, it’s very satisfying. It is also very satisfying to be able to contribute to improving
the health of Canadians.”
In addition to developing the proper diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics and research
tools to fight bacterial agents, Bernard also researches new bacterial strains. In fact, she
is the only living Canadian to have a bacterium,
Actinomyces bernardiae,
named after her.
The scientist’s work was instrumental in identifying the rare pathogen, which invades
the bloodstream and produces symptoms such as chills and fever.
In 2001, Bernard was the recipient of a Queen’s Golden Jubilee and Head of the
Privy Council awards.
