When Marilyn Young was informed that she'd been selected as Lakeland College's 2023 Distinguished Alumna, she thought there had been a mistake.

“I thought they didn't have the right person,” the Class of 1997 business administration alumna explains. “That's just me. Sometimes you don't really feel that you are worth of these acknowledgements. I'm very humbled by it and it's quite an honour. But I see these as just the sort of things you should be doing.”

She was assured there was no mistake, as her contributions and accomplishments have been instrumental to building the Lloydminster community.

Daughter of a WWII vet and an English war bride, Young was born in Red Deer, Alta., and moved to Vermilion in the fifth grade when her father took a position working for Veteran's Affairs. She graduated high school, went to Edmonton to attend the University of Alberta, and became a teacher in the city. She moved to Lloydminster after meeting and marrying Gary Young.

“Gary was born and raised in the area and he was a real business person,” Young says. “That was his passion. That was our life. We did all our business ventures together.”

Their business ventures included the Smitty's restaurant at the Lloyd Mall from 1975 to 2007. After passing the restaurant on to new owners, they launched their new business, the Holiday Inn, alongside a business partner. After that, they built the Hampton Inn and were partners in establishing the Three Trees Tap & Kitchen.

Along the way, Young realized there were some aspects of being a businessperson that could not be learned on the job. That's when she turned to Lakeland College to learn them.

“My background is in biological sciences, chemistry and teaching,” she explains. “When I got into all this, I realized there were a lot of things I need to know. I knew there was a great business program at Lakeland. I was in my mid-forties but I just built up my courage and went. When you go back and everybody's the age of your children, it's really fun but it does take a lot of courage.”

Young credits her Lakeland education with giving her the skills she needed to provide the practical partnership her husband Gary needed.

“Gary was the idea man,” Young says. “He thought outside the box. But it's always nice to have that other person to research with you and help make decisions to make those thoughts possible. Taking the business program gave me a better understanding of the world of business, how to analyze how businesses were doing and that kind of thing. It was wonderful. I benefitted from it so much over the years.”

Their business partnerships had changed over the years, with management companies taking over the day-to-day work as they became stakeholders in more hotels across the province. Gary passed away in 2020 and Young has stayed active in her business relationships.

“I've kept up those relationships and partnerships because I enjoy it,” she says. “You don't get in and out of business ventures easily.”

Alongside her business ventures, Young has also been involved in the Lloydminster community in many ways. Among them, she served on the board of directors for the Lloydminster Region Health Foundation (LRHF) for nearly a decade in early 2000s. She helped start the fundraising gala for local health care needs. She is also a member of the United Church, heavily involved in volunteering there and part of the outreach program for people dealing with food insecurity.

“I've always believed you have to be part of things if it's something you really believe in,” she explains. “When I first started on the board of directors for the LRHF, people couldn't understand why they should contribute to healthcare when it was the government's responsibility. One of our big roles was to promote the idea that healthcare is all of our responsibilities. If we want to have the latest things in our community, which we need, we have to be part of it. I'm so happy to see how it has morphed to today, where people are so ready to step up to be part of making things happen in the community. If you want things to happen in your community, you have to be part of it. How else are things going to happen?”

It's with great honour that Lakeland College inducts Marilyn Young, Class of 1997, to the Alumni Wall of Distinction.

Photos: Top - Marilyn Young. Bottom - Marilyn addresses the graduating class of 2023 at convocation.