Gerald Pronyk, graduated from Selkirk Mental Health Centre (SMHC) in 1964. He went on to obtain his nursing degree from the University of Saskatchewan. In 1968, Gerald returned to SMHC where he worked as the Education Director of the School of Psychiatric Nursing until 1972, and as the Senior Nursing Administrative Officer from 1972 until 1991. Gerald was a major proponent for professionalizing psychiatric nursing education. He worked to transform a three year service orientated psychiatric nursing program into a rigorous two year degree program with the University of Winnipeg. Further consolidation of three diploma programs in the late 80’s and early 90’s led to the Baccalaureate Program in Psychiatric Nursing at Brandon University. Gerald also played an active role in enhancing facility-based standards for mental health care across Canada through twenty five years of participation in the Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation. This involved pioneering work in developing minimum standards and key competencies for care facilities in mental health, long term care, acute care, ambulatory care, community mental health, forensic services, prisons, addictions and other special care facilities. Between 1991 and 2005 he worked to strengthen provincial mental health services with the Manitoba Health Department. Major areas of focus included the provision of high quality mental health services as close to a person’s residence as possible; the construction and implementation of acute care mental health facilities and programs in each of Brandon, Dauphin, The Pas, Portage La Prairie and Thompson; implementing new Forensic Services at SMHC, and; in partnership with Justice, Family Services, Correction Service Canada and Canadian Mental Health Association, developing case management programs for high risk individuals in the community. Gerald is currently retired in Winnipeg, and remains active on the Boards of St Joseph’s Residence, Rossbrook House, the Catholic Foundation of Manitoba, and the Knights of Columbus. He and his wife Lydia have also become fervent travellers with recent trips to Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and South America.