Donald Knudsen.
Winner of the Manning Award of Distinction for Innovation.
The following is quoted from the Annual Report of the Canadian Industrial Innovation Centre, Waterloo Ontario.
Donald Knudsen, President of Knudsen Engineering of Perth, Ontario, was presented with a $25,000 Award of Distinction at the recent Manning Awards held in Toronto on September 22, 1989. Mr. Knudsen received the award for conceiving, designing, and manufacturing the Digital Acoustic lmaging System (DAISY).
DAISY is sophisticated sonar equipment that has both civilian and military applications including offshore oil and gas operations, diver support and under-ice navigation for submarines and submersibles. The equipment allows for rapid, high-resolution visual images of underwater objects.
The Manning Awards are named after Ernest C. Manning, a Premier of Alberta for 25 years, a Canadian senator, and a director of numerous corporations. Through his career, Manning has been a strong supporter of innovative endeavors and enterprising ideas. The awards were established in 1982 to help stimulate, encourage, and support the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship in Canada.
Other winners of the 1989 Manning Awards include: Dr. Frank Gunston from Brandon, Manitoba, who won the $100,000 Principal Award for designing and building the total replacement knee that is the basis for designs now being installed worldwide; Rick Hansen, who received a $25,000 Award of Distinction for his successful effort to make the population more aware of the capabilities of the handicapped; John Hards of Vancouver, B.C., and Dennis Johnson of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.