NAMES IN THE NEWS

The BCYHA welcomes these new members: Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel, Richmond; Le Chamois Resort Hotel, Whistler; Barriere Motor Inn; Thriftlodge Rossland; Harbourside Motel, Nanaimo; Delta Vancouver Suites; and the Sandman Signature Hotel Vancouver Airport, Richmond. DJN Wholesale Blind Factory Ltd. is a new associate member.

Congratulations to the new general managers at the following properties: Lou Roelofsen, Best Western Chemainus Festival Inn; Steve Pauls, The Kalamalka Hotel; Joan Kysar, Maquinna Resort; Kyle McGregor, Ramada Plaza Hotel & Conference Centre; Matthew McMartin, Whistler Village Inn and Suites; Doug Andrews, Coast Sundance Lodge; Barry Hall, 108 Resort & Conference Centre; Brian Pilbeam, Crystal Lodge; Jared Beaton, Harrison Beach Hotel; Thaylin Parrish, Best Western Emerald Isle; Sam Kirsch, Four Points by Sheraton - Prince George; Greg Condon, Residence Inn by Marriott - Vancouver; Linda Hagen, Coast Tsawwassen Inn; Paul Drummond, Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort & Conference Centre, Cliff MacDougall, Waldorf Hotel; Peter Bueschkens, Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites - Osoyoos; Elfriede Schmoll, Sandman Hotel -Victoria; Hertha Zabawski, Sandman Inn - Princeton; Ravindra Jadhav, Travelodge - Vancouver Lions Gate; Rita Jeanne, The Good Knight Inn, Cache Creek; and Edel Forristal, Loden Vancouver. Bellstar Hotel & Resorts will now manage the English Inn & Resort. The Saxon Inn of Armstrong is now known as the Armstrong Inn.

The Thompson Hotel & Conference Centre, in Kamloops, has been awarded a four Green Key ECOmmodation rating by the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC), to recognize its commitment to environmental sustainability.

Daniel Edward Craig, general manager of the Opus Hotel Vancouver, has drawn from his many years of experience in the hotel industry to write a riveting murder mystery set in a luxurious New York hotel. Daniel’s debut novel, Murder at the Universe, was reviewed by Publishers Weekly as “a sparkling debut” and “an erudite whodunit”.
For over twenty years, Patricia Cashin has been Executive Director of BC Lodging and Campgrounds Association where she has been instrumental in expanding the reach and role of this accommodation sector, promoting excellence, standards, and training. An industry visionary known for her passion, straightforward approach, and seemingly endless energy, Patricia is planning to retire at the end of September 2007. She describes her work in tourism as profoundly rewarding and hopes to continue in a lesser role in the months ahead as a reliable media resource on accommodation industry and management related issues. 

The Council of Tourism Associations (COTA) of BC is pleased to announce the following board officer and committee appointments to its Board of Directors:

Officers:
Board Chair: Jim Storie, Owner, Vancouver Trolley Company
First Vice-Chair: David Littlejohn, Owner/Operator of the Living Forest Ocean Campground, Nanaimo
Treasurer and Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee: Dave Donaldson, Bo’ness Consulting
Immediate Past Chair and Chair of the Nominations & Governance Committee: Michael Campbell, Managing Partner of the Best Western Inn at Penticton

Directors: 
Dave Butler, Director of Land and Resources, Canadian Mountain Holidays, Cranbrook
Pat Corbett, Owner and President of the Hills Health Ranch, 100 Mile House
Lana Denoni, Director of Tour & Travel & Community Relations for the Oak Bay Marine Group, Oak Bay
Craig Murray, Owner and Operator of Nimmo Bay Resort, Port McNeill
Ian Powell, General Manager, Laurel Point Inn, Victoria
The Board of Directors of COTA BC is pleased to announce that Stephen Regan has been selected as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the organization effective October 1st, 2007. Stephen has spent the last ten years in various roles at Tourism Vancouver, most recently as Manager of Destination Development. In this position, Stephen played a key role in the building of a province-wide coalition which successfully lobbied for provincial Safe Streets legislation and was similarly involved in a regional effort resulting in the securing of TransLink’s support for the Canada Line. In addition, Stephen has been the catalyst for advancing the idea of a province-wide accessible tourism initiative over the past two years to a point where it is now supported by a $1.14 million provincial government investment. Stephen was also instrumental in the establishment of both a Lower Mainland Tourism Roundtable and a Provincial Destination Marketing Organization Roundtable.
go2 is pleased to announce their 2007-2008 Board of Directors:

Officers:
Mark Von Schellwitz, Chair
Taj Kassam, Vice Chair
Simon Evans, Past Chair

New Directors:
Kirby Brown, Director, Experience Development and Delivery, Whistler Blackcomb
Simon Evans, CEO, BC Human Resources Management Association
Mariana Fiddler, Owner/Operator, Rhino’s Pub & Liquor Store
Rick Lemon, Vice President, Visitor Services, Tourism BC
Heather Schroeter, General Manager, Manteo Resort
Mark Von Schellwitz, Vice President, Western Canada, Canadian Restaurant & Foodservices Association 

Continuing Directors:
Kate Dodd, Director of Finance, Mt. Washington Alpine Ski Resort
Paul Dyck, VP, Human Resources, Armstrong Hospitality Group Ltd.
Rob Fussey, Director of Operations, A&W Food Service of Canada Inc.
Walt Judas, VP, Marketing Communications and 2010 Strategies, Tourism Vancouver
Taj Kassam, President and COO, Sandman Hotels/Inns/Suites
Diane Mombourquette, General Manager, Economic Viability, Resort Municipality of Whistler
Rusty Noble, Director of Guest Experience and Resort Operations, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort
Jonathan Rouse, Dean, School of Hospitality, Vancouver Community College
Sue Singer, Founder & President, Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts
go2 has appointed Jeff Fielding to the newly created position of Director, Industry Training of go2’s new tourism industry training division.