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TIAC Reacts to Federal Transportation 2030 Plan posted on November 3,
OTTAWA, ON November 3, - Today the ‎Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) was disappointed by the government’s vision for the future of Canadian transportation. While the speech included...
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Members of the Canadian Tourism Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame (English)

President & CEO of Tourism Vancouver. Rick Antonson is President & CEO of Tourism Vancouver, which represents over 1,000 member businesses and is responsible for the market development of Metro Vancouver as a convention, incentive, and leisure travel destination. Rick is a former book publisher, and train company executive. As a travel industry leader, Rick served as an ambassador for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games. He has been on the boards of the Pacific Asia Travel Association based in Bangkok, Vancouver Community College, and on the Advisory Council for Simon Fraser University's Urban Studies Program. In the recent past he also chaired the Board of Directors for book publisher Douglas & McIntyre; was chair of Destination Marketing Association International based in Washington, DC, and a founding board member of the Canadian Tourism Commission. He is Vice President of the Board of Directors for Pacific Coast Public Television. He is a co-author of Slumach's Gold, In Search of a Legend. In 2008, Dundurn Publishing of Toronto published his third book, To Timbuktu for a Haircut; A Journey Through West Africa. Rick is regularly invited to speak all over the world on the topic of travel. His personal journeys have taken him on a four-by-four adventure with his wife Janice and a guide traveling from Lhasa, Tibet across the Himalayas to Kathmandu, Nepal. He has circumnavigated the northern hemisphere by train with his sons Brent and Sean over five trips which included North Korea. More recently he joined an expedition to the summit of Mount Ararat, and travelled to both Iraq and Iran. Rick’s passions include traveling, writing and baseball.
Antonson, Rick (2012)General Manager of Hotel Georgesville and Château Bonne Entente and Quebec tourism industry leader. President of the Tourism Industry Association of Québec since October 2007, Alain April is an entrepreneurial hotelier who is actively involved in the community. In addition to the post of general manager of Chateau Bonne Entente in Quebec since 1995, and Georgesville, since 1992, M. April is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Quebec Congress Centre, and of the Board of Tourism Quebec. He is a member of the board of Children's Miracle Network, the Hotel Association of Québec City area and is also associated with Team Quebec, as head of hospitality for the city during major events. Since September 2010, he has served on the Performance Committee of the tourism industry established by the Quebec Minister of Tourism, Nicole Ménard.
April, Alain (2011)Founder, Rocky Mountaineer Vacations. An innovator and entrepreneur, Peter Armstrong began his tourism career as a doorman at the classic, railway-built Hotel Vancouver before quickly moving on to start his own bus tour company. By 1979, he initiated the privatization of Gray Line, a provincial crown corporation and became a partner in and president of the newly private company. He expanded on his vision with the founding of the family-owned Armstrong Hospitality Group Ltd. in 1990. Its first acquisition was the federal government’s fledgling and subsidized tourist train through the Rocky Mountains. The company set out to further develop luxury rail tours and related offerings within the hospitality industry; it has since evolved into the largest privately owned passenger rail service in North America. The original two-day rail tour is now just one of more than 70 independent vacation options that the organization offers. These vacations include city-stops, sightseeing tours, rail and drive programs and year-round, destination-based holidays. The Armstrong Group also owns and operates the Thompson Hotel, Three River Junction Theatre and Gray Line West. With a corporate vision to provide the “Most Spectacular Experiences in the World”, the Rocky Mountaineer has become known around the world as the trip of a lifetime. Now in its 18th year of operation, Rocky Mountaineer is set to welcome its one millionth customer in the summer of 2008. As its success is largely dependent on the unspoiled scenery, fresh air and abundant wildlife in Canada’s West, the company has taken on a personal responsibility to preserve and steward the natural environment. By minimizing environmental impact and providing awareness of natural resources, heritage and culture, the company offers its guests an experience that is truly connected to the land an communities in which it operates. Mr. Armstrong is the recipient of the Canadian Venture Capital Association’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Tourism and Hospitality, and the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal for contribution to Canadian communities. He has also been inducted into the Canadian Railway Hall of Fame, named the 2007 Tourism Leader of the Year by Tourism B.C. and was granted an honorary degree from the Thompson Rivers University for his significant economic and cultural contributions to the Kamloops area.
Armstrong, Peter (2008)Founder of WestJet. A founding shareholder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of WestJet, Clive Beddoe has been instrumental in making WestJet one of the most successful airlines in recent aviation history. Clive’s keen business acumen has shaped the development of WestJet’s corporate culture, executive team and strategy. A true entrepreneur, Clive’s strong background in financial planning and strategic management was gained through several successful real estate and plastics enterprises. In 2000, Clive and his fellow WestJet founders received the Worldwide Award for Teamwork at the World Entrepreneur of the Year celebrations. In 2002 and 2003, WestJet was named one of Canada's most respected companies, and in 2003, WestJet received the Most Respected Corporation title for Innovative Practices from Alberta Venture Magazine.
Beddoe, Clive (2009)Founders of Carter Air Services Ltd and pioneers in Northern tourism. Tourism pioneers in Canada’s north, Merlyn and Jean Carter founded Carter Air Services Ltd. in 1962. To supplement their young aviation company, the Carters recognized the potential in flying sports fisherman to untouched lakes in the Canadian north. At their own expense, they travelled to sports shows in the United States, becoming tireless promoters of the Northwest Territories as a sports fisherman’s dream. The Carters helped set up a number of remote fishing camps before focusing their efforts on a central camp at Nonacho Lake. Over the course of 40 years of dedicated service in the tourism industry, Merlyn also flew tourist sightseers and naturalists to Nahanni National Park and mentored dozens of aspiring young pilots while raising a family in Hay River.
Carter, Merlyn & Jean (2009)President, Stan Cook Sea Kayaking Adventures. Stan Cook Sr. has been leading adventure tours in Newfoundland since 1970. His emphasis on hands on, enriching, highly interpretive outdoor adventures was a first for Newfoundland and Labrador. He has always stressed that his tours should provide the opportunity to learn, besides the valued added elements of the tours, the tens of thousands of guests who have experienced Stan while on an adventure can vouch that his unique personality provided much entertainment. In 1970, he introduced canoeing adventures and nature-based tourism to a province that's up to that point, outdoor tourism product was fishing & hunting. While creating a new segment of the tourism sector in his home province was not part of the plan, his continued passion and energy brought sustainable tourism to Newfoundland and Labrador, ensuring that outdoor activities (i.e. canoeing , camping etc.) were included in the educational curriculum for high school students. Mr. Cook helped create the guidelines and code of ethics for adventure travel in Newfoundland and Labrador. He participated in the first Canadian Recreation Canoe Association's (CRCA) instructor-certification workshop. He spent 12 years as Director of the Newfoundland & Labrador Camping Association and continues to be a frequent guest lecturer for adventure tourism across North America and has exposed countless people to the beauty of his home province. Countless times over the years he pulled over to offer assistance to map-holding-bewildered-looking tourists in St. John's which inevitably led to his children making room in their vehicle for these tourists to hop aboard and recieve free, spur of the moment, guided historical trip around the city. In 1994 he expanded the family business and Stan Cook Sea Kayaking Adventures was formed. Through this adventure, guests are exposed to marine life, local geology and provincial cultural history.With the support of his family, the company continues to grow, but every now and again, Stan finds some time to capture a disoriented tourist and provide a free guided tour! Stan has had his company profiled in countless national and international media.
Cook, Stan Sr. (2007)Founder of the innovative Hills Health Ranch. Pat Corbett is a pioneer in health and wellness tourism in Canada. Since he opened The Hills Health Ranch in June 1985 in 108 Mile Ranch, British Columbia, it has grown from humble beginnings into a full service, four-season destination. Under Pat’s guidance, the Hills Health Ranch has one of the largest workforces of wellness professionals at any Canadian spa, with everything from registered dieticians and kinesiologists to herbologists and microbiologists on staff. Together with his wife Juanita, Pat has created an original business model for complete wellness tourism that sees the traditional health spa complemented by the provision of unhindered access to the backcountry, outdoor activities, fitness programs, meals and medical specialists. Their ranch now draws guests from all over the world and has four times won an international 'specialty spa of the year' award.
Corbett, Pat (2009)President, Rafter Six Ranch. Stanley Alfred Cowley was born February 25, 1936 in Calgary, Alberta. As a young boy, Stan was enthralled by his native neighbours and was deeply interested in their customs and culture. At the age of 13, Stan was made a blood brother of Chief Walking Buffalo of the Stonay Nation, in a Sun Dance ceremony. At this time he was given his life's work - "to teach the people that they are like trees of the forest - all different from one another, but standing in harmony with each other". He then became an honarary chief of the T'su T'ina (Sarcee), Peigan and Siksika (Blackfoot) Nations and adopted into the Samson band of the Cree Nation. Following the 1977 re-enactment of the Treaty 7 at Siksika with Prince Charles, Stan was honoured with the eagle feather marker staff and a copy of the treaty. In 1976, Stan purchase Rafter Six Ranch, a guest ranch on the Kananaskis River between Calgary and Banff. Working hard to develop a world-class ranch resort destination, Stan designed and built the three story log lodge, cabins, chalets, dance hall, barn, museum and country church. Recognizing the potential for the Kananaskis area and river for recreation, he invited the Banff National Cadet Camp to use Rafter Six Ranch as a base for their kayaking and canoe programs. As this was successful, the following year he encouraged the Edmonton Kayak Club to enjoy the Kananaskis River from the Rafter Six site. That same year he met Mike Sawyer and together they started the first commercial white water rafting on the Kananaskis. Today, the Kananaskis River is highly acclaimed for water sport and recreation in not only Alberta, but throughout Canada. Always looking for the next way for people to enjoy the outdoors, Stan arranged the first cattle penning program in Canada at Rafter Six Rach. Today, cattle penning has become one of the fastest growing western equestrian sports in North America. In addition, Stan hosted the first show of the Steel Scouts, which now performs at Stampede Parade, Spruce Meadows, Fort Calgary, Heritage Park and other locations across Alberta. In 1976, Stan developed the Passing of the Legends Museum of Western Heritage at Rafter Six Ranch. The museum houses a unique collection of horse drawn carriages, First Nations artifcts and beaded buckskin attire, NWMP and RCMP uniforms, crests, pictures, wildlife mounts, art and bronzes. Every item has a story that is enthusiastically shared by Stan with his visitors. In order to maintain the knowledge and and culture of the First Nations, Stan initiated the forming of the Buffalo Nations Cultural Society in 1986. When Stan was informed the Glenbow Museum was closing the Luxton Museum of the Plains Indians in Banff, Alberta in 1992, he spearheaded the Buffalo Nations takeover of the museum in Banff. Stan continues to be an active Director on the board of the Buffalo Nations Cultural Society and in the operations of the Luxton Museum. Rafter Six Ranch continues to host an equestrian program for for physically and mentally challenged youth through the group “Between Friends”. Stan is personally developing and working on trails along the Kananaskis River at Rafter Six Ranch for those in wheel chairs so they may enjoy this area and its ecology. Stan has also worked closely with the Alberta Film Industry, encouraging movies, TV and magazine productions to shoot footage in Alberta. His interests extend to writing and illustrating with his stories and cartoons appearing in several equestrian publications. Currently on the drawing board and near completion is a children’s activity book featuring numerous tourist attractions in Alberta. As a past auxiliary member of the RCMP, Stan Cowley’s continuing interest and support is evident through his assistance in supplying horses to the RCMP for parades, special occasions and community events. He has participated in 67 consecutive Calgary Stampede Parades and has worked as a volunteer, Associate Director, racing chuckwagon sponsors and supplied the chuckwagon and pancake breadfasts for the Calgary Stamede Breakfast Caravan. Over the years, Stan has been a supporter of youth through his involvement with several organizations. Starting as a cub in the Boy Scouts of Canada and progressing through to a Scoutmaster and up to Regional Assistant Commissioner. He also held a commission in the Navy League at HSMC Tecumseh. Stan’s community involvement through volunteering and charitable support is a way of recognizing the value of success. Donating special vacations through the Make a Wish Foundation to Rotary sponsored activities, Stan continues to return to society the benefits from tourism in Alberta. Stan’s philosophy is “We should always be looking for ways to improve the enjoyment and offering to the traveling public. We all should be instrumental in helping create new opportunities for adventures, activities, sporting events, attractions, culture, tours and vacations in Canada.” In 1979 Stan married Gloria Buehler and they have five children: Cathy, David, Thomas, Kateri and Daisy.
Cowley, Stan (2007)Executive Director – Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island. With almost 40 years in the tourism and hospitality industry, Don Cudmore has had a wide and varied career which has allowed him to experience many aspects of the tourism industry on national, regional and provincial levels. He is a firm believer that the key to success and management of this industry is partnerships and the unwavering credo that the customer is king. Don began his career in tourism in 1972 as a cook at the Confederation Centre of the Arts, and held a variety of management positions at the Center over the next five years. Don would eventually move on to the hotel industry, serving in a number of key management posts over the next 19 years. Under the mentorship of late Chairman and CEO, David Rodd, Don held top management posts at Rodd properties in both Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. In 1996, Don left Rodd Hotels and Resorts to assume the position of Executive Director of the Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island – a seat he still holds almost 15 years later. Under his leadership, TIAPEI has been instrumental in numerous special projects and initiatives aimed at improving educational opportunities for tourism operators and employees, as well as raising awareness of the industry with the general public.
Cudmore, Don (2011)President and founder of Spa Eastman, President of Spa Eastman in Montréal; President of the Spa Association "Relais Santé". Early on, having obtained a teaching degree in history and geography, Jocelyna Dubuc became interested in alternative medicine and psychology. During a stay in India in the 70s, she pursued her studies in meditation and yoga. From then on, she has acquired knowledge in naturopathy, applied kinesiology, gentle exercise, dreamwork, healthy eating, psychosynthesis, focusing (dream analysis, interpretation…). From her training as a teacher she has a continuing desire to share her knowledge. From her years of personal development, she has a genuine focus on well-being, both in mind and in body. Since 1977, she has been active in creating a centre where the clientele would find a haven, a time to pause and rebuild. Spa Eastman offers a concept of integrated health-vacations where every opportunity to enjoy life is offered. Innovator in the concept of health-vacations in Québec, she joined forces with influential industry members to found, in 1993, the Spa Association "Relais Santé," a body to promote, inform and standardize the industry. She is now the president of this association. In 1996, she became the owner of "Aqua-Cité," now called Spa Eastman in Montréal, a centre situated right in the heart of downtown Montréal. "Divine Peace", the trademark of the Spa Eastman now permeates this new urban getaway. Jocelyna Dubuc is an executive member of the Eastern Townships Tourist Association, president of Spa Association "Relais Santé", a member of the Association of Businesswomen of Québec and also an executive member of the Chamber of Commerce for the Brome-Missisquoi Valley. She is also a member of the Montréal Executive Association. In 1996, she was the Québec finalist for the Canadian prize for feminine entrepreneurship in the enterprise revitalization category. In 1997, she was voted "Businesswoman of the year" in the Eastern Townships. Also in 1997, she received the "Long Time Achievement Award" and was named Businesswoman of the Year by the Canadian Council. This prize, created by the Department of Management at the University of Toronto , promotes excellence among Canadian Businesswomen. In 1998, she was honoured for her achievement by the Canadian Embassy in Washington. This "Special Salute to Women Awards Luncheon" was given in association with the US Chamber of Commerce. The "Canadian Embassy Businesswomen's Award" underscores an exceptional contribution by 12 personalities from the Canadian business world. More recently, in 2002, she was honoured with the "Prix Femmes d'affaires du Québec" in the category: "Entrepreneur, average or large business". This prize, created by the Québec business women's network, underlines and recognizes excellence in women who work in Québec's highly competitive business world.
Dubuc, Jocelyna (2006)Owner, Elmhirst's Resort (Keene, Ontario). Peter Elmhirst is a person whose creativity and hard work stand as an example of the entrepreneurial spirit on which Canada 's tourism industry is built. A person with the vision to look beyond personal business interests to the greater good of the tourism community, locally, provincially and nationally. And a person who has put that vision into action through over 30 years of volunteer service to organizations that have made, and continue to make, an important contribution to the future of Canadian tourism. He is the third-generation owner of a family business that has grown, under his customer-focussed stewardship, from a fishing camp that operated only in the summer into a year-round destination offering a variety of activities for vacationers, conference delegates, weekenders, and all manner of outdoor enthusiasts. Since buying the property from his father in 1973, he has never stopped innovating. He developed some unique product combinations around the flying business started by Arthur Elmhirst in 1934, and has added many new facilities and services. Today, Elmhirst's Resort includes a conference centre, riding stables, health club, fine-dining restaurant and an impressive wine cellar. Peter Elmhirst had the vision, skills and personal qualities required to build a successful tourism business. But he recognized that the success of all tourism businesses depended, as well, on external factors that could not be addressed through individual effort alone. He saw the value in strengthening the industry as a whole and growing the tourism pie for the benefit of everyone. And he acted, investing tremendous amounts of time, energy, expertise and financial resources in organizations that serve Canadian tourism, often in pioneering and leadership roles that included: Chair of Resorts Ontario and Tourism Ontario. Founding chair of the Ontario Tourism Education Council, and member of the Labour Force Development Board. Peter has been active in labour force development at other levels, too, welcoming student placements, making presentations at local schools on tourism careers, and hosting an annual Adventures in Tourism workshop to show hospitality students the options available to them. Founding Chair of the Conference Board of Canada's Canadian Tourism Resarch Institute. Founding board member of the Canadian Tourism Commission. First Chair of the Rendez-vous Canada Advisory Committee. Long-time membership in the Tourism Industry Association of Canada and past Chair of its Board of Directors. Peter Elmhirst's passion for tourism and love of the industry are an inspiration to his colleagues throughout Canada.
Elmhirst, Peter (2006)Founding Partner, Transat A.T. Inc. A principal architect in the creation of Transat A. T. Inc., Jean-Marc Eustache’s forward-thinking business vision focused on vertical integration has expanded the company from its Canadian tour operator beginnings to include travel agencies, an airline, an airport services firm and hotels. Originally focused on getting Canadians to Europe, Transat quickly evolved and in 2007, brought some 400,000 international travellers to Canada. For his major contributions to the development of the tourism industry, Mr. Eustache has been honoured with several prestigious awards, including the 2006 Trophée Grand Ulysse from Tourisme Montréal; Ernst & Young’s 2005 Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Quebec; the La Presse daily newspaper’s CEO of the Year award for 2004; the Prix Performance 2000 awarded by the management network of Université du Québec à Montréal; Cubanacan’s 2000 Award of Excellence; World Travel Market’s 1996 Global Award presented in London, England; Transport Canada’s 1992 Award of Excellence; and, the same year, the Industry Distinction award from the Association québécoise des agences de voyages (Quebec chapter of the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies).
Eustache, Jean-Marc (2008)Tuckamore Lodge, Main Brook, Newfoundland. Barbara Genge is President of Tuckamore Lodge, Ltd., a hunting, fishing and adventure tourism lodge. Barb believes in economic utilization, without abuse, of nature's resources. She operates her lodge in Main Brook by these principles and Tuckamore Lodge is considered one of the best outfitting lodges in all of Canada. Her winter and summer programs have been highly rated both nationally and internationally by the Canadian Tourism Commission and Outdoor Magazine named Tuckamore Lodge as one of the six best reconnoitering destinations in Canada. Barb has always been a leader in her industry and in 1997 was named Entrepreneur of the Year by the P. J. Gardner Institute of Small Business Studies of Memorial University of Newfoundland. Her business is being used by the Business Faculty to teach successful business methods for rural areas of the Province. Barb began her career promoting tourism and sustainable development as one of the founders of the Northern Travels Tourism Association, the predecessor of the Viking Trail Tourism Association (VTTA) and now has more than 30 years of experience working in the Tourism Industry. From 1980 through 1995, Barb was Economic Development Officer with White Bay Development Association, a non-profit Community Development organization in the White Bay Region of Newfoundland. During her tenure, she developed innovative strategies for Community Economic Development in Sustainable Development. Her organization accessed over $15,000,000.00 directly and in excess of $55,000,000.00 indirectly with partnerships used to directly and indirectly benefit the Environment and the Tourist Industry. Barb's efforts on behalf of the Eider Duck Conservation Project restored a healthy population of eider ducks to Hare Bay and the Salmon River Rehabilitation Project used a long-term approach to successfully reclaim degraded trout and salmon habitat. Both projects have been recognized internationally and Barb’s lifelong commitment to preserving and protecting the Environment have earned her awards from Heritage Canada, the Viking Trail Tourism Association, and the Department of Environment. Barb Genge has dedicated her adult life to working with elected officials, governmental agencies and community leaders to develop partnerships that have successfully brought many business opportunities to rural Newfoundland.
Genge, Barbara (2013)Founder, Canadian Mountain Holidays (Banff, Alberta). "The father of heli-skiing", Hans Gmoser founded Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH), the world's first heli-skiing and heli-hiking company, instilling a set of values and practices that have continued to guide the company since his retirement in 1995: a relentless commitment to safety, excellent service, environmental stewardship and hiring passionate people. After immigrating to Canada from Austria in 1951, then 19-year-old Hans Gmoser, already an accomplished alpinist, spent several years working as a mountain guide in Western Canada . Between 1957 and 1968, he led expeditions to the Yukon and Alaska, including the first ascent of the Wickersham Wall on Mount McKinley, and produced ten feature-length films to promote skiing and climbing in Western Canada. He was a founding member of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides in 1963, and four years later conducted the first training and certification course for mountain guides in Canada. CMH was born in 1959 of Hans Gmoser's strong entrepreneurial drive, his desire to share the beauty of the mountains with visitors, and his years of backcountry experience. In 1965, Hans started using helicopters to transport skiers high into the otherwise inaccessible Bugaboo Mountains in the Rockies . Heli-skiing, an idea that had never been tried by any resort, was an instant success; CMH soon began providing new mountain adventures to hundreds of skiers each year, and started building comfortable mountain lodges to accommodate them. Later, at the urging of world-renowned American tour operator Arthur Tauck, Hans Gmoser started flying guests to the mountain lodges for summertime walking and hiking adventures—and heli-hiking became another popular CMH activity. He has been recognized with a variety of awards and honours, including the Order of Canada, an honourary Doctor of Laws from the University College of the Cariboo (now Thompson Rivers University), the Bill March Summit of Excellence Award, membership in the Canadian Skiing Hall of Fame and the U.S. Skiing Hall of Fame, and the Golden Order of Merit from the Republic of Austria. Hans Gmoser had made a significant contribution to wilderness and adventure tourism in Canada not only by developing the world's largest and most sophisticated heli-skiing operation—in fact, CMH is one of the most successful tourism operators anywhere—but by participating in initiatives that influenced the sector's development over more than three decades. His influence will continue to be felt for many years to come as the company he founded strives to protect and enhance the environments where it operates, and to contribute to the cultural integrity of local communities. Hans passed away in July, 2006 while cycling in the Canadian Rockies.
Gmoser, Hans (2006)President & CEO, Easton's Group of Companies. Steve Gupta is a developer and operator of Hotels throughout Ontario and owns 15 hotels with over 2,700 rooms. He has been a leader in introducing new upscale focused brands and new concepts to the hotel market, making the extraordinary common place for his guests. His motto is to exceed the expectations of his guests. He opened Canada’s first Marriott Fairfield Inn & Suites, a Marriott Courtyard and conference centre in Brampton and the Hilton Garden Inn and Toscana conference centre in Vaughan – both including lavish and extensive banquet facilities. Mr. Gupta built a new Residence Inn in downtown Toronto, and a new Hilton Garden Inn, also located in Toronto’s Entertainment District. In the past 3 years Mr. Gupta has opened 7 new hotels in Ontario in the worst recession in history. In addition to opening 7 new hotels he has also repositioned two hotels - a Comfort Suites hotel was converted and rebranded into a Hilton Garden Inn, and a Holiday Inn Pointe Claire, Quebec that is currently under a major repositioning. Mr. Steve Gupta and his hotels have been the recipient of many awards over the years, below are a few: In March 2011, Mr. Gupta was the recipient of the Hotel Association of Canada Hall of Fame Award of Excellence in the category of Humanitarian. In December 2010, Mr. Gupta received the “Marriott Horizon Partnership Circle Award (“Best of the Best”) award. In May 2009, Mr. Gupta was the recipient of the “Marriott Outstanding Contribution to the Marriott System Award”. In March 2009, Mr. Gupta was the recipient of the “Hilton Garden Inn brand 2008 Developer of the Year Award” worldwide. Mr. Gupta, President & C.E.O of Easton's Group of Companies, was the recipient of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Ontario in the category of “Hotels & Real Estates” for the year 2005. The Entrepreneur of the Year Award recognizes the outstanding contribution of entrepreneurs to this country’s growth, and the hard work, the vision, and the efforts that are required to build a successful business. The award also honours entrepreneurs who have demonstrated excellence and extraordinary success in areas such as innovation, risk taking, company development, financial performance, and personal commitment to their business and communities. The awards promote the spirit and success of those brave individuals that put everything on the line to build something new. The Markham Board of Trade Awarded Mr. Gupta, President and C.E.O. of Easton's Group of Companies, with the Business Excellence Award for Entrepreneurship 2004 in October 2004. The Awards were presented to Markham businesses in recognition of significant business achievements which have made an important contribution to the economic and social well being of the Town of Markham. In 2007 Mr. Gupta was the Keynote Speaker at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and the Travelodge Canadian Brand Conference. In 2006 he was also the Keynote Speaker at the Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Suppliers Council – Business Achievement Awards.
Gupta, Steve (2011)Adjunct Professor at Royal Roads School of Tourism and Hospitality Management and former President and CEO of Tourism British Columbia. Rod Harris is an Adjunct Professor at Royal Roads University. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce and an MBA, with a major in Marketing, along with Professional Certification from the Institute of Canadian Advertising. Rod’s research interests are in tourism policy and planning, destination marketing and management, tourism agencies and organizational structure. Rod recently held the position of President and CEO of Tourism British Columbia for more than 12 years. As CEO of Tourism BC, he led the global marketing of Super, Natural British Columbia, where he carried the responsibility of managing the investment of more than $475 million in tourism destination marketing funds, during which time he attracted an additional $50 million in resources for regional destination management initiatives. In this period, the tourism industry of British Columbia saw tourist expenditures grow from approximately $8 billion annually in 1997 to $11 billion in 2009. In addition to achieving a range of quantitative, performance based targets, under his leadership Tourism BC won Gold Medals from the Canadian Marketing Association (2001), the Pacific Asia Travel Association (2000), and the Canadian Direct Marketing Association (1998). Tourism BC was named BC’s Marketer of the Year by the American Marketing Association (1999). The Corporation was evaluated by Watson Wyatt Worldwide as British Columbia’s “12th Best Employer” in 2002. In 2004 it was again recognized as the Province’s “2nd Best Employer. Canadian Business Magazine also recognized Tourism British Columbia as one of Canada’s Top 50 Employers. In 2008 Tourism British Columbia was honoured for its leadership in the Canadian tourism industry with the prestigious Global Tourism Award at the World Travel Market in London, England.
Harris, Rod (2011)Former head of Quebec City Tourism. Pierre Labrie’s passion for the tourism industry developed during his youth as a hotel employee and tour guide in Quebec City, and has continued to grow for more nearly four decades. Following the completion of his law degree, Pierre pursued his studies in tourism at La Sorbonne in Paris, and subsequently worked at the World Tourism Organization in Turin. After returning to his home province in 1977, Pierre played a key role in raising the profile and economic value of tourism in Quebec through his work with KPMG and the Commission d’initiative et de développement économique de Montréal (CIDEM). In 1991, Pierre accepted the position of General Manager of Québec City Tourism, a position he held on a continuing until his retirement at the end of May, 2009.
Labrie, Pierre (2009)Founder, Cirque du Soleil. Guy Laliberté was born in Québec City in 1959. An accordionist, stilt-walker and fire-eater, he founded Quebec's first internationally renowned circus with the support of a small group of accomplices. A bold visionary Guy Laliberté recognized and cultivated the talents of the street performers from the Fête foraine de Baie-Saint-Paul and created Cirque du Soleil in 1984. Guy Laliberté was the first to orchestrate the marriage of cultures and artistic and acrobatic disciplines that is the hallmark of Cirque du Soleil. Since 1984, he has guided the creative team through the creation of every show and contributed to elevating the circus arts to the level of the great artistic disciplines. Cirque du Soleil has become an international organization, as much in terms of its makeup as in the scope of its activities and influence. Guy Laliberté now heads an organization with activities on five continents. In October 2007, Guy Laliberté entered into a second lifetime commitment by creating the ONE DROP Foundation to fight poverty around the world by providing sustainable access to safe water. This new dream stems from the knowledge that the right to water is key to the survival of individuals and communities all over the world and from the values which have been at the heart of Cirque du Soleil since its inception: the belief that life gives back what you have given and even the smallest gesture will make a difference. In 2007, Guy Laliberté received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for all three levels: Quebec, Canada and international. In 2004, he received the Order of Canada, the highest distinction in the country, from the Governor General of Canada. The same year, he was recognized by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2003, he was honoured by the Condé Nast group as part of the Never Follow Program, a tribute to creators and innovators. In 2001, he was named a Great Montrealer by the Académie des Grands Montréalais. In 1997, Guy Laliberté received the Ordre National du Québec, the highest distinction awarded by the Government of Quebec.
Laliberté, Guy (2008)Former Minister of State for Small Business & Tourism, CEO, Tourisme Montréal. First elected to the Canadian House of Commons in 1974, the Hon. Charles Lapointe held several portfolios throughout his 10 years in office, including that of Minister of State for Small Business and Tourism. Returning to private life in 1984, he became president of International Aeroplane Company followed by vice-president of business development for Lavalin. He was appointed president and CEO of Tourisme Montréal in 1989 and has been a devoted champion of the city ever since. During his tenure, Montréal has become one of the most sought-after international destinations for both leisure and business travellers. In addition to his commitment to Montréal, Charles has been a strong supporter of the tourism sector throughout Canada. He has worked closely with the Tourism Industry Association of Canada and in 2002 was appointed board chair for the Canadian Tourism Commission. He led the organization through an important transition period and helped guide the Canada brand initiative. Charles’ leadership, vision and charisma are well known throughout the tourism sector.
Lapointe, Hon. Charles (2008)President and Chief Executive Officer, Travel Manitoba. For more than 35 years, Hubert Mesman has dedicated his professional life to a variety of tourism marketing and consulting positions. Currently the first President and CEO of Manitoba’s Provincial Crown Tourism Agency, Travel Manitoba, Hubert previously was the Assistant Deputy Minister of Tourism with the Manitoba Department of Culture, Heritage and Tourism. Hubert successfully managed the transition of the government Tourism Division to a Crown agency. He has championed a wide variety of projects with Manitoba’s tourism and business community. His many projects include a successful bid for and hosting of the 1999 Pan American Games, coordinated divestiture negotiations for a Crown held resort and golf course and the development of an Aboriginal tourism strategy for Manitoba. Hubert has also provided tourism destination consulting services in South Africa, the Caribbean and Canada’s North. He continues to be actively involved in major event bid acquisitions in partnership with Tourism Winnipeg and this year championed a successful year long Manitoba Homecoming project. Hubert has served on numerous national, regional and local industry boards and committees including the Tourism Alliance for Western Canada, the Provincial and Territorial Tourism Industry Association and Tourism Winnipeg. Hubert has been an active member of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada for many years. He has been a strong advocate for a national tourism strategy and dedicated his time and expertise in developing the Federal Tourism Strategy frame work.
Mesman, Hubert (2010)Chairman and CEO, Rodd Hotels & Resorts (Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island). David Rodd has led the development and expansion of Rodd Hotels & Resorts from a single motel in Charlottetown to ten properties in Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, including the region's only 5-star/AAA 4 Diamond resort. Under his leadership—characterized by business acumen, the ability to work with partners and a willingness to accept reasonable risks, and practised with respect, civility and good humour—the company has become Atlantic Canada's largest privately owned hotel and resort chain. He and his family also own and operate five Burger King franchises in Nova Scotia. For over 30 years, David Rodd has been building on his family's long-term commitment to the tourism industry and their important contributions to its development in Prince Edward Island. That commitment took root in 1935 when his parents, Sally and Wally Rodd, built several guest cottages on their farm in Winsloe, PEI ; they built The Motel Charlottetown in West Royalty in 1954. After graduating from Prince of Wales College and Mount Allison University , David Rodd joined the business in 1966 as Vice-President of Motel Charlottetown Inc. Anticipating and reacting to the evolving demands of the province's fledgling tourism industry, he launched an era of growth and diversification—from smaller hotels/motels to larger properties, including resort and golf course complexes-that continues today. Over the years, it has been his practice to extensively reinvest profits generated back into the properties, to ensure they are always well maintained and up to date. He has served on the boards of numerous tourism-related and other organizations, including the Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada, the Prince Edward Island Convention Bureau, the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce, the Maritime Chamber of Commerce, the Confederation Centre of the Arts and Golf Links PEI. His tremendous contribution to the tourism industry has been recognized by formally by various awards—including the 2005 APR Media Limited Business of the Year Award - Multiple-Unit, the 2002 Premier's Award for Tourism, and the 2002 Atlantic Canada Tourism/Hospitality Entrepreneur—and informally within the tourism business community. He also values his community and gives generously to a range of community charities, both personally and through Rodd Hotels & Resorts. David Rodd is trusted and admired, both within and beyond the tourism industry, not only for what he has accomplished, but for how he has accomplished it.
Rodd, David (2006)Owner/Operator, The Butchart Gardens. Ian Ross worked tirelessly for 59 years prior to his death in 1997 carrying on the tremendous contribution his family has made to Canadian tourism through its philanthropy, environmental stewardship and development of The Butchart Gardens. The Butchart family has welcomed visitors to its gardens continuously since 1904, when Ian Ross' grandparents, Robert Pim Butchart and Jennie Butchart, transformed an emptied limestone quarry on the family estate into a spectacular sunken garden. Mrs. Butchart began the family's tradition of hospitality by offering visitors afternoon tea, and the Butcharts also started acting as ambassadors for tourism in the Greater Victoria region. They saw their gardens not only as an object of beauty, but also as an opportunity to attract and impress international visitors with the splendour of Victoria and surrounding areas. Ian Ross took over The Butchart Gardens in 1939, turning it into a self-sustaining attraction that became the focus of tourism on the West Coast. His innovations included the addition of symphony concerts, night illuminations, sunset shows, winter illuminations and the world-famous Ross Fountain. He also ensured the facilities were accessible to people with disabilities, in a time when there was little public awareness of accessibility issues. He promoted not only The Butchart Gardens—the most-visited privately owned attraction in Canada and an icon synonymous with Victoria, B.C.—but also the wider community of Victoria, British Columbia and Canada as primary tourism destinations, through partnerships and innovative marketing and advertising programs. Despite the attraction's phenomenal growth—it employs up to 600 people during the summer season and welcomes over a million visitors a year—The Butchart Gardens it is still operated in the spirit of a family garden. He was a founder of the University of Victoria , from which he later received an honourary doctorate, and contributed to the Greater Victoria Historic Building Trust, the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and other groups. He was also a generous and anonymous benefactor of a host of cultural, education and charitable organizations. He was recognized for his work with the Order of British Columbia and the Order of Canada, among other distinctions. Ian Ross was a remarkable man who saw the importance of tourism to Canada and created a heightened respect for it. He drove modern-day tourism on the West Coast, and developed a level of service and expectation that remains the benchmark for tourism development worldwide.
Ross, Ian (2006)Tourism Marketing Strategist in the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Alberta. The late Klaus Roth was a senior marketing executive that spent half a century leading the development and execution of strategic marketing plans in the Tourism Industry. Klaus had a long history with Travel Alberta and the Alberta tourism industry. His passion for his work is evident in the varied and strong relationships he built throughout his career. Klaus Werner Roth was born in Regen, Transylvania (now Romania), in 1931. The third child of Heinrich Roth and Katharina Brusch, he was born into a family of Austrian-German roots that had been in Transylvania since the 13th century. The upheaval of the Second World War saw the family escape to Austria ahead of the advancing Soviet army. As a refugee in Linz, life was particularly difficult and Klaus would later move to Tyrol to study and begin his foray into tourism. Starting as a front desk clerk in a hotel his skill in speaking English was quickly seized on by British tours. In 1964, Klaus became involved in his first Winter Olympics in Innsbruck. (He would repeat the experience 36 years later in Vancouver 2010.) As his role with the Olympics came to an end he took on the task of exploring new markets for airlines in the Middle East with routes to Cairo, Beirut and Tel Aviv. He also worked on routes behind the Iron Curtain into the heart of Russia, spending time in Moscow. Eventually he was sent to Montreal. Klaus switched from promoting ski holidays to Europe to moving to Duesseldorf to promote Quebec as a holiday destination to Europeans, but not before Klaus worked on the summer Olympics in Montreal in 1976. After a few years, Klaus moved back to Canada where he took a one-year contract as general manager for the Alberta Mint. At the end of his contract a friend asked him to think about helping a small new airline in the N.W.T. The airline took him north but Klaus would end up taking a role as executive director for the N.W.T. Tourism Industry Association. Tourism in the North was embryonic and Klaus worked on the very first 1-800 number for tourism information for the territory, coming up with the tag line "Going North, Call us First." In the role he would develop the long-haul tourism market and seek more economic development for the territory using federal funds. In 1987 he pushed further west into the land of the midnight sun. As marketing director of Tourism Yukon he forged close ties with the U.S., becoming a key member of the Alaska Tourism Marketing Council. He developed strong bonds with the European market negotiating the first direct flights between Frankfurt and Whitehorse as well as a direct flight between Frankfurt and Anchorage. He moved to Alberta in 1999 but couldn't stay away from tourism for very long, eventually taking up a post as portfolio manager of the Americas for Travel Alberta where he oversaw an annual budget of $12 million and a staff of up to 16 working to market Alberta as a holiday destination. In 2007 he took on the task of strategy and Olympic marketing in the run up to Vancouver 2010. The strategy culminated in a high profile for Alberta in Vancouver and Whistler during the 2010 Olympic Games. With a train branded Travel Alberta ferrying journalists, VIPs and athletes between Vancouver and Whistler for events, he staged a perfect coup and shone a spotlight on the Rockies during the biggest winter sport competition in the world. Klaus made an incredible contribution to the Canadian tourism industry over 50 years and has been put forward for an Order of Canada for his tireless dedication to sharing Canada with the world. He is survived by his wife, Debra, son Stefan in Calgary, his daughter Jadis in London, as well as his daughter Katharina, son-inlaw Michael Miron and beloved granddaughter Alexandra in Montreal.
Roth, Klaus (2012)Founder of Just For Laughs, Television Personality and Quebec Tourism Industry Icon. Gilbert Rozon is a creative and passionate entrepreneur, recognized for his boldness and vision. He has contributed in positioning Montréal as an international cultural, recreational and touristic capital. His path, which is paved with accolades and successes, is closely related to the Festival that he founded. When Gilbert Rozon realized that most major art forms had their own international festivals, except comedy, he set out to change that. The Montreal-born founding president of the Just For Laughs/Juste Pour Rire Group started his career in events management in 1980, creating a celebratory festival (la Grande Virée) for the town of Lachute, QC., which attracted 60,000 people in its inaugural year. Prior to la Grande Virée, he’d explored careers in just about everything, from law to real estate and even as a gravedigger, but he eventually found his calling in comedy. Just For Laughs made its debut in 1983 and is today among the most important cultural and touristic events in Canada and is the biggest comedy event in the world, attracting more than 1.25 million visitors every summer. The event has an annual economic impact of nearly 100 million dollars in Montréal. Rozon has since grown his comedy empire to include festivals in Toronto, Chicago and Paris, TV series such as Just for Laughs Gags and Funny as Hell, live shows featuring the likes of Jerry Seinfeld and Louis C.K., and talent management. Over the past thirty years, he has presented some of the most famous French and English comedians: Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle, Jim Carrey, Tim Allen, Chris Rock, Jon Stewart, Drew Carey, Jay Leno, John Cleese, Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean), Jean--‐Marc Parent, Stéphane Rousseau, Lise Dion, Yvon Deschamps, Franck Dubosc, Gad Elmaleh, Roland Magdane, Fabrice Luchini and Pierre Richard are only some of the great artists who have been presented by the Festival. Gilbert Rozon involved himself in all the facets of the comedy industry: discovering new talent and artist management, producing comedy shows and festivals and an annual comedy conference and market for the industry producing and distributing television shows, founding and operating offices in Paris, Los Angeles and London, as well as today, the Just For Laughs Festivals are held annually in Montréal, Toronto, Chicago and Sydney. At the heart of Gilbert Rozon’s entrepreneurial commitment, the economic and touristic repercussions of which are undeniable, is his passion and love for Montréal, a city which has had a deep significance for him and what he cherishes. For Gilbert Rozon, this confluence of two cultures and languages, which is becoming more diversified, is the very example of “the creation of the modern world.” He passionately loves his city and every time that Just for Laughs shines throughout the world, it is Montréal, worldwide cultural capital, and its recreational and touristic activities that benefits. Gilbert Rozon is a member of Boards of Directors for the RÉMI, Festivals and Major Events Canada, Montréal Festimania, Chambre de Commerce du Montréal Métropolitain (Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal), École Nationale de l’Humour (National School of Humour) and Fondation de la Maison du Père (La Maison du Père Foundation). He is also actively involved with the Montreal Festivals Collective. In 2010, Québec’s Minister of Tourism, Mme Nicole Ménard asked Gilbert Rozon to preside the Comité performance de l’industrie touristique du Québec (Performance Committee of the Québec Tourism Industry), which presented its report at the Tourism Convention on May 30, 2011. Formed by twelve leaders of the industry, members of academia and industry consultants, this committee had the mandate of proposing a 2012--‐2020 vision to position tourism as a generator of economic development, to harness a larger share of the international growth and face increased competition with a regional development perspective. Through his involvement, Gilbert Rozon contributed to important budget measures pertaining to tourism development announced in the 2012--‐2013 Budget of the Québec government. He currently presides over the Tourism Steering Committee, which participates in the Minister’s Strategic Table.
Rozon, Gilbert (2012)Calgary Hotelier (Awarded posthumously). As a 13-year-old, street-corner newsboy who started his career selling newspapers he couldn't read, Leo Sheftel was a keen observer who learned early that offering his customers personal service would pay off. During more than 70 years of business in Calgary building and managing two of Calgary's landmark hotels, Leo Sheftel achieved success by knowing his customers and giving them the service they expected. Always a hard worker, Mr. Sheftel spent his youth selling newspapers and magazines, toting luggage for CPR passengers from the station to the Palliser Hotel, and working at his family's fruit and vegetable stand in a market located on what is now the Olympic Plaza. In 1930, he and his brothers expanded into the grocery business, and delivering groceries to impoverished customers who could barely afford the necessities of life during the Depression. Recognizing the need for a full-service hotel in Calgary, the Sheftel brothers got out of groceries and into the hotel business in the late 1950s. Mr. Sheftel and his partners opened the Highlander Motor Hotel in January 1961, as the first major hotel to be built outside the downtown core and the first to feature an outdoor swimming pool. The Highlander offered complete catering services for conventions and banquets, and hosted celebrities such as Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and Leonard Bernstein. In 1968, Sheftel and his partners turned their attention to the south end of the city were they built the Carriage House Inn. Sheftel served as president and general manager of the Carriage House from 1968 to 1999. During that time he made a point of being a visible presence every day, pouring coffee, shaking hands with customers and asking how their meals were. Affectionately known as Mr. Hospitality, Leo Sheftel became something of a legend in the Calgary hotel business. Guests at the Sunday brunch that he hosted each week were often surprised to discover that the stooped, silver-haired man filling their creamers was actually the hotel owner. Depite his legend status, Sheftel always regarded himself as "an ordinary everyday working man". Sheftel retired in 1999 at age 86, and spent his last years volunteering with such organizations as the Beth Tzedec Congregation and Chevra Kadisha, and enjoying the company of his large family. He passed away Dec. 6, 2004 at age 91.
Sheftel, Leo (2007)A tireless ambassador for Prince Rupert for over 70 years, Walter Smith has had seen “B.C.’s northern city” grow from a village of some 6,000 accessible only by sea or rail to an easily accessible and sought-after tourism destination. Walter began volunteering with community organizations as a teen and started working at what came to be known as William F. Stone Men’s Wear in 1933. He continued to volunteer with several community groups and organized a series of civic concerts to raise funds for the Red Cross. By 1939, he was called to active duty and served six years with the Royal Canadian Navy. Walter was discharged in 1945 when he married and returned to Prince Rupert. During the war, Prince Rupert’s population grew to 25,000, but was now shrinking back to its pre-war size as troops headed back home. Walter and his colleagues saw tourism as a way to hold on to a portion of the booming war-years economy. He was a leader among a long list of dedicated volunteers who spent thousands of hours developing the Museum of Northern B.C.; forging partnerships that brought the Alaska State Ferry to Prince Rupert in 1963; establishing boat launches and campgrounds, launching the first advertising campaigns in increasingly broader markets; and, building the early Visitors’ Bureau into the strong DMO that is Tourism Prince Rupert today. Walter was the voice of northern B.C. through a critical era in development for the provincial tourism sector. He was present for the creation of Beautiful British Columbia magazine in 1959 and the founding of BC Ferries. In fact, he helped plan festivities around the inaugural sailings of both the Queen of Prince Rupert in 1966 and the Alaskan ferry Wickersham in 1968. In 1961, Walter, along with John Grey of Kitimat, was appointed to represent Northern BC from Japer to Haida Gwaii on the provincial government’s Tourism Committee. He served on this committee until his retirement from business in 1974. Through his lobbying efforts during these years, Walter influenced many important developments including the establishment of northern parks, the early development of K’san Historical Village, wharf facility upgrades at Cow Bay, creation of the Prince Rupert Airport, and a paved highway stretching from Prince Rupert to Prince George. After his retirement, Walter and his wife split their time between Prince Rupert and Victoria. They travelled the world together for some 25 years, keeping Northern B.C. close to their hearts. Always ready to promote the area, Walter often presented Prince Rupert medallions and pins to dignitaries and associates on his travels. Over the years, Walter has received recognition for his hard work and commitment to the community from the city, province and the State of Alaska. He has been honoured with a Paul Harris Fellowship Award for “promoting a better understanding and friendly relations among peoples of the world” and the 2008 William Van Horne Visionary Award from Tourism Vancouver for his leadership and development of tourism in B.C. In 2007, he was both the inspiration for and inaugural recipient of the Walter Smith Visionary Award for Northern BC. At 92, Walter continues to be an active member of the Chamber of Commerce and a tourism ambassador for Prince Rupert. In May 2008, he was greeting the season’s first cruise ship passengers and inviting them to enjoy his fair city.
Smith, Walter (2008)Hank Stackhouse is an accomplished industry veteran with 30 plus years of experience in the Canadian Hospitality Industry. As the retired President and Chief Executive Officer of Delta Hotels and Resorts, Canada’s leading hotel management company, Hank lead a team of over 8,000 colleagues and oversaw a portfolio of 46 hotels and resorts with more than 13,000 guest rooms across Canada. During his leadership, Delta Hotels was awarded the highest business award in Canada, “Canada Order of Excellence”. Delta also ranked within Hewitt’s “50 Best Employers in Canada” and in 2011 reached the top ten employer across all industries in Canada. A strong supporter of healthy communities he was instrumental in the creation of a gold-level partnership with Habitat for Humanity Canada, which included fund raising, volunteering and championing affordable housing across Canada. Hank has been recognized for his career accomplishments by being awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of New Brunswick, as well receiving the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee for his overall contribution to the tourism industry. Hank is an active member in industry affairs now serving as a director and past chair of the Hotel Association of Canada Board of Directors as well as being currently enrolled in Rotman’s School of Management’s ‘Directors Education Program’.
Stackhouse, Hank (2014)Owner and President, Capilano Suspension Bridge. In BC’s vibrant tourism industry, Nancy Stibbard, CEO of the Capilano Group of Companies, is a go-to person. Whether it’s new marketing initiatives or hot potato issues - industry peers know that Nancy’s business acumen and ability to work to consensus generate results. That is why she has served in an executive capacity on every significant tourism organization in BC, including Tourism Vancouver as its first female Chair. Nancy Stibbard was raised on tourism. Her father, Rae Mitchell, had purchased Capilano Suspension Bridge in 1953 and had no qualms about putting her to work scooping ice cream. When the attraction had lost its luster and was put up for sale in the early 1980s, Nancy knew its potential and could not bear to see it leave the family. Nancy’s career path had taken a turn since her early days at the Bridge. Earning a Masters of Social Work from the University of British Columbia, Nancy was working with emotionally disturbed children and raising a family of her own. Nevertheless, she purchased Capilano Suspension Bridge in 1983 and, under pressure to repay very large loans, took the first of many steps to revamp the tired attraction. Today Capilano Suspension Bridge is a must-see destination in Vancouver, including many new services and attractions, such as the one-of-a-kind Treetops Adventure. Her initial success came from retail – where she reworked the merchandise mix to include more Canadian-made products and upscale apparel and accessories like Burberry and Ralph Lauren. This led her to open new stores in Victoria (1986), Moraine Lake (1989) and Banff (1990). Since those early days Nancy has purchased and rebuilt two luxury accommodation properties in the Canadian Rockies - Moraine Lake Lodge (1992) and Cathedral Mountain Lodge (2002). Her latest project is a new resort at Tofino, opening 2009. Nancy’s vision is always beyond Capilano Suspension Bridge. She works tirelessly to mobilize others in the industry to work toward common goals. This has led to the creation of cooperative organizations such as the Council of Tourism Associations, recognized as the voice of BC’s tourism industry, and the Vancouver Attractions Group, a marketing consortium enabling the group to participate in initiatives unaffordable individually. Nancy’s accomplishments have not gone unrecognized. Award highlights include Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year (Pacific Canada) in Hospitality/Tourism (1996), Business in Vancouver’s Influential Women in Business Award (2000), Tourism Vancouver’s Harold J. Merilees Award (2004), the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC)’s inaugural National Tourism Excellence Award as Business of the Year (2003), TIAC’s National Tourism Excellence Award as Innovator of the Year (2004) and Tourism BC’s Outside the Box Award for Innovation (2005). Looking to the future, there is still much to do. The Tofino resort is still in planning stages and Nancy is always on the lookout for new opportunities that fulfill her vision, “to create experiences that people are amazed by.” And, taking a page out of her father’s book, when Nancy first purchased the Bridge, she put her young son John to work folding T-shirts – a move guaranteed to ensure a bright future for the Capilano Group of Companies!
Stibbard, Nancy (2007)President and Chief Executive Officer, The Vancouver Trolley Company. Jim is the President and CEO of The Vancouver Trolley Company, one of Vancouver's best known sightseeing companies. The Vancouver Trolley Company has grown under Jim's direction from a 6 vehicle, seventeen employee seasonal business in 1996 to a 33 vehicle, year round operation, with over 150 employees. This growth was generated through working with local attractions to establish mutually beneficial partnerships aimed at assisting all parties in attracting more customers and increasing revenues. In addition, the Company has developed new products to create incremental off season revenue streams so that the company can continue to grow and maintain financial stability. Jim was born in the City of Vancouver and raised in Vancouver and Burnaby. He attended Simon Fraser University and B.C.I.T. In 2006, he received his Bachelor of Hospitality Management Degree through the Executive Cohort Program at Vancouver Community College. Mr. Storie completed the Institute of Corporate Director's Governance Essentials Program in 2006 and the Director's Education Program (DEP 6) in September of 2009. Mr. Storie obtained his ICD.D in November of 2009. Mr. Storie has been an active participant in industry and community organizations. He is the Board Chair of Vancouver's The Arts Club Theatre Company and Immediate Past-chair of the Council of Tourism Associations of British Columbia and sits of the boards of Vancouver Community College and Action Line Housing. He is a Past Chair of the Boards of Tourism Vancouver, Action Line Housing and the Seton Villa Society and formerly sat on the boards of Vancouver Coast and Mountain Tourism Association, H.R. MacMillan Space Science Centre, The Van Dusen Botanical Gardens Association and The B.C. Trucking Association.
Storie, Jim (2010)Wendy Swedlove has been the President of the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council, since its establishment in 1993. Over this time the Council has been at the forefront of producing the labour market information necessary to understand the sector’s employment characteristics, growth, compensation, and labour supply/demand gaps. The Council has also developed national occupational standards, professional certification programs, paper-based and on-line work place training, under the emerit® brand, and career information under the Discover Tourism brand. In 2012 Ms. Swedlove was awarded an Honorary Doctorate degree from the University of Guelph in recognition of her commitment to the stewardship of the resources and programs that have been developed for the benefit of Canadians who are tourism employees, business owners, students, and educators. Prior to her tenure with the CTHRC Ms. Swedlove spent eight years with the organization that is now the Canadian Tourism Commission. Prior to her work with tourism, Mrs. Swedlove held positions with the Foreign Investment Review Agency, the Canadian Transport Commission, and the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources. Wendy is a member of the advisory boards of the tourism and hospitality programs of the University of Guelph and Ryerson University, and is the proud recipient, on behalf of the Council, of four awards.
Swedlove, Wendy (2014)Oak Bay Hotel, Walker Hospitality. Kevin Walker’s career in the hospitality industry has spanned over 32 years. Recognized as an industry leader, Kevin is driven by a determination to do things well and maintains a commitment to give back to his community and the industry that has sustained his family for three generations. Kevin’s achievements are numerous both within his business achievements and his greater community involvements. As past Chairman of the Board of the Hotel Association of Canada and the Council of Tourism Associations of BC and the BC & Yukon Hotel’s Association, he has a unique perspective of the dynamic tourism and hospitality industry. He is the recipient of many awards including Hotelier of the Year, Tourism Industry Leader of the Year and Tourism Victoria’s Miracle Award. Currently he is President/Owner of Bison Properties Ltd. (Oak Bay Beach Hotel) and Walker Hospitality Ltd. He has recently launched, together with Shawna, his wife and business partner, a new endeavour, the Discovery Club Luxury Destinations Ltd. Kevin and Shawna reside in Victoria BC. They have two married daughters who have each worked with their parents throughout the years.
Walker, Kevin (2013)Founder, WardAir International. Born and raised in Edmonton, Maxwell W. Ward joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1940, where he received his pilot's wings and served as a commissioned flight instructor at various Canadian bases during the Second World War. After discharge from the RCAF in 1945, Mr. Ward flew as a bush pilot in the Northwest Territories. In 1946, he organized his own company, Polaris Charter Co. Ltd., based in Yellowknife, which carried supplies and passengers throughout the sub-Arctic. By 1953, he founded Wardair Ltd. with a newly acquired 14-passenger, single-engine Otter that could land on ice, snow or water, which revolutionized bush air transport and opened up the Arctic to Wardair. Duly licensed by the Canadian Transport Commission for the first time, Wardair carried mining prospectors, machinery, medical teams, oil exploration crews, musk ox, fish and all people and things needing transportation in Northern Canada. Ward loved the Arctic and the challenges of flying into its many unmapped areas. Wardair expanded steadily to include a variety of planes with increasingly larger payloads capable of carrying tractors, trucks, cars, powerplants, mining machinery, small buildings, oil, gasoline, livestock, hay, and groceries at six tons per trip. When DeHavilland built the Twin Otter and then the 4-engine Dash 7, Wardair was the first to operate them in Canada. By 1962 Wardair launched international passenger charter services between Western Canada and the U.K. A charter market was created, flying war brides and former Europeans back to the U.K. and Europe for a visit at a price they could afford. In 1967, Wardair bought the first Boeing aircraft ever sold in Canada with the purchase of a 109-seat Boeing 727. This aircraft achieved the highest utilization of any 727 in the world and, with a refueling stop in Sonderstrom, Greenland, cut the flying time from the 20-21 hours in a DC-6 down to 9-10 hours. During winter months, the aircraft flew to Hawaii and the Caribbean. Through constant innovation, Mr. Ward continued to expand service. Recognized as Canada's largest international charter air carrier, Wardair offered departures to and from a variety of holiday destinations, along with scheduled flights between Canada and the U.K. and within Canada. Wardair was not a discount airline but an airline providing good service at lower-than-average prices. They were known for their high quality meals and friendly staff. "Steak & Champagne" flights was a popular advertising tag line in the 1980's, and won various awards from magazines for their service. A renegade and pioneer, Mr. Ward helped open up development of the Arctic and fought against the government’s restrictive airline regulations. He has received numerous awards for his contribution to Canadian aviation - including appointment as an Officer of the Order of Canada. True to form, Mr. Ward was unable to accept his induction into Canada's Tourism Hall of Fame personally, as he was enroute delivering supplies in remote areas of the Northwest Territories.
Ward, Maxwell (2007)Victoria Regent Hotel, Victoria, BC. The BCHA established a Foundation for charitable giving around 1997-98 Earl was the Chairman of the Foundation board and spearheaded most of the initiatives. The first major project was working with Vancouver Open / Air Canada Championship golf Tournament. During this PGA event several other golf tournaments were held and one was for the BC Hotel Foundation. Earl was the tournament chair. This lasted for about 5 years and then we held our own tournament for about 5 years. The foundation raised and contributed about $700,000 to the BC Paraplegic Association and CHILD over the ten years of operation. Earl was the key driving force throughout this period of time. About 5 years ago we collapsed the BC Hotel Foundation into the BC Hospitality Foundation to strengthen and focus the charitable giving of all Hospitality Associations. Earl was the architect of this move and sat on this new board as a director for several years, He was very active on the BCHF since their focus was on scholarships and helping industry workers in times of need, something he felt very passionate about. The longest standing hotel General Manager in Greater Victoria, Earl is a key player in the tourism industry on a local, provincial and national level with an undeniable commitment to the advancement of the industry in terms of customer service, advocacy and economic growth. Earl is a successful businessman that is clearly and unequivocally devoted to the betterment of the tgourism and hospitality industries in Victoria, British Columbia and Canada.
Wilde, Earl (2013)President and CEO of Oak Bay Marine Group. Mr. Wright is President and Chairman of the Oak Bay Marine Group of Companies, which has divisions in Canada, the United States, and the Bahamas. The companies are primarily involved in the adventure tourism industry, as well as restaurants and attractions. The Oak Bay Marine Group of Companies was started in 1962 and now includes a variety of key attractions for international visitors throughout the province, including Victoria, Campbell River, Uculet, Long Beach and Haida Gwaii. Mr. Wright has taken an important leadership role in a multitude of travel and tourism institutions. He was a Founding member of the Sport Fishing Advisory Board, and Director and Vice-Chairman of the B.C. Ferry Corporation. He has also contributed his knowledge to culture and heritage institutions, spearheading the original City of Victoria’s Heritage Program, and serving as Director of the Victoria Symphony and Director of the Victoria Art Gallery. Mr. Wright has been instrumental in marketing tourism in British Columbia worldwide. For over 40 years his persistence has resolved many challenging issues relating to the sports fishing industry, paving the way for new operators in a difficult business environment. The success of the Sport fishing industry in British Columbia which attracts thousands of tourists each year is due in no small part to the vision, passion, and tenacity that Mr. Wright demonstrates each and every day of his life.
Wright, Bob (2011)


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