TOTA Announces New Board of Directors at AGM

At the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) Annual General Meeting (AGM), held October 28 at Manteo Resort in Kelowna, results were announced of recent online voting to elect stakeholders to seven of the positions on its Board of Directors.

The Board’s Executive will be:

• Chair: Bryan Pilbeam, Hotel540, Kamloops
• Vice-Chair: Chris Bower, Nk'mip Resort Association, Osoyoos
• Secretary-Treasurer: Christine Latimer, Best Western Inn & Suites Valemount

The Board’s Past Chair is Michael J. Ballingall, Senior Vice-President of Sales & Marketing at Big White Ski Resort.

Elected to two-year terms on the Board were:

• Don Brogan, General Manager, Walnut Beach Resort (Osoyoos)
• Gene Covert, co-owner of Covert Farms and Covert Farms Family Estate Winery (Oliver)
• Glenn Grant, General Manager, BC Wildlife Park (Kamloops)
• Lyndie Hill, Owner, Hoodoo Adventure Company (Penticton)
• Graeme Jenkins, Executive General Manager, Sandman Signature Kamloops Hotel (Kamloops)
• Brad Pelletier, Vice-President of Okanagan Region for Wesbild Holdings, parent company of Predator Ridge Resort (Vernon)
• Steve Rice, Chair, Gold Country Communities Society (Cache Creek)

The directors below are completing their two year term and are still on the board

• Chris Bower, President, Nk'mip Resort Association (Osoyoos)
• Robyn Cyr, Manger, Shuswap Tourism (Salmon Arm)
• George Hanson, Owner, Seven Stones Winery (Cawston)
• Kevin Howlett, Senior Vice President, Regional Markets, Air Canada
• Christine Latimer, General Manager, Best Western Inn & Suites Valemount (Valemount)
• Bryan Pilbeam, Vice-President/General Manager, Hotel 540 (Kamloops)

TOTA Summit Highlights

Over 200 attendees gathered for 2015 TOTA AGM and Summit at the Manteo Resort in Kelowna over the two-day event October 28th and 29th.  Check out the highlights of the event and we hope you will join us next year!
 

Key Highlights of the Summit:

Destination BC Presentation

Destination BC
We were joined by Destination BC on October 28th for an informative presentation updating the industry on the Destination BC Strategy followed by a workshop to assist operators in understanding the newly developed brand, and how to use it to align efforts, work collaboratively and win together!

Opening Reception
The Summit Opening Reception hosted by Tourism Kelowna at the Smack DAB Restaurant at Manteo Resort. Small bites, local wine, beer and spirits were enjoyed by all attendees!

Keynote Speaker – Daniel Levine – Avant – Guide Institute
Keynote Speaker Daniel Levine took the stage Thursday morning for an inspirational presentation on What Travellers Want and How to Give it to Them. With a one of a kind look at the trends reshaping the way people travel and how Thompson Okanagan stakeholders can benefit from these changes.

Breakout Sessions
The three concurrent Breakout Sessions held Thursday aligned with the Thompson Okanagan Regional Strategy and were informative, covering topics such as emerging Canadian demographic trends using Environics Analytics, How to Claim your Google Business Listings and Community advocacy.

1. Game Changer – Jason Dunkel, Environics Analytics and Jon Mamela, Destination Canada with Ingrid Jarrett, Watermark Beach Resort
2. Google My Business - Jody Wall, Views 4 Business
3. Flakes of Change - Jim Barr (Doc Pow) and Matt Mosteller (Powder Matt)

CEO Glenn Mandziuk delivered the annual progress report on the Thompson Okanagan Regional Strategy annual report, focusing on key partnerships in the Thompson Okanagan Region. New partnership announcements included: GreenStep, AtBC and Go2HR.

Silent Auction and Wine Draw
The industry continues to support the Summit through Silent and Live Auctions donations with over $30,000 dollars in donations! The Thompson Okanagan wine trails and associations donated gift baskets of wine from around the region with the grand prize from the Oliver Osoyoos Winery Association.

Closing Speaker – Jon Mamela
The Summit ended with a presentation from Jon Mamela of Destination Canada, outlining how they intend to drive the Destination Brand to new heights for Canada, BC and the Thompson Okanagan region. Highlights of the new US program “Look up” was also provided.

Advisory Committees (Community Forum and Experiences Advisory Committee)
TOTA established Advisory Committees this year and many participants attended committee meetings prior to the Summit. The Community Forum held its fifth annual event with Destination BC presenting information on the new programs.

We gratefully acknowledge all of our sponsors who made this event possible!

Corporate Sponsors:

Summit Sponsors
BDO, Black Press, Destination BC, GetOn.com, Go2HR, GreenStep, Let’s Go Transportation, Manteo Resort Waterfront Hotel and Villas, Mobilize, Okanagan College, Smack DAB Restaurant, SW Audio + Visual, Thompson Okanagan Reservations, Tourism Kelowna, Waterway Houseboats

Live Auction Sponsors
Nancy Greene’s Cahilty Lodge, Rocky Mountaineer, Sun Peaks Resort, Thompson Okanagan Reservations, Twin Anchors Houseboats, Waterway Houseboats

Silent Auction Sponsors
Alpine Helicopters, BC Wildlife Park, Bell Media (ez ROCK 101.5, AM 1150), Best Western Vernon Lodge, Beyond Wrapture Spa, Black Bear Grill, Black Rock Oceanfront Resort, Burrowing Owl Estates Winery, Caribou Grill, Celista Estate Winery, Christina Lake, Christina Lake Golf Course, Delta Grand Okanagan Resort, GetOn.com, Hester Creek, Hockey Women’s World Championship (IIHF), Hooded Merganzer Restaurant, Hotel Zed, Kamloops Heritage Railway, Kelowna Ramada, Kettle Valley Steam Railway, Local Lounge and Grill Restaurant, Manteo Resort Waterfront Hotel and Villas, Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing, Mission Hill, Pacific Coastal Airlines, Park Lane Motel and RV Park, Penticton Lakeside Resort, Plaza Hotel, Predator Ridge, Prestige Harbourfront Resort, Salmon Arm, Quails’ Gate, Ramada Penticton, Recline Ridge Winery, River Safari, Robson Helimagic, Roots and Blues Festival, RPB Hotels, Shuswap Bed and Breakfast, Shuswap Marina, Silver Star Mountain Resort, South Okanagan Events Centre, Sparkling Hill Resort, Summerland Waterfront Resort and Spa, Super 8, TELUS, Tinhorn Creek, Tourism Vernon, Unique Adventure Tours, Willow Ranch, Yellowhead Helicopters, YLW

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Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA)
2280-D Leckie Road | Kelowna, BC V1X 6G6 | Canada
Tel: 250.860.5999

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