Minister announces appointments to Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism Marketing Council

Julie Bettney, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, announced today 15 appointments to the Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism Marketing Council. Ms. Judy Sparkes-Giannou will serve as chair of the council for a three-year term. Fourteen other individuals will serve two or three-year terms. They are: Bart Philpott, John Fisher, Cathy Lomond, Roger Jamieson, Cathy Duke, Debbie E. White, David Snow, Gudrid Hutchings, Sue Rendell, Tineke Gow, Mark McCarthy, Stelman Flynn, Carmela Murphy and Vic Janes.

"The Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism Marketing Council is a win-win situation for both government and industry," said Minister Bettney. "The council provides both parties with the opportunity to work cooperatively and enhance our decision-making in promoting and marketing our province. It strengthens our commitment to tourism and our working relationship."

The mandate of the Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism Marketing Council is to assist with preparing strategic marketing and annual marketing plans; monitor the implementation of marketing programs; assist the department with developing industry marketing partnership programs; and report annually to the minister and to industry on the marketing programs and their results.

"I am very pleased to be the chair of this new marketing council," said Judy Sparkes-Giannou. "This is a partnership which industry has been calling for since the review of the provincial tourism marketing strategy in 2002. The Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism Marketing Council is a real and progressive step forward in tourism marketing."

"I congratulate the members on their appointments and wish them success during their tenure on the council," said Minister Bettney. "This is an exciting initiative for both government and industry as the council marks a collaboration of real substance with respect to marketing Newfoundland and Labrador in the most efficient and successful way possible."

Media contact: Melony O�Neill, Communications, (709) 729-0928

Judy Sparkes-Giannou is the president of Maxxim Vacations. She has over 12 years of tourism marketing experience. Ms. Sparkes-Giannou has previous experience as the director of tourism with the St. John�s Board of Trade, board member of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, president of the Hotel/Motel Association of Newfoundland and Labrador and she was on the Tourism Development Committee with the City of St. John�s. She has also worked as the managing director of Clayton Inns Ltd focusing on sales and marketing.

Bart Philpott is the owner/operator of the Baie Vista Inn Ltd. based in Baie Verte. He has served as president of the Dorset Tourism Association and APEX as well as on the boards of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, Canadian Restaurant and Food Association, Baie Verte Chamber of Commerce and the Dorset Snowmobile Association. Mr. Philpott has also served as a provincial tourism consultant to other tourism operators. He has been involved in the tourism industry for 30 years and has won several awards including Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador Restauranteur of the Year Award in 1996 and the Canadian Restaurant and Food Association Leadership Awards in 1992.

John Fisher has worked as a consultant for 30 years specializing in organizational development, economic development and strategic planning. He is also the author of the Canadian bestseller, Money Isn�t Everything, a management primer. He was commissioned by the federal government to produce a nine-part management guide which was distributed to over 20,000 organizations nationwide. Mr. Fisher has owned and managed Fishers Associates since 1977. In partnership with his wife Peggy, he owns and the Fishers� Loft Inn, a four and a half star accommodation, restaurant and conference centre in Port Rexton, Trinity Bay.

Cathy Lomond has been involved in the hotel business for over 20 years. She began her career in the tourism industry at Hotel Port aux Basques as a waitress while still in high school. From there she advanced in the sector to manage two other properties. In 1999, Ms. Lomond decided to invest in her own operations and went back to her roots and bought Hotel Port aux Basques. In 2003, she was awarded Restauranteur of the Year by Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador. She has also received the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation�s prestigious Doug Wheeler Tourism Award in recognition of her devotion as a volunteer to the tourism industry.

Roger Jamieson is the owner/operator of Kilmory Resort located in Swift Current. He has held numerous positions on Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador including president and current past-president. Mr. Jamieson is also a board member with the Canadian Tourism Commission and serves as interim chair of the Marble Mountain Development Corporation. He also chairs the Marble Mountain Marketing Committee. In addition, he has played an active role with the Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership.

Cathy Duke is president of Sports Villas Resort, Inc. in St. John�s which owns and operates the Terra Nova Golf Resort and the Clarenville Inn. She has previous experience in economic development with the federal and provincial governments where she worked with many tourism operators and tourism associations around the province. She has served as the executive director of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador and, over the last five years, Ms. Duke has sat as a board member on the Resorts Atlantic Marketing Council, Golf Atlantic Canada, Golf Newfoundland and Labrador, Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador and the St. John�s Board of Trade.

Debbie E. White has worked for 30 years in the tourism industry. She has owned and operated a number of hotels, motels, lounges, dining facilities and she now co-owns the four-star Spruce Pine Acres Country Inn located in Port au Port, West. She has served as chair of the Festival Coast Tourism Association. Ms. White is also a business network advisor, a business consultant and a tourism program development officer with the College of North Atlantic. She has developed a training program for front-line workers in hospitality complete with step-by-step lesson plans and a regional tourism training program for grass roots/front line workers in tourism.

David Snow is the owner and president of Wildland Tours which services some of the world�s largest travel organizations. He sits on the board for Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador and is the founding president of the Adventure Tourism Association of Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Snow has several years of community economic development consulting experience as the senior consultant with Tourism Consulting Associates.

Gudrid Hutchings is the owner/operator of Rifflin� Hitch Lodge located in Labrador. She worked for several years as sales marketing manager for western, central and northern Newfoundland and Labrador for Air Atlantic. Ms. Hutchings also worked as the assistant manager of Glynmill Inn. She is the vice-president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Outfitters Association.

Sue Rendell has owned and operated Gros Morne Adventures since 1990. She is the president of the Adventure Tourism Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, a board member of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador and a member of the Gros Morne Marketing Partnership. Ms. Rendell is a past board member of the Viking Trail Tourism Association.

Tineke Gow is the owner/operator of Campbell House B &B Retreat and Artisan Inn. She is a member of the board for Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, B & B Country Inns Association, the Discovery Trail Association and the Avalon Convention and Visitors Bureau. Ms. Gow also serves on the Sightseeing Touring Product Team with the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. She has been awarded the Southcott Award from the Newfoundland and Labrador Historic Trust as well as the Orchid Award from Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador for Campbell House.

Mark McCarthy is the president of McCarthy�s Party Ltd, a tour operator specializing in group tour and incentive travel. He is also an executive with the Avalon Convention and Visitors Bureau and sits on the U.S. committee of the Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership.

Stelman Flynn has worked for 27 years in the food industry and 15 years in accommodations. He is the owner of Seaview Restaurant and Cabins and is president of Forteau Food Processors Ltd. He has held a number of positions with Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador including director, president and past-president. He was a member of the board of CANAL and is the current president of the Cruise Association of Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Flynn has also sat as chair of the Coastal Labrador Marketing Group and the Labrador Straits Development Corporation.

Carmela Murphy is the director of tourism marketing with the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. She has 15 years experience in economic development and marketing with the provincial government where she worked with many tourism operators and tourism associations in the province. She is the provincial representative on the U.S. marketing committee for the Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership.

Vic Janes is the assistant deputy minister responsible for tourism and recreation with the Department Tourism, Culture and Recreation. Mr. Janes holds degrees in education and physical education and his early career included teaching and working in municipal politics in Corner Brook and St. John�s. He has worked with government for over 20 years, including director of recreation. Before his appointment to the ADM position in 2000, he was the executive director of the Special Celebrations Corporation.

2003 09 25                                        2:15 p.m.