2005 Doug Wheeler Award

Two tourism industry contributors - Roger Jamieson and the Grand Falls-Windsor Centennial Celebrations Committee - have been awarded the 2005 Doug Wheeler Tourism Award, which recognizes outstanding efforts to promote or develop the tourism industry in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Roger Jamieson is the owner of the four-star Kilmory Resort, located just outside Swift Current. Opened in 1991, Kilmory is one of the most successful resort operations in the province and has expanded four times in the past 10 years.

Mr. Jamieson has been a board member of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, the provincial tourism industry association, for 14 years and served a two- year term as president. He currently sits on the Canadian Tourism Commission Board of Directors and is an executive member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism Marketing Council. In 2005, Mr. Jamieson was a member of a three-person advisory committee that conducted a review into the operations of Marine Atlantic. On top of all this, Mr. Jamieson manages to donate time as a volunteer to various industry associations.

"Mr. Jamieson is a champion for tourism industry issues and an advocate of the importance of tourism marketing," said Tom Hedderson, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. "And as a private sector tourism operator, he has assumed the risk of establishing a small business in an industry that is still very seasonally dependent. It takes creativity and a lot of heart to assume the liability to continue to upgrade, expand and enhance your business."

"I'm truly humbled by the award," added Mr. Jamieson. "My efforts for the tourism industry have been driven by a desire to improve the fortunes of Newfoundland and Labrador and to improve the business climate for all tourism operators in the province."

The Grand Falls-Windsor Centennial Committee organized a commemoration of the town�s 100th anniversary in 2005 with a year-long program of events and festivals which attracted residents, expatriates and tourists from far and near.

"This group successfully planned a monumental project," said Minister Hedderson. "Not only did the centennial events promote tourism to the region but they invigorated the community. Residents now have a renewed enthusiasm to celebrate their culture and heritage."

The 10-person committee, chaired by Paul Hennessey, was made up of residents, Albert Evans, Susan Sullivan, Gary Hennessey, Roger Pike, Cathie Wicks, Andy Barker, Barry Manuel, Rod French and Michael Griffin.

Paul Hennessey expressed his thanks to the volunteers who worked countless hours with the committee on the celebrations.

"Our centennial year was indeed a success and a year to remember," said Mr. Hennessey. "This is a great honour and I would like to share this distinguished award with the hundreds of volunteers who came together to help commemorate and celebrate the industrial and cultural heritage of our region."

Doug Wheeler was a provincial civil servant known to many as "Mr. Tourism." This award, sponsored by the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, commemorates his efforts to promote Newfoundland and Labrador as a tourism destination, and the high standards he employed while doing so. Mr. Wheeler passed away in 1981 while still an employee of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The award is presented annually during the Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador Convention.

Media contact: Susanne Hiller, Communications (709) 729-0928, 728-7762

2006 02 15        10:45 a.m.