Executive Board |
Board of directors |
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meet our board of directors
Leading our industry with strength, tenacity, and a tireless resolve to ensure industry prosperity
lower mainland
John Kearns | General Manager, Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel (Past Chair & Governance Chair) |
Jonas Melin | General Manager, Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront, Vancouver |
Doug Andrews | General Manager, The Listel Hotel |
David MacKenzie | Owner & General Manager, Pemberton Valley Lodge, Pemberton (Executive Director) |
Brian Rohl | Director, Corporate Purchasing & Cleanliness, Coast Hotels Limited |
Scott Johnson | General Manager, Holiday Inn Express Metrotown
Currently General Manager of the Holiday Inn Express – Metrotown, Scott has worked in the hospitality industry throughout Western Canada. Scott has held leadership positions at properties across Canada, in Edmonton, Calgary, Penticton, Whistler as well as several properties in the Lower Mainland. Prior to joining the IHG Hotels & Resorts brand in 2014, Scott was Regional Director with Sandman Hotel Group based in Richmond, BC. Throughout his career, Scott has maintained a commitment to the communities he has lived and worked in, volunteering his time and talents to support the prosperity of our province and industry. With this sincere commitment, Scott has held positions that include Chair of Richmond Tourism—a position he held from 2011–2013 after serving several years as a board member. Scott also served on the on the boards of the Davie Village Business Improvement Association, the Vancouver Hotel Association, and the Advisory Design Panel in Whistler. Most recently, Scott volunteered for several years at Carnegie Community Centre in downtown Vancouver. A resident of Richmond, in his spare time Scott enjoys golf on the weekends and spending time with his wife and children. |
Vancouver Island south
Chris Watson | General Manager, Best Western Plus Carlton Plaza |
Stephen Roughley | General Manager, Marriott Victoria Inner Harbour (Executive Director) |
Vancouver Island North
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David McQuinn | General Manager, Coast Bastion Hotel (Vice Chair)
David is a strategic leader with a consistent track record of high performance, maximizing all assets he leads. Prior to his current role overseeing all operations as the General Manager of the Coast Bastion Hotel Nanaimo, David held General Manager titles at the Coast Inn of the North, awarded the Hotel of the year in 2015, and Courtyard Prince George, a property which he oversaw the opening. David also previously served as VP of Food & Beverage Operations for Silver Birch Hotels and Resorts. Throughout his illustrious career, David has maintained a sincere commitment to contributing the community where he has lived, volunteering his time and serving leadership positions on a number of associations and organizations including the Nanaimo Hospitality Association, the Downtown Business improvement Association, and Hospitality Industrial Relations. Additionally, David held the position of Treasurer for the BC Hotel Association, prior to assuming his current role of Vice Chair. |
central bc
Bryan Pilbeam | Vice President and General Manager, Delta Hotels by Marriott and Invictus Properties Inc. |
Ravinder Dhaliwal | General Manager, Mundi Hotel Enterprises Inc. (Treasurer)
A highly driven and passionate professional, with an analytical mindset and flair for numbers, Ravinder Dhaliwal serves as the Chief Financial Officer for the Mundi Hotel Group, overseeing the entire finance department. Ravinder graduated from Simon Fraser University with a BBA and earned his chartered professional accountant designation in 2005. He moved to Canada at the age of seven to Merritt, BC and lived in Vancouver for 10 years before moving to Kamloops, BC in 1997. His diverse professional background includes 12 years in commercial & retail banking, 2 years as an owner of Dairy Queen, 10 years as a Radio industry controller, 5 years as a controller in fishing and golfing wholesale, and 2 years as budget/project coordinator in the construction industry. Ravinder is driven by a commitment to give back to his community and has served as Chair of IndoCanLinks Charity Golf Tournament for 22 years, helping raise over half million dollars for the Royal Inland Hospital, Thompson Rivers University, and overseas charities. He was a chartered member of the Rotary Club of Kamloops Centennial serving for 5 years. In 2020, Ravinder became a Director on the BC Hotel Association Board of Directors, continuing his commitment to serve and support the hospitality industry. In his spare time, Ravinder enjoys running, biking, tasting wine, and travelling. He lives in Kamloops with his wife of 30 years and is a proud father of two professional adult children. |
Jessica Dolan | General Manager & VP Operations, Ramada by Wyndham Penticton Hotel & Suites
Jessica had the great opportunity of growing up within, world-class tourism destination, the Okanagan, where she fostered her passion for hospitality, working at a number of hotels. Having quickly worked her way up at each property she worked at, today, Jessica is the General Manager for Ramada By Wyndham Penticton Hotel & Suites.
Jessica is a natural leader, with experience in project management, customer service, sales, and marketing. She is motivated and loves taking on new challenges both within the workplace and in her personal life. Jessica is a high-energy individual who enjoys working with people on projects and thinking outside the box. Jessica’s unique experiences, leadership skills, and attention to detail allow her to bring a great deal of value to every team she engages with. Prior to earning her Bachelor Degree in Business Administration, Jessica spent time travelling around South East Asia, Australia, and across Europe. Having fallen in love with travel from an early age, Jessica is passionate about tourism and the experiences it provides. Jessica served with executive roles on both the Penticton Tourism Society and the Penticton Hospitality Association until they merged. She has been executive on the Travel Penticton Board since 2017 and currently serves as Chair of Travel Penticton. Jessica also serves as a director on the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association board. |
Tanya Stroinig | Chief Operating Officer, Prestige Hotels & Resorts
Tanya Stroinig is the Chief Operating Officer at Prestige Hotels & Resorts, a family-owned company with 17 properties located in 13 beautiful BC communities. Overseeing the team of General Managers and the daily operations of the corporate office, Tanya is also involved in development projects and the coordination of the chain’s various renovations. Her 20+ year career with Prestige has coincided with the company’s significant growth, and her roles have included sales & catering, purchasing, administration, project management, and most recently, managing hotel operations with a focus on revenue management and guest services. Tanya holds a regional Governor position for Best Western Hotels, she was the Vice Chair of Tourism Kelowna, a leader on the JoeAnna’s House Build committee, and was invited to co-chair the Kelowna Brier committee. Based in beautiful Lake Country in the Okanagan, Tanya enjoys the many hiking trails and lakes in the area. |
eastern bc
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Vivek Sharma | CEO, Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, Fairmont Hot Springs (Executive Director)
Vivek Sharma is a decisive senior leader with a consistent track record of high-level performance, providing strategic and operational leadership to businesses at both a corporate and property level. Currently, Vivek leads Fairmont Hot Springs Resort as its Chief Executive Officer. Prior to this role, he served as General Manager of the Sun Peaks Grand Hotel & Conference Centre, which won the prestigious Air Canada Tourism Business of the Year Award in 2017 at the national Tourism Industry Association Awards. An active member of numerous provincial boards and industry advisory councils, Vivek significantly contributes to his local community and the industry at large. He has served as the first VP for the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce, a Board Director for both the BC Hotel Association and the BC Chamber of Commerce, and is currently Chair of the Tourism Industry Association of British Columbia. Additionally, Vivek serves on the Advisory Council for the Thompson Rivers University Tourism and Hospitality Program, and the Deans Advisory Council for the School of Business. |
Northern BC
Leo Saad | General Manager, Best Western Plus Chateau Fort St. John
Leo is a seasoned multilingual hospitality professional and customer service ambassador with over 23 years of domestic and international experience in the hospitality industry. A Hospitality Management graduate, Leo has worked various cities across the Middle East, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Manama, Muscat, Dahran, and Beirut. While working abroad, Leo held leadership positions for companies such as Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, Shangri-la Hotels & Resorts, Rotana Hotels & Resorts, and Jumeirah International. After landing in Canada, he worked with IHG Hotels & Resorts, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, and managed national chain restaurants before joining Best Western Hotels. Leo has a passion to teach hospitality and has been teaching in local Calgary Colleges for almost four years till now. He loves sharing and spreading the positivity that tourism and travel brings to communities and countries across the globe. |
Eleanor Ryan | General Manager, Pomeroy Inn & Suites and Stonebridge Hotel Fort St. John |
at large
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Stewart Instance | President, Ashler Hospitality Group (Best Western Plus Tin Wis Resort) |
