The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC), announced last February 22nd the appointment of Mr. Robert Mercure to the Canadian Tourism Commision (CTC) Board of Directors.
As hotels try to offer guests technology they'll be able to both understand and use, one high-tech boutique hotel in Vancouver has come up with a novel approach - replacing the arguably obsolete wireless hotel phone with an iPhone. The Opus hotel in Vancouver's trendy Yaletown neighborhood has made the switch to iPhones, figuring that guests - especially those from the USA - will know how to use them and appreciate having a Canadian phone to eliminate international roaming fees on their personal phones.
Rosewood Hotel Georgia is delighted to welcome Derek Damon to the role of Food & Beverage Director at Vancouver’s leading luxury hotel. Responsible for operations at both Reflections restaurant & lounge and 1927 lobby lounge, as well as banquets, weddings and room services, Derek will also be integral to the opening of Prohibition, slated for the end of the year.
Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver announces the appointment of Vito Romeo to the position of general manager. Mr. Romeo joins the hotel from the 670 room Shangri-La Hotel, Beijing in China’s capital city, where he served as resident manager from 2009 to March 2012. During this tenure, he also studied at Cornell and graduated in the general managers’ program in 2011.
With an impressive twenty years of experience under his belt, Kari Koskela returns to Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver, where he took on his first hotel job following graduation from the renowned Hotel Management School Les Roches in Switzerland. He’s come a long way from Assistant Chief Steward, earning his new role as Hotel Manager, with many hotels, destinations and increasing management roles along the way. Kari has enjoyed various positions with a six other Four Seasons properties since including those in Nevis, Tokyo, Seattle, Toronto and Las Vegas. With a focus on food and beverage, Kari’s career path has aligned well with his extracurricular interests. Kari is a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers. In 1996 he returned Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver as an Assistant Manager at Chartwell before continuing to explore the world with an appointment as Consulting Restaurant Manager with Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Chinzan-so. In 1997 he was promoted to Studio Cafe Restaurant Manager at Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, then dipped his toe in the catering pool as Catering Sales Manager in Toronto. In 1999 he was promoted to Assistant Director of Food & Beverage at Four Seasons Hotel Seattle. In 2001 Kari was appointed director of food & veverage with Delta Pinnacle Hotel in Vancouver and became its director of operations later that year. He returned to Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver in July 2003 as director of food & beverage, and in 2005 transferred laterally to Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas. Kari’s career continued to grow as he gained experience as a hotel manager with Ritz Carlton Washington in 2007 and as general manager with Metropolitan Hotel Vancouver where he has been for the past two years. Kari notes his time with in Washington during the years that marked the campaign and historical inauguration of President Barack Obama as an inimitable life highlight. An opportunity to provide first class hotel experiences for the President and many high profile guests took his skills to a new level.
Dana discovered her enthusiasm for cooking while studying Psychology at the Memorial University of Newfoundland. During her studies, she craved a career that combined her love for food and travel and a desire to perform within a team environment. Dana soon discovered her culinary cravings and enrolled in the culinary program at Canadore College. Her apprenticeship began at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge where the Executive Chef immediately recognized a natural talent; offering Dana the option to complete her apprenticeship at the resort. Leaping at this opportunity, Dana enrolled in the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology's professional cooking program.
A native of Munich, Germany, Andre began his career in hospitality as a culinary apprentice in 1977 working for top toques in Munich, Germany. Following his apprenticeship, Andre joined the Inter-Continental Hotels kitchen brigade as Sous Chef at the Hotel InterContinental in Berlin, Germany. In 1990, Andre headed to the Great White North as Executive Chef of the InterContinental, Toronto. Then into the United States as Regional Director, Food & Beverage for InterContinental Hotels where he oversaw the 5 properties in New York City.
Vancouver Career College announced that it recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the prestigious IMI University Centre of Luzern, Switzerland. From now on, graduates who successfully complete the Hospitality Management diploma at Vancouver Career College have the unique opportunity to enhance their credentials at one of the leading hotel management schools in Europe. They’ll be able to transfer to either IMI’s International Tourism Management or International Hotel and Tourism Management programs and benefit from quality academic teaching, Swiss practical training and excellent international industry network. They’ll be joining students from all over the world.
Wesbild Holdings, parent company of Predator Ridge Resort, announced today the appointment of Brad Pelletier as vice president for the Okanagan Region. In his position Pelletier will focus on all aspects pertaining to projects and operations the company oversees in the Okanagan Valley.
Philip Barnes has been appointed vice president & general manager, Fairmont Pacific Rim, Vancouver. Barnes brings over three decades worth of hospitality experience to his new role and returns to Vancouver from Dubai, where he held his most recent role as regional vice president, U.A.E & general manager, Fairmont Dubai
Beginning his career in Vancouver, Chef Bell worked with a number of distinguished restaurateurs, including Le Crocodile’s Michel Jacob and Lumiere’s Rob Feenie. From there, he headed east to take key positions at Toronto’s Accolade and Senses restaurants then to Peninsula Ridge Estate Winery in Niagara. Moving to Calgary, Chef Bell opened Murrieta’s Grill and was recognized as Best Overall and Rising Star by Where Magazine. Bell returned to his Okanagan roots in 2007 to become co-owner and corporate chef in the Kelowna lakeside favorite, Cabana Bar and Grille, where he retains his co-owner status. Following a detailed induction within the hotel kitchens of Rosewood celebrated properties, The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel and Rosewood Sand Hill, Chef Bell intends to draw on Rosewood’s guiding principle “A Sense of Place” when crafting menus for each distinct avenue of the hotel’s dining program. “We will anchor the cuisine at the Rosewood Hotel Georgia to Canada’s west coast, by incorporating local flavours and produce, while ensuring the exemplary standards which Rosewood’s guests have come to expect,” concluded Chef Bell.
Born in Ithaca NY, Robert's professional career encompasses over 28 years with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts where he has led the teams at 13 of the company's most acclaimed and award winning properties. From the shores of Hawaii to the 'urban mecca' of New York and London; Robert's experiences are endless. Most recently, Robert's post was in California where he oversaw Four Seasons in Los Angeles, Palo Alto, Jackson Hole and San Diego as well as the opening of Bora Bora
Sanford gained a passion for the Rosewood Hotels & Resorts brand during his tenure at The Mansion on Peachtree in Atlanta, Georgia. Rising to the position of Director of Rooms at this acclaimed property, Sanford was the perfect choice to lead the team at Rosewood Hotel Georgia, which opens in Vancouver on May 7th, 2011.
Craig Reaume lands as the new General Manager at The Fairmont Vancouver Airport and proudly returns to British Columbia. Transferring from Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York as the former Hotel Manager, Craig touches down at the only airport hotel to be recognized on Condé Nast Traveler’s Top 100 Gold List. He replaces General Manager Dan McGowan who now oversees The Fairmont Palliser in Calgary. With over 20 years of hotel experience with Canada’s leading brands, Craig’s experiences read like a hotel handbook after graduating from the University of Guelph with an Honours Bachelor of Commerce. He started in the trenches in Guest Services at Canada’s largest hotel, the Delta Chelsea Hotel in Toronto, and proved himself in learning the ropes in progressive positions from Reservations Human Resources to Front Desk Manager.
With an inspiring résumé, including Director of Sales at Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort & Spa in Victoria and Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver, it was Bruyere’s most recent role at Vancouver’s Sutton Place Hotel that established his passion and fervor for the sales environment, an attribute pivotal to his appointment at Rosewood Hotel Georgia.
Kyle comes to The Sutton Place Hotel with many years of Sales and Marketing management experience in the hospitality industry, most recently as Director of Sales with the Westin Wall Centre, Vancouver Airport. Kyle has also held various sales management positions for over 10 years with such places as The Westin Bayshore, Tourism Vancouver, and Cantrav West Destination Management Services.Kyle received his Tourism Marketing Diploma from the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) with a first class grade point average and was the winner of the Julia Blockberger Scholarship Award for Academics.
With a hotel career that’s taken Ian Pullan around the world and back, he’s landed in Vancouver, British Columbia as the new General Manager of The Fairmont Waterfront. Crossing the water from his General Manager’s post at The Fairmont Orchid, Mr. Pullan leaves the sunny Big Island of Hawaii for the cosmopolitan city of Vancouver. He takes over the reins from retired General Manager, Francis Parkinson at one of four Fairmont properties located on the West Coast amidst the spectacular mountains and the sea.
The Rosewood Hotel Georgia in Vancouver, B.C., Canada is scheduled to open in early 2011. With four decades of experience and success in the management of luxury hotel operations, Halliday joins Rosewood Hotels & Resorts following his most recent position as founder and president of Halliday Hospitality Group, which worked directly with Pan Pacific Hotels Group to develop new hotels for the company. Prior to that, he spent 26 years in senior positions within Pan Pacific Hotels Group, most notably as Vice President and General Manager of Pan Pacific Vancouver for more than 10 years, first opening the hotel in 1986 for the World’s Fair. Now, Halliday will manage Rosewood’s newest addition and second Canadian property to its already outstanding collection of notable properties.
Walters has 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry and was most recently the hotel manager of the Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center. Prior to that, he was the general manager of Adam’s Mark Hotels in St. Louis, Missouri. Walters served in similar positions at the Hilton Seattle Airport and Conference Center, Doubletree Hotel Yakima Valley in Washington and the Doubletree Hotel Denver. He has also held food & beverage positions with the Oasis Resort Hotel in Nevada and Brinker International in Denver. Walters graduated from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in food management and nutrition. He is a Hilton Worldwide award winner for leadership, guest loyalty and continuous improvement. Walters will report to Brad Hutton, Hilton Worldwide Area Vice President.
Born in British Columbia, Michael is a graduate of Vancouver’s prestigious Dubrulle. Upon graduation in 1992, Michael worked at a number of prominent Vancouver area restaurants before joining The Sutton Place Hotel in 1997 as Chef de Partie. Michael’s obvious passion and enthusiasm for cooking eventually awarded him the position of Chef du Cuisine in 2000. French Culinary School