Michael Smith steps aside as Kootenay Rockies Tourism Chair

Kootenay Rockies Tourism held their 38th Annual General Meeting earlier this fall in Revelstoke.

Long-time Invermere resident, Michael (Mike) Smith, former business owner of McToogles, and well-known musician, stepped aside from his position of Chair. — Photo courtesy Kootenay Business

Kootenay Rockies Tourism held their 38th Annual General Meeting earlier this fall in Revelstoke. The conference was held this in conjunction with a regional Tourism Industry Conference which featured many speakers and presentations on issues and topics currently at the forefront of the industry today.

This event also marked a historic change in leadership at the Board of Directors level.  Long-time Invermere resident, Michael (Mike) Smith, former business owner of McToogles, and well-known musician, stepped aside from his position of Chair.  Thom Tischik of the Revelstoke Accommodation Association was elected as the new Chair of Kootenay Rockies Tourism.

It was a memorable moment at the Kootenay Rockies conference when Doug McIntosh, Secretary/Treasurer, a founding director of the organization acknowledged Mike Smith for his tremendous efforts and contributions to tourism in the Kootenay Rockies over his 35 year tenure. Mike has been active in tourism on many levels.  He was a director on the Tourism BC (now Destination BC) Board for three years, President of the Golf Industry of BC, Director and integral part of the Tourism British Columbia Special Operating Agency and a founding director of this region’s tourism association, Kootenay Rockies Tourism.

Mike has owned many retail shops in the valley over the past forty years, most recently owned and ran the successful McToogle’s Restaurant in Invermere. Mike will stay on as Past Chair with the organization.

The 2015/16 Executive and Directors of the organization are:

Thom Tischik, Chair, Revelstoke Accommodation Association

Mike Smith, Past Chair, Links Consulting, Invermere

Tyler Beckley, Vice Chair, Three Bars Guest Ranch, Cranbrook

Deanne Steven, Vice Chair, Tourism Rossland

Doug McIntosh, Secretary/Treasurer, Chattan Holdings Ltd/Lake Windermere Resort, Invermere

Ken Wilder, Mountain & Valley Panorama/Invermere DMO

Keith Powell, Koocanusa Publications, Cranbrook

Tom Rosner, Resorts of the Canadian Rockies

Nancy Hetherington, Fairmont Hot Springs Resort

Andrea Tubbs, Columbia Valley Golf Trail

Nico Leenders, Revelstoke Mountain Resort/Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing, Revelstoke

Kootenay Rockies Tourism is one of five official regional tourism organizations in BC.

For more information on the AGM/Tourism Industry Conference, please visit: KRTourism.ca