Speakers | BC Hotel Association

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Meet our Speakers

Keynote Speakers

Jonny Bierman

Marketing & Consulting Lead, Eco Escape Travel & Journalist, Lonely Planet

Michel Falcon

People-First Culture and Customer Experience Expert

Stephanie Labbe

Olympic Gold Medalist & Sporting Director, Vancouver Rise FC

Steven Chen

Hotel Investment Sales,
NAI Commercial

Keith Daser

Founder & CEO
Deliver Digital Inc.

Janet Fan

Outreach Officer
Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada

Matthew Iwama

Senior Immigration Manager
VVS Global

David MacKenzie

Owner & Managing Director
Pemberton Valley Lodge

Clint Mahlman

President & COO
London Drugs
& Co-Founder, Save Our Streets

David McBean

General Manager
Watermark Beach Resort

Moira Mcdonald

School Director & Associate Professor
Royal Roads University

Angela Nagy

President & CEO
GreenStep

Timea Nagy

Founder & Educator
Timea's Cause

Carrie Russell

Senior Managing Partner
HVS

Vinil Sood

Business Development Manager
Quality Inn & Suites, Vernon

Kelly Sundberg

Founder, SAFE Design
& Professor, Mount Royal University

Jane Talbot

President & CEO
Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association

Kelly Watt

Director, Special Projects
Sandman Hotel Group

Keith Wells

Executive Director
Greater Victoria Sport Tourism Commission

Arun Subramanian

Senior Vice President, Safety and People Practices
go2HR

Beth McMahon

President & CEO
Hotels Canada

Michelle Le Sage

General Manager
Victoria Marriott Inner Harbour

Chris Quigley

Director of Development
Aryze Developments

Will Lew

Chef/Director of F&B
Pacific Reach

Paul Hawes

President & CEO
BC Hotel Association

Michael Kuzyk

President
Category 12 Brewing

Tommy Kalita

Fintech Solutions Specialist
Mews

Julie Morris

Country Manager
MyHR

Vijay Aleti

Senior Manager
Economic Insights and Planning
Destinationa Canada

David Hopkins

President
The Fifteen Group

General Enquiries

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SUSTAINABILITY CHAMPION

Nominee information | For group awards, please indicate the person best suited to accept the award.

NOMINATOR INFORMATION

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Phone Number*

Job Title*

Company Name*

NOMINEE INFORMATION

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Phone Number*

Job Title*

Company Name*

Company Address*

All nominations must be endorsed and supported by the nominee. Please confirm that the nominee is aware and supportive of this nomination.*

I confirm the above. *

CATEGORY-SPECIFIC ELIGIBILITY

Open to any accommodation property in British Columbia.

I confirm that the nominee fulfills the above condition. *

Please address each of the following criteria in your nomination submission, limiting your response to a maximum of 200 words per question. Bullet point responses are acceptable.

What sets the nominee apart from others in the industry in terms of sustainability practices?*

Provide a specific example showcasing how the nominee has demonstrated outstanding commitment to reducing their carbon footprint and promoting sustainability initiatives.*

SUPPORTING MATERIALS

Please include supporting materials such as links to websites, social media, videos and samples of work relevant to the nomination, where appropriate. If the nominee is selected as the winner, this material may be used for promotion of the award category during Awards Dinner or in any post-event promotion or communications. *

Optional File Upload Upload a file or drag and drop. up to 250MB

CULINARY EXCELLENCE

Nominee information | For group awards, please indicate the person best suited to accept the award.

NOMINATOR INFORMATION

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Phone Number*

Job Title*

Company Name*

NOMINEE INFORMATION

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Phone Number*

Job Title*

Company Name*

Company Address*

All nominations must be endorsed and supported by the nominee. Please confirm that the nominee is aware and supportive of this nomination.*

I confirm the above. *

CATEGORY-SPECIFIC ELIGIBILITY

Must be from an accommodation-operated food and beverage company in British Columbia.

I confirm that the nominee fulfills the above condition. *

Please address each of the following criteria in your nomination submission, limiting your response to a maximum of 200 words per question. Bullet point responses are acceptable.

Please provide a brief overview of what the nominee individual or team achieved in 2023/2024. (Include third-party recognition, awards)*

What makes the nominee individual or team stand out from others in the industry?*

Please provide a specific example of how the nominee individual or team has demonstrated outstanding culinary excellence. (Menu concept, service excellence, event execution, etc.)*

SUPPORTING MATERIALS

Optional File Upload Upload a file or drag and drop. up to 250MB

LEADER OF THE FUTURE

Nominee information | For group awards, please indicate the person best suited to accept the award.

NOMINATOR INFORMATION

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Phone Number*

Job Title*

Company Name*

NOMINEE INFORMATION

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Phone Number*

Job Title*

Company Name*

Company Address*

All nominations must be endorsed and supported by the nominee. Please confirm that the nominee is aware and supportive of this nomination.*

I confirm the above. *

CATEGORY-SPECIFIC ELIGIBILITY

Age 35 and under.

I confirm that the nominee fulfills the above condition. *

Please address each of the following criteria in your nomination submission, limiting your response to a maximum of 200 words per question. Bullet point responses are acceptable.

Describe the innovative product/initiative/campaign the nominee executed and its objectives.*

Describe the strategies and tactics that were used in successfully delivering the product/initiative/campaign vs. campaign/initiative. Highlight how they were unique or different.*

Describe the impact and results of this new approach.*

SUPPORTING MATERIALS

Optional File Upload Upload a file or drag and drop. up to 250MB

HOTELIER OF THE YEAR

Nominee information | For group awards, please indicate the person best suited to accept the award.

NOMINATOR INFORMATION

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Phone Number*

Job Title*

Company Name*

NOMINEE INFORMATION

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Phone Number*

Job Title*

Company Name*

Company Address*

All nominations must be endorsed and supported by the nominee. Please confirm that the nominee is aware and supportive of this nomination.*

I confirm the above. *

CATEGORY-SPECIFIC ELIGIBILITY

Must be a General Manager, Vice President, Regional Vice President or President/Executive Director of a BC-based hotel or hotel group.

I confirm that the nominee fulfills the above conditions. *

Please address each of the following criteria in your nomination submission, limiting your response to a maximum of 200 words per question. Bullet point responses are acceptable.

How has the nominee demonstrated exceptional leadership, motivation, and innovation?*

Describe the nominee’s impact on their local community.*

How has the nominee enhanced the overall BC’s tourism and hospitality industry?*

Describe the nominee’s impact on one or more of the following: visitor satisfaction, sustainable practices, and workplace culture/HR development.*

SUPPORTING MATERIALS

Optional File Upload Upload a file or drag and drop. up to 250MB

HOUSEKEEPING EXCELLENCE

Nominee information | For group awards, please indicate the person best suited to accept the award.

NOMINATOR INFORMATION

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Phone Number*

Job Title*

Address*

NOMINEE INFORMATION

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Phone Number*

Job Title*

Company Name*

I confirm that:*

All nominations must be endorsed and supported by the nominee. Please confirm that the nominee is aware and supportive of this nomination.

Please address each of the following criteria in your nomination submission, limiting your response to a maximum of 200 words per question. Bullet point responses are acceptable.

Please provide a brief overview of what the nominated company achieved in 2024.*

What makes this housekeeping team stand out from others in the industry?*

In identifying properties to receive the Housekeeping Awards, the BCHA considers brand GSI scoring system or a hotel proprietary GSI reports as the driving measure (for example: Trust You, Top Box Scores, etc.). These reports provide a comprehensive view of your guests’ experience, with a focus on overall cleanliness. Please submit to: bchainfo@mci-agency.com*

SUPPORTING MATERIALS

Optional File Upload Upload a file or drag and drop. up to 250MB

ACCOMMODATION OF THE YEAR

Please address each of the following criteria in your nomination submission, limiting your response to a maximum of 200 words per question. Bullet point responses are acceptable.

NOMINATOR INFORMATION

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Phone Number*

Job Title*

Company Name*

NOMINEE INFORMATION

Company Name*

General Manager (GM) First Name*

GM Last Name*

GM Email*

Phone Number*

All nominations must be endorsed and supported by the nominee. Please confirm that the nominee is aware and supportive of this nomination.*

I confirm the above.

Please address each of the following criteria in your nomination submission, limiting your response to a maximum of 200 words per question. Bullet point responses are acceptable.

Please provide a brief overview of what the nominated company achieved in 2024.*

Describe the unique innovations or services the property offers.*

In identifying properties to receive the Accommodation of the Year Award, the BCHA considers brand GSI scoring system or a hotel proprietary GSI reports as the driving measure (for example: Trust You, Top Box Scores, etc.). These reports provide a comprehensive view of your guests’ experience, with a focus on overall guest satisfaction. Please submit to: bchainfo@mci-agency.com*

SUPPORTING MATERIALS

Optional File Upload Upload a file or drag and drop. up to 250MB

Community Contribution award

NOMINATOR INFORMATION

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Phone Number*

Job Title*

Company Name*

NOMINEE INFORMATION

First Name*

Last Name*

Email*

Phone Number*

Job Title*

Company Name*

Company Address*

All nominations must be endorsed and supported by the nominee. Please confirm that the nominee is aware and supportive of this nomination.*

I confirm the above.

Please address each of the following criteria in your nomination submission, limiting your response to a maximum of 200 words per question. Bullet point responses are acceptable.

COMMUNITY IMPACT

How has the nominee significantly contributed to the betterment of the BC accommodation community? Please provide specific examples with measurable outcomes of initiatives, projects, or actions that have positively impacted the industry.

INDUSTRY SUPPORT

How has the nominee actively supported the growth and development of the BC accommodation sector? Please highlight any specific contributions, such as mentorship, advocacy, or collaborative efforts.

SUPPORTING MATERIALS

Optional File Upload Upload a file or drag and drop. up to 250MB