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Vancouver, BC (November 22, 2022): Following an official announcement at the organization’s Annual General Meeting on November 15, the British Columbia Hotel Association (BCHA) is pleased to announce its 2022 board of directors—including the appointment of David McQuinn as Chair—and share that it has fulfilled commitments to the 50-30 Challenge, achieving the most significant level of board diversity in the organization’s 105-year history.
The 2022 BCHA board welcomes five new Board Directors and comprises a team of industry leaders from regions across the province. They are:
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Angie Eccleston – Crest Hotel, Prince Rupert (Executive Director)
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Bryan Pilbeam – Delta by Marriott Hotels, Kamloops (Past Chair & Governance)
- Christine Louden – Granville Island Hotel, Vancouver
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David MacKenzie – Pemberton Valley Lodge, Pemberton (Treasurer)
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David McQuinn – Coast Bastion Hotel, Nanaimo (Chair)
- Eda Koot, Inn at Laurel Point, Victoria
- Eleanor Ryan – Pomeroy Hotel & Conference Center, Fort St. John
- Erin Cassels, Huntingdon Manor, Victoria
- Estreya Gosalbez, Four Seasons Resort, Whistler
- Jean-Francois Vary, Fairmont Waterfront Hotel, Vancouver
- Jessica Dolan – Ramada Penticton, Penticton
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Jonas Melin – Pinnacle Harbourfront Hotel, Vancouver (Executive Director)
- Leo Saad – Best Western Plus Chateau, Fort St. John
- Madone Pelan, Oak Bay Beach Hotel, Victoria
- Samantha Hackett – Long Beach Lodge, Tofino
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Tanya Stroinig – Prestige Hotels & Resorts, Kelowna (Vice Chair)
The BCHA Board of Directors is pleased to also announce the appointments of its officers including David McQuinn, General Manager of Coast Bastion Hotel, who will serve as Chair; Tanya Stroinig, Chief Operating Officer at Prestige Hotels and Resorts, who will serve as Vice Chair; David MacKenzie, Owner and General Manager at Pemberton Valley Lodge, who will serve as Treasurer; along with Angie Eccleston, General Manager of Crest Hotel, and Jonas Melin, General Manager at Pinnacle Harbourfront Hotel, who will each serve as Executive Directors. Bryan Pilbeam, Vice President of Invictus Properties, will move to Past Chair and Governance Chair.
“I am honoured to take on the role of Chair and to work alongside this brilliant group of new and returning board directors as we carve a positive path forward, not just as industry leaders, but as global citizens,” said David McQuinn, BCHA Chair. “We each hold a unique position to steward our accommodation and tourism sector in the right direction and we intend to carry out that commitment in a sustainable way that will support all voices for generations to come.”
In February of 2021, the BCHA joined the 50-30 Challenge—an initiative between the Government of Canada, businesses, and diversity organizations to improve access for historically under-represented individuals to positions of influence. The BCHA Board of Directors committed to meet criteria by 2024, with board representation that involves gender parity and significant representation—at least 30 percent—of racialized persons, persons living with disabilities, individuals who identify as LGBTQ+2, as well as First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
“Diversity in leadership not only creates an opportunity for the next generation of leaders but also fosters understanding and innovation as we are pushed to look at things from different perspectives,” said Bryan Pilbeam, BCHA Past Chair and Governance Chair. “We are delighted to have met our 50-30 Challenge goal ahead of schedule and to welcome a group of exceptional leaders that more accurately reflect the make-up of our industry. We also share our thanks to the former board members who selflessly volunteered to step down from their positions for this goal to be met”
The BCHA Board of Directors and staff recently completed SuperHost® Service for All, an equity, diversity, and inclusion training course offered through go2HR and an Indigenous culture training session with Moccasin Trails. The board will continue to take part in educational training to support diversity, equity, inclusion, and reconciliation.
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