At the May 23rd. Annual General Meeting Susan Morrissey was introduced as the Incoming Chair of the Board of Directors. Tamer Fahmi has joined the Board as the Chamber of Commerce and Burlington Downtown representative. All other members have remained on the Board for another term.
Meet our Board
Tourism Burlington is overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors who represent various sectors of the tourism industry in the city. They meet from September to November and January to May on the third Thursday of the month at 8 a.m. The Board of Directors are elected at the Annual General Meeting held in May of each year.
Board members 2009-2010 (see Bios below)
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Michael Zuccherato - Convention/Travel Trade/Transportation representative
Gord Langford – Burlington Hotel Association representative
Mary Nichol - Sport representative
Staff Resources
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- Executive Director - Association Secretary
Board Member: Susan Morrissey Position: Chair – Executive Committee Years on Board: 4
Susan is a long time resident and supporter of Burlington and has been actively involved in many aspects of this community. She brings to the board expertise in administration, and human Resources as well as volunteer experience with events that promote the City of Burlington. For thirteen years Susan was involved with Burlington's Sound of Music Festival as a volunteer, committee chairperson, Director and President of it's Board of Directors. Some of her other community involvement has been with Rotary Ribfest, Burlington's Canada Day Committee and a former member of the Burlington Teen Tour Band.
Board Member: Drew Furtney Position: Treasurer – Executive Committee Years on Board: 1
Drew is a Chartered Account and Manager at Horne & Company LLP in Burlington. His volunteer experience includes being a Board member and Chair of the Finance Committee with his community church, Committee member for the Canadian Cancer Society and a coach of house league fastball team.
Board Member: Barbara Teatero Position: Arts, culture, heritage representative Years on Board: 1 (previous member prior to 2005) - Executive Committee
Barbara has been with the Burlington Museums for 25 years and currently is the Director, bringing a wealth of experience in the arts, heritage and culture sector to the Tourism board. She has served on a number of boards and committees throughout her career including the Ontario Museum Association, Canadian Museums Association, Burlington Heritage Week, Heritage Umbrella Group and Parks and Recreation Ontario.
Board Member: Mayor Cam Jackson Position: Council representative Years on Board: 4
Cam Jackson was elected the 27th Mayor of the City of Burlington in 2006. After serving five terms as a Halton School Board trustee. Cam Jackson served from 1985 to 2006 as MPP in the Ontario Legislature. Cam was appointed to Cabinet and served as Minister Responsible for Workers’ Compensation Reform; Minister Responsible for Seniors; Canada’s first Minister of Long Term Care; Minister of Citizenship with Responsibility for Seniors and Minister of Tourism and Sport. The Mayor also sits on the boards of Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital, Burlington Hydro, the Burlington Economic Development Corporation, Tourism Burlington, Team Burlington, the Charles Sturt University Teacher Education Advisory Committee, as well as the GTA Marketing Alliance and the Council of GTA Mayors and Chairs. Mayor Jackson is also a member of the Municipal Leaders for the Greenbelt.
Board Member: Councillor Rick Goldring Position: City Council Representative Years on Board: 4
Rick is the City & Regional Councillor for Burlington's Ward 5 area. He is a lifelong resident of Burlington and has been in business locally for 27 years. He is a Senior Financial Advisor with Assante Financial Management and is also a member and Past President of the Hamilton Chapter of Advocis, Canada’s largest association of Financial Advisors. Rick is also a former member of the Board of Directors of the Ron Edwards (Burlington) Family YMCA, the Burlington Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of Burlington Lakeshore.
Board Member: Mark Gregory Position: Burlington Economic Development representative - Executive committee Years on Board: 3
Mark has over 25 years experience in the marketing communications field. He has helped shape or position a number of major tourism initiatives including Alberta’s Olympic legacy, the City of Regina’s highly successful city-focused, five-year tourism campaign and its popular Discover Us! and Dragon Boat Festivals. He served on the Boards of the Saskatchewan Science Centre and a Grey Cup Festival where he managed the efforts of over 1500 volunteers who worked on everything from civic ambassador to pageantry programs. Mark has lived in Burlington since 2004 and is the Vice Chair of the Burlington Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors.
Board Member: Erika Gal Position: Aldershot Business Community Representative Years on Board: NEW
Erika is a partner with Maritime Travel in Burlington and is Travel Executive with 25+ years of international travel product, operations, marketing and revenue management experience with a special focus on the cruise industry and upscale travel within the last 15 years. Erika has successfully managed travel campaigns, innovative product development and marketing, has travelled to all continents and sailed on over 50 cruises. Erika is the Aldershot Business Community representative on the Tourism Board.
Board Member: Tamer Fahmi
Position: Chamber of Commerce Representative Years on Board: NEW (former Chamber rep on Tourism Board for 2007-8)
Tamer E. Fahmi is the Broker of Record and President of his company, HEARTH & HOME REALTY INC., BROKERAGE founded in 1989. He has been a resident of the Burlington area since 1970, a practicing REALTOR® since 1976 and a business owner since 1989. Tamer has served on a number of boards and committees over the years, most recently as a Former President of the Ontario Real Estate Association as well as the REALTORS® Association of Hamilton-Burlington. He is currently serving on the Burlington Downtown Association's Board of Management and the Tourism Board of Directors. Tamer resides in the Tyandaga area with his wife and business partner Janet.
Board Member: Jason Stoner Position: Accommodation and Burlington Downtown representative Years on Board: 3
Jason has been in the hospitality business for 14 years working in Niagara Falls, Muskoka and most recently on the airport strip in Toronto for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts as well as Intercontinental Hotels Group. Jason is currently the General Manager of the Waterfront Hotel - Downtown Burlington. In 2007 he won a Teamwork award from the Intercontinental Hotels. A certified Food and Beverage Executive (American Hotel and Motel Association), Jason has been a guest lecturer at George Brown College Hospitality Program. He is a member of the Oakville Chamber of Commerce and the Burlington Hotel Association. Jason has been a Burlington resident for the past 7 years and joined the Tourism Board of Directors as the hospitality representative in 2007.
Board Member: Grahame Richards Position: Citizen representative Years on Board: 5
Most of Grahame’s business life was spent in marketing both in the public and private sectors. He has directed marketing functions and campaigns for medical services, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and food products. In the public sector, he led marketing initiatives to increase sales of Ontario Wines, Ontario Grown food products and Ontario as a Tourism destination. More recently he has developed and implemented a multi-million dollar international campaign to raise Ontario's image with international investors and thus increase foreign direct investment into the Province. As a community volunteer Grahame has served on the board of the Joseph Brant Hospital and Paletta Park Advisory Committee. Grahame is currently a member of the Tourism Burlington Marketing Committee.
Board Member: Alison Rath Position: Attractions Representative Years on Board: 3
Alison started at RBG as an Events Coordinator and is presently the Manager of Tourism & Partnerships. Her career has included employment in management positions in Ontario’s festivals and events industry, with extensive experience with non-profit organizations and private corporations. Alison is also an active member of Festivals & Events Ontario, The Halton Tourism Advisory Committee and volunteers for several community events.
Board Member: Gordon Langford Position: Burlington Hotel Association representative Years on Board: 3 (plus past Chair and member for 11 years)
Gord has been in the Tourism industry for over 44 years and has been actively involved in Tourism in Burlington for 14 years. Gord was on the Tourism Board of Directors Executive and was Chairman of Tourism Burlington for 3 years. While on the Board, he was also the Tourism Representative on the Board of Directors for the Burlington Chamber of Commerce for 10 years and on the Chamber Executive for 5 of those years. Gord was also an advisor on the Tourism Transition Team responsible for developing Burlington’s Tourism Service Delivery model. Gord is the founder and Chairman of the Burlington Hotel Association. This organization collects Destination Marketing Fees to enhance the marketing initiatives of Tourism Burlington to promote Burlington as a tourist destination. Gord was presented with the Tourism Ambassador Award by Tourism Burlington in 2007.
Board Member: Michael Zuccherato Position: Travel Trade, Transportation representative Years on Board: 5
Michael is President and General Manager of Educational Travel Services (ETS) located in Hamilton, Ontario. Founded in 1978, this tour operator builds custom excursions for student, youth and group travellers to destinations across North America. Michael has worked for Regent Holidays and Hola Sun Holidays before joining ETS in 1994. He has a BBA in Business Administration, and a Business Marketing Diploma from Sheridan College. Michael serves the tourism industry as a board member of Ontario Motorcoach Association and is Chair of their Tour Operator Committee.
Board Member: Mary Nichol Position: Sport representative Years on Board: 1
Mary is the former Executive Director of the Burlington Gymnastics Club, retiring from this position in 2008. Mary is still very active in the community, as a Director with the Burlington Sport Alliance and continuing to assist with special projects in gymnastics.
Board Member: Hanne Olsen Nahman Position: Food and Beverage Representative Years on Board: 1
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