Submitted by
Kootenay Rockies Tourism

Mike Smith
Kootenay Rockies Tourism just held their 38th Annual General Meeting last week in Revelstoke. The organization held this in conjunction with a regional Tourism Industry Conference which featured many interesting presentations on issues and topics that are currently at the forefront of the industry today.
This event also marked an historic change in leadership at the Board of Directors level. A long-time Invermere resident, former business owner of McToogles and locally renowned musician stepped aside from his position of Chair.
It was a memorable moment at the Kootenay Rockies conference when Doug McIntosh, Secretary/Treasurer and former founding father of the organization, acknowledged Mike Smith for the tremendous efforts and contributions to tourism in this area that he has made over his 35-year tenure.
Mike has been active in tourism on many levels. He sat on the Tourism BC (now Destination BC) Board for three years, he was president of the Golf Industry of BC, he was a director and integral part of the Tourism British Columbia Special Operating Agency, and he was a founding father of this regions tourism association, Kootenay Rockies Tourism.
Mike has owned many retail shops in the valley over the past 40 years and most recently owned and ran the highly successful McToogles Restaurant in Invermere.
Mike will stay on as Past Chair with the organization. Thom Tischik of the Revelstoke Accommodation Association was elected as the new Chair. The other executive and directors of the organization are: 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 B.C. Visit www.KRTourism.ca.