New president for the Near North

Ontario's Near North Travel Association
News Release

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It has been a busy and quite successful year for the Almaguin-Nipissing Travel Association (Ontario's Near North). On September 19, the association held its thirty-second Annual General Meeting (AGM). The meeting was well attended and played host to three mayors within the Near North region, North Bay mayor Victor Fedeli, Temagami mayor Ike Laba and mayor of Callander Hector Lavigne. Also present at the meeting were Progressive Conservative MPP candidate Bill Vrebosch; Monique Smith, Liberal MPP candidate and Nipissing-Temiskaming MP Anthony Rota.

In a board meeting following the AGM a new executive committee was elected to the board of directors, consisting of President, Vice President and Secretary / Treasurer. The new officers in order are Angela Johnston, Bunny Tucker and André Rieser.

Outgoing president André Rieser stated: “I think that during the last four years we have put the association on a very solid foundation and Angela will be an active, visible President who will help to guide the organization with future challenges facing the tourism industry.” Angela replaces André after two consecutive terms of office as the association’s president.

Angela is employed as Director of Sales & Marketing at the Best Western and has represented Choice Hotels Canada as Northern Ontario Regional Marketing Director. In the past, she served as the 1st vice president for the North Bay and District Chamber of Commerce and was a director on the Chamber’s Economic Growth Committee and the Tourism Chair of the Strategic Planning committees.

Ontario's Near North Executive Director, Laurie Ypyä said: “Angela Johnston has been in the hospitality for the past 30 years and is a proven business professional. She understands business issues and what is important to the business professional. She will be a great asset to the organization”.

Angela has been actively involved in the community for over a decade, serving on the Advisory Committee for the Capitol Centre, Nipissing Stage, as well as being active in MADD, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and Heart and Stroke “Big Bike”. She is also a key component in the Westmont Hospitality Northern Ontario Sales Team, Callander Celtfest and a founder of the Business Network International group in North Bay. In addition, The Canadian Professional Sales Association, Women in Business, the Canadian Administrative Professionals Association, a member of the Temagami Chamber of Commerce, Sudbury Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club, are only a few of the organizations in which she has been involved.

“I am very excited that the association has been successful in filling all of its available seats on the board of directors. This means that every area within the Near North travel region and all the key product tourism sectors have representation. I look forward to working with the board and staff to market and promote the region as a world class vacation destination”, Angela stated about her new appointment.

The Ontario's Near North board of directors has filled all sixteen positions, covering all areas within the region and representing key sectors relating to the tourism industry:

Peter Rooney – North Bay & District Chamber of Commerce
André Rieser – Lake Nipissing South Shore area
Marilyn MacLeod – Temagami & District Chamber of Commerce
Dennis Dusky – West Nipissing Chamber of Commerce
Bunny Tucker – Product Specific (Trails)
Jerry Lefebvre – Product Specific (Retail / Food & Beverage)
Ken Turner – Almaguin Highlands region
Dorothy Cloet – Marten River Association of Tourist Camp Operators
Barb Wily – Loring / Restoule Business Association
Shelley McNamara – Mattawa District Chamber of Commerce
Al Atkins – Product Specific (Hotels/Motels)
Jane Commanda – Product Specific (Aboriginal Culture)
Steve Liddle – Product Specific (Support & Services)
Jeff Wagner – Lake Nosbonsing area
Angela Johnston – Product Specific (Events, Conventions & Sports Tourism)

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