Board of Directors

Don Monsour – President  |  Contact

Don is the Chair of the BC Culinary Tourism Society and Chair of the International Culinary Tourism association.  He is the past Chair of the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) Product Development Committee and the Cuisine Tourism Subcommittee as well as the Destination Consortium. He is a founding member of the Council of Tourism Associations of British Columbia, of which he was appointed president in 2001.  Don was also the Chair of the BCRFA and now currently holds the position of Vice Chair.  Don has more than 45 years of experience in hospitality industry management. He is also past vice-chair of Tourism British Columbia and has been a member and director of many organizations including the Canadian Food Services Executives Association and the Victoria Chef's Association.  He is the President of Hospitality Associates and Bon Appetit Foods.
 

Geoffrey Howes - Chair  |  Contact

Geoffrey has 35 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry. He has worked in virtually all aspects of the industry, from waiter to chef to owner. As Director of Operations for Toseki Entertainment Ltd. he is responsible for the day-to-day operation of three fine dining restaurants - Salmon House on the Hill, Aqua Riva and Horizons. He also has considerable experience in labour policy issues, as an executive member of the Coalition of B.C. Businesses and as the Vice-President of Government Affairs for the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association

Wendy Taylor – Treasurer  |  Contact

Wendy is the founder and editor of PlanitBC.com (previously PlanitVancouver.com), a very successful website that connects the enthusiastic consumer with the enthusiastic chef/producer/grower both regionally and internationally. Most recently she served as Western Canada representative for Wines of Chile and has worked with winery and hospitality clients since 2000 - independently and as part of the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival. Wendy’s broad perspective of the food and wine community in British Columbia from over 20 years in the industry has contributed to a variety of hospitality industry clients. Her wine industry knowledge gained through working in the wine business, and her WSET Higher Certificate gives her particular expertise. Currently, she sits on the boards of Les Dames d’Escoffier (Past President, BC Chapter and the International board for 2007/08), the British Columbia Hospitality Foundation and is most passionate about the future of culinary tourism in British Columbia.

Deirdre Campbell – Public Relations Chair  |  Contact

A founding partner of Tartan Public Relations, a full-service communications agency based in Victoria, Deirdre has been a communications professional for 13 years.  Deirdre began her career in public relations working for Canadian Pacific Hotels (now Fairmont) as PR Director for The Empress.  She held this position for eight years, and during this time Deirdre successfully completed her public relations accreditation (APR), was named PR Professional of the Year for Vancouver Island and won a YM/YWCA Woman of Distinction award for her work in the community.  She recently completed her MBA in PR/Communications through Royal Roads University and now handles public relations and strategic communications for a variety of clients including resorts across Vancouver Island.

Marcus Von Albrecht – Fundraising Chair  |  Contact

Marcus is a diversified specialist in the culinary and hospitality industry with over twenty-five years of professional experience working with clients and students from across Canada and internationally. Marcus is President of the BC Chefs Association and Corporate Chef for Binner Marketing.  He is working with chefs of chain restaurants in menu development, kitchen staff training and introducing the products of 22 food companies he represents.  Besides food, Marcus has a list of charities
that he donates his talents to with a few of them being: the Alzheimer Society of BC, Vancouver Crisis Centre, BC Breast Cancer Foundation and The Union Gospel Mission.

Eric Pateman – Director  |  Contact

Eric is president & founder of Edible British Columbia Culinary Experiences Corp., BC’s largest culinary tourism company based in Vancouver.  Eric is a Vancouver native with a lifelong passion for food and wine. He has worked in the hospitality industry for over 15 years as a chef, manager and consultant and has an MBA in hospitality finance through Oxford Brookes University.  Eric's own culinary travels have taken him throughout North America, to the UK and to Africa where he has sought out unique food experiences.     Eric speaks at numerous public forums and events on sustainability and eating local, as well as hosts a couple of annual cooking competitions and events.  In 2006, Eric was recognized as one of Vancouver’s Top 40 under 40 recipients by Business in Vancouver Magazine.  Eric donates his free time to the Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver as well as a number of other local charities.


Ruth Lumsden –Director, City Experiences  |  Contact           

Lee Murphy – Director, Vista D’oro  |  Contact

Bob Sung – Director,  A Wok Around China Town  |  Contact

Robert was born and raised in Vancouver B.C. and is 4th generation Canadian of Chinese descent. His family businesses represented a 50 year history in the food and hospitality industry in British Columbia. He attended the Business Administration Program at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, and has Professional Culinary Training from the Dubrulle Culinary Institute in Vancouver. Previously a Board member of the Royal British Columbia Museum, he currently serves as a member in the Vancouver Chinatown Revitalization Committee, the Chinese Canadian Historical Society of British Columbia, and the British Columbia Culinary Tourism Society. Robert is proudly the owner/founder of  A WOK AROUND CHINATOWN, a  Culinary & Cultural Walking Tour of Vancouver’s Chinatown. The purpose of the tour is to educate and entertain people about Chinese traditions & customs from a culinary and cultural approach.
 

Bernard Casavant – Director, Burrowing Owl Estate Winery  |  Contact

Donna Anaka – Board Liaison, BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands  |  Contact

Jacqueline Simpson – Board Liaison, Tourism British Columbia  |  Contact

Kathy McAree - Director, non-voting

Kathy McAree has blended the perfect ingredients to form a successful culinary tourism career.  Passion for exploration, food expertise and a splash or two of wine have mixed well to create Travel With Taste, Vancouver Island’s only culinary tour company.  With a love of world travel and happiest when up to her elbows in gastronomic wizardry, Kathy was a foodie from a young age.  She spent most of her career in hotels and packaged goods before having a “eureka” moment when traveling in Italy.  She realized that the bounty of organic farms, vineyards, cheese makers, wild seafood, et al that make Vancouver Island unique, would appeal to a kind of globe trotting, palate pleased traveler.  Kathy now brings the world to feast at the plenteous tables of Vancouver Island, knowing this secret is best when shared with many.  Kathy is also a board member of the International Culinary Tourism Association.