For immediate release: During Tourism Vancouver Island's 45th annual General Meeting and Golf Tournament held July 18 in Cowichan, Tourism Vancouver Island stakeholders elected a new Board of Directors. The Association is pleased with the election results that include some new faces.

Following three years on the Tourism Vancouver Island Board as a Director and more recently as First Vice Chair, Chuck Fast, CEO of the Comox Valley Airport Commission steps into the position of Chair of the Board. Fast brings with him extensive Board experience, particularly in not-for-profit governance and policy. He has been a key driving force in the growing Comox Valley Airport which serves Vancouver Island. As a former F-18 fighter pilot, Fast has the ability to focus on the task at hand and the vision to strive for success. Fast is joined by Dr. Robert E. Pfister of Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo and Lana Denoni, Director of Tour & Travel & Community Relations for the Oak Bay Marine Group as Vice Chairs. Also joining the Executive Committee is Carol Ann Terreberry, Manager of Tsa-Kwa-Luten Lodge on Quadra Island as Secretary/Treasurer, and last but not least, Tim Tullis, retired General Manager of Surfside RV Resort in Parksville, will serve as Past Chair of the Board.

New to the Board of Directors are Kelly Glazer, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Blackball Ferry Line in Victoria, and Jim Owens, Director of Sales and Marketing of the Vancouver Island Conference Centre in Nanaimo.

Returning members to the Board consists of Dr. Nancy Arsenault of Royal Roads University & Hatley Park National Historic Site in Victoria, Ann Ringheim of Harbour House Hotel on Salt Spring Island, Peter Parmar of Poet's Cove Resort & Marina on Pender Island, Don Barrie of Warm Rapids Inn in Lake Cowichan, Jason Lowe of Arbutus Ridge Golf & Country Club in Cobble Hill, Blake Johnson of Batstar Adventure Tours in Port Alberni, Dave Christensen of Jamie's Whaling Station in Tofino, Lillian Hunt of the Village of Alert Bay, and Randy Wright of Harbour Air Seaplanes representing Tourism Victoria.

The Vancouver Island tourism region of British Columbia is comprised of seven destination areas including South Island, Cowichan, Gulf Islands, Central Island, Pacific Rim, North Central and North Island with two board members representing each of these areas.

The Vancouver Island region continues to be recognized as a premier vacation destination. For the eighth year in a row Vancouver Island has been rated as the Best North American Island by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler. This prestigious travel magazine with a per issue readership of 2 million has been conducting a Readers' Choice award program for 18 years.