PEOPLE update January 14, 2020

InterContinental Toronto Centre is proud to welcome Tim Dunnill as its new executive chef. Chef Dunnill brings over 20 years of hospitality and culinary experience to the hotel where he will oversee the operations of Azure Restaurant & Bar, the banquet kitchen and in-room dining. Prior to joining the InterContinental Toronto Centre’s team, Dunnill worked as corporate executive chef at Pusateri’s Fine Foods where he oversaw culinary operations and development of five locations across the Greater Toronto Area. Over the years he has honed his skills for crafting culinary visions for different properties, coaching and mentoring large teams and implementing strategies to improve restaurant performance. Dunnill’s career began in 1993 at the apprenticeship cooking program at George Brown College. He has since carved a path in the hospitality industry, leading the culinary experience at the Air Canada Centre, the Old Mill Inn, Proof Kitchen and Lounge, the Sheraton Gateway Hotel and the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

American Express Global Business Travel (GBT) has appointed Chris Lewis as head of sales and new business sevelopment for Canada.In his new role, Lewis reports to Patrick Doyle, vice-president and general manager for GBT in Canada. Lewis has extensive experience in the corporate travel industry, holding various roles during his 24 years at Hogg Robinson Group (HRG), where he last served as director of strategic account management. HRG was acquired by GBT in July 2018. He has a proven track record of strong leadership, while supporting strategic client and organizational initiatives that delivered on value, incremental sales growth, and overall client satisfaction.

Christine (Stoneman) Willow has formed Two Willows consulting company. She is an experienced owner with a demonstrated history of working in hospitality and in the human resources industry. Willow has strong business development professional skilled in business planning, hospitality industry, management, strategic planning and organizational development and project start up. She is also on the board of directors of Destination Greater Victoria and Greater Victoria Harbour Commission, Tourism HR Canada. She is former partner/owner of Chemistry Consulting Group, where she worked since 2006. Willow and Frank Bouree sold the company to two of their senior consultants on Dec. 31.

Eric Barber has been named vice-president national sales at Realstar Hospitality. Barber has worked with Realstar for more than 24 years, rising through the ranks. His previous positions were as senior director, national sales, a position he held for 11 years starting in 2008, and senior director, operations, from 2005-2008. Prior to joining Realstar, Barber was reservations manager at the Prague Renaissance Hotel and assistant director of sales and marketing at the Prague Diplomat Hotel in Prague, Czech Republic.

Fairmont Hot Springs Resort is pleased to announce the addition of two food and beverage industry leaders to its culinary team. Adrian Beers joins Fairmont Hot Springs Resort as director of food and beverage and Kay Bonsu as executive chef to elevate the year-round destination’s comprehensive dining offering.

Beers joins the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort most recently from The Lake Louise Ski Resort, where he served as food and beverage manager for over a decade. He possesses over 35 years of experience in food and beverage and has hosted royalty, celebrities and prominent government figures under his management. Beers will oversee the destination’s unique dining experiences, which include seven distinct restaurant and café concepts as well as banquet and wedding facilities for guests to enjoy.

Bonsu also comes to the resort following a long history in the culinary arts. Prior to his new role, Bonsu held chef positions with Killarney Mountain Lodge & Conference Centre, Arthurs Landing, Rawley Resort, Spa & Marina and The Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto. Bonsu was also part of the culinary leadership team during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Whistler, BC, where over 77,000 meals were served to athletes and staff.

Jeremy Buffam and Julian Buffam, partners at New Castle Hotels and Resorts, have announced the appointment of Guido Kerpel (left) as chief operating officer. Previously, Kerpel was the company’s vice president of operations. Kerpel joined New Castle in1999 as the general manager of the Westin Nova Scotian before assuming broader responsibilities for development and operations of the company’s Canadian portfolio including the northeastern U.S. Under Kerpel’s leadership, New Castle expanded its Canadian presence from one hotel to eight, including the recently opened Residence Inn/Courtyard by Marriott at Dartmouth Crossing in Nova Scotia. A native of the Netherlands, Kerpel speaks English, Dutch, French and German and is a graduate of the prestigious Hotel School in The Hague. Career opportunities brought him to Canada in 1988 as the assistant food and beverage manager of the Westin Prince in Toronto. From there he transitioned to hotel operations at a 450-room Holiday Inn on King in Toronto and the Delta Ottawa Hotels and Suites. Immediately prior to joining New Castle, Kerpel served Delta West Coast Operations as it completed its integration with Fairmont Hotels.

The BC Hotel Association recently announced that their long-time president and CEO, James Chase is retiring. During his 28 years of service with the organization and more than 30 years in the industry, Chase tackled files ranging from affordable housing, the development and implementation of the municipal regional district tax used to support destination marketing efforts, to international solutions for the growing labour shortage among many other areas of industry focus. Born and raised in Niagara Falls Ontario, he attended McMaster University, graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce in 1982. Beginning his career in the hospitality industry with Delta hotels and resorts, Chase eventually found himself working in Whistler, B.C. The BCHA Board of Directors has formed an executive search committee is beginning the search for a new president and CEO.

Jules Cowan-Dewar is the new vice-president, sales and marketing for Cabot, developer and operator of a diverse collection of residential, resort, golf club and master-planned communities. Cowan-Dewar brings more than 10 years of marketing and brand-management expertise to her new role, where she will oversee advertising, branding, public relations and social media for the company. Most recently, she was vice-president of Marketing at Indigo, where she took part in the brand’s successful expansion within Canada and into the U.S. Cabot’s portfolio includes Cabot Links in Nova Scotia and broke ground on Cabot Saint Lucia last summer. The new project will feature a Coore and Crenshaw designed 18-hole golf course, a boutique resort and a variety of real-estate options.

Nancy Munzar Kelly is the new general manager of Shangri-La Hotel, Toronto. Munzar Kelly brings more than 30 years of hospitality-industry experience and local knowledge to Shangri-La Hotel, Toronto, having previously served as chief operating officer at Liverton Hotels International, which owned and operated Metropolitan Hotel, SoHo Metropolitan Hotel and Metropolitan Vancouver. During this time Munzar Kelly also served as general manager of The Hazelton Hotel in Toronto. As COO, Munzar Kelly oversaw operations and sales for three hotels, four restaurants and three long-stay residences.

Victoria Behune retired December 31, 2019 after a distinguished 45-plus-year career in tourism and hospitality, most recently as President and CEO of Ontario Tourism Education Corporation (OTEC) for almost 14 years. Behune has been affiliated with the tourism industry since she was a teenager working front-line hospitality positions at Delawana Inn in Honey Harbour and Aston Villa resort in Bracebridge, Ontario. Other positions have included Travel Promotion Officer and Travel Marketing Officer, Ontario Ministry of Tourism; Travel Industry Sales Manager, Ontario Place Corporation; Vice-President sales and marketing – Toronto Tours Inc./ Niagara Tours and Affiliates; President – V.Lymburner and Associates, Ontario tourism projects; Director Marketing and Visitor Services, McMichael Canadian Art Collection; Vice-President Revenue Development and Partnerships, Tourism Toronto; and Vice-President Membership, Travel and Marketing, CAA Mid-western Ontario. She has also served on numerous Boards serving the Tourism, Hospitality and Cultural sectors. She is now president of 3 Shores Consulting.

“After spending retirement time at the beginning of 2020 enjoying life and living on the 3 bodies of waters (shores) I love, 3 Shores Consulting will provide diverse services to include my creative passions of Interior Design, Art, Branding & Marketing,” she said on LinkedIn. “I will continue to provide consulting services to support the Tourism and Hospitality industry.”

Vince Accardi has been promoted to vice-president, stakeholder relations and business development, TIAC (Tourism Industry Association of Canada) and executive director MMBC (Meetings Mean Business Canada). For the previous three years, he was director, policy and stakeholder relations at TIAC, and prior to that, he was vice-president marketing and business development at Tourism HR Canada for more than 11 years. Other positions include Canadian director of Global Travel and Tourism Partnership (GTTP), VP marketing and media relations at Tourism Sun Peaks and director of marketing at Gotta Travel tours, a start up adventure tour operator.

Tania Ferlin has joined Compass Group Canada, a leading foodservice company, as Senior Manager of Thinking Ahead Giving Back (TAGB). TAGB is Chartwells’ commitment to being a collaborative thought partner by delivering a Student-First Campus Experience centered around purpose, innovation, and student engagement. She comes to Compass Group from Hyatt Regency in Toronto, where she was corporate group sales manager. She has also held positions with Starwood Hotels and Resorts and Marriott International. Ferlin is well-known within the hospitality industry for her volunteer work as a Human Trafficking Awareness Advocate with Meeting Professionals Against Human Trafficking (MPAHT), a position she has held since November 2017.