Hotel Association of Vancouver Board of Directors

Darren Simpson

Chair

Darren is the current General Manager at The Burrard Hotel. With over 15 years of experience, Darren proven his passion and dedication to the hospitality industry by working his way through the ranks at the Whistler, Vancouver, and Fairmont Waterfront properties. He began his career as the Assistant Front Office Manager at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler and stayed in the Fairmont family for 11 years. In June 2014, Darren left Vancouver bound for Christina Lake in Alberta to take on the role of Field Accommodations Manager for Cenovus Energy. One year later, he returned to the big city to lead the team at The Burrard and hasn’t looked back.

Graduating from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor of Commerce in 2003, Darren has proven himself as a lifelong learner garnering even further education and accolades. In 2010, while he was Reservations and Revenue Manager at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Darren received his Revenue Management Certificate and Strategic Management Certificate

Sascha Voth

PAST CHAIR

Sascha  is currently the General Manager for the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel. He has been on the board of the Hotel Association of Vancouver since 2014.  

Sascha began his career in the hotel business as a summer job after college before going to law school. That summer he discovered a profound love for Vancouver, a desire to share this spectacular city with as many visitors as possible, and a fundamental sense of pride and self-worth that came from  helping guests. Subsequently, Sascha never went to law school and instead worked his way to Banquet Manager, then Director of Catering, then Assistant Hotel Manager, and finally Hotel Manager, all with the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre.  

Sascha is also a member of the Vancouver Hotel Destination Association Management Committee.

MARION HARPER TRESKIN

DIRECTOR

Marion is currently the Dual General Manager for the new JW Marriott parq Vancouver and The Douglas. She has been a member of the Hotel Association of Vancouver since its inception and was the Chair for the Board of Directors for the association for two terms.

She has held management positions within the hospitality industry since 1985 with Canadian Pacific Hotels & Resorts, Delta Hotels & Resorts and for 17 years with O’Neill Hotels and Resorts, the management company of The Westin Grand, Vancouver and The Westin Resort & Spa in Whistler. Prior to assuming her current role, Marion was the General Manager of the The Westin Bayshore, Vancouver for 5 years, as well as the General Manager of The Westin Grand, Regional Director of Sales & Marketing for The Westin Grand & The Westin Resort & Spa Whistler, and in 2005 was named ‘Sales Leader of the Year’ by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.

Marion’s experience includes a number of hotel openings, of which one was The Westin Resort & Spa in Whistler in 2000.

Recently Marion is actively engaged in the hotel community and several boards including Tourism Vancouver and the Hotel Association of Vancouver.

JONAS MELIN

Director

Jonas Melin is the General Manager of the Pinnacle Hotel Vancouver Harbourside Jonas brings over 23 years of extensive knowledge and experience related to the hospitality industry in British Columbia and North America.

As Franchise Service Director and National Sales Manager for Choice Hotels, he contributed to the strategic planning of the national lodging franchise for ten years plus lead quality assurance reviews and developed property improvement plans for hotels across western Canada. More recently, Jonas led development and marketing for the Kelowna based Braemar Hospitality Group as Vice President of Operations and Strategic Growth.

Jonas continues to be committed to the tourism and hospitality industry of Vancouver and British Columbia. He is on the board of the Hotel Association of Vancouver

GARY COLLINGE

DIRECTOR

Born in Manchester, England, Gary grew up in Toronto before heading west to attend the University of Victoria.  Prior to his appointed as General Manager of the Pan Pacific Hotel, Gary Collinge’s career has taken him across Western Canada. Throughout his professional career, Gary has been active in the tourism industry contributing to the efforts supporting the bid for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre expansion taskforce. He has served three terms as a Board member and on various committees and taskforces with Tourism Vancouver, been the chair of the Vancouver Hotel Association, served as a Director of the Business Improvement Association in Victoria and with the BC Hotel Association. Gary is currently the Chair of the Vancouver Hotel Destination Association

Adam Laker

Director

Currently the General Manager for the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver known as the Castle in the City for the past three years.

Prior to this position I was the Area General Manager for the Philippines with Accor as well as being the GM at the Sofitel Manila for just over five years after

Spending 3 years in Fiji as GM of the Sofitel Resort and 2 years as GM of the JW Marriott in Khao Lak in Thailand.

Prior to this I was the GM at the Sofitel Reef Casino in Cairns Australia and the Director of Operations at the Sofitel Gold Coast.

Kris Syzlowski

DIRECTOR

Barry Johnson

Director

Barry is the General Manager of the Delta Hotels by Marriott Vancouver DowntownSuites

Paul Cannings

Director

Paul is the General Manager of the Westin Bayshore

Susan Strome

Director

Susan is the General Manager of the Sutton Place Hotel

Gaetan Bottier

Treasurer

Gaetan is the General Manager of the Sylvia Hotel

Dave Stevens

Director

Dave is the General Managers of the Days Inn Vancouver Downtown

Allison Donne

Director

Allison is the General Manager of the Listel Hotel Vancouver

Jean-Francois Vary

Director

Jean-Francois Vary is the General Manager for the Fairmont Waterfront