The North of Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau announced its 2017 Tourism Award Winners at its annual meeting held at the Hawthorne Hotel on Wednesday, November 8. Congratulations to all the winners!
2017 TOURISM AWARD WINNERS
2017 Anne Turcotte Leadership Award
Mayor Sefatia Romeo-Theken
City of Gloucester
This leadership award was renamed in 2012 in honor of our colleague and friend Anne Turcotte. The award is given to an individual or organization whose innovation, expertise and energy serves as an inspiration for others in the tourism industry.
2017 Geoff Woodman Hospitality Award
Jeanne Hennessey
Beauport Hospitality Group
The Geoff Woodman Hospitality Award is given to an individual who has contributed significantly to the tourism industry of the North of Boston region and honors the NBCVB member who best exemplifies the region’s hospitality.
2017 Story Teller Award
Robin Donovan
The Trustees of Reservations, Castle Hill at The Crane Estate
The Story Teller Award honors the region’s best storytellers-the individuals, who share not only their company’s story, but all the rich history and culture of the region in everything they do in celebration of the North of Boston’s regional theme: “A Story in Every Mile”.
2017 Small Business Award
Hope Hitchcock
Witch Pix of Salem
The Small Business Award is given to a small business owner who recognizes the importance of the tourism industry and is committed to servicing the visitors of Essex County.
2017 Frontline Hospitality Award
Kathryn Rutkowski
Essex National Heritage Commission
The Frontline Hospitality Award, given for the first time in 2012, has been designed to honor a member of the region’s frontline service ambassadors. The friendliness, knowledge and customer service of these individuals set the tone for a visitors’ stay within the region. This individual regularly goes beyond to provide excellent customer service and encourage guests
to explore the region while visiting.
2017 New Member Award
Willow Spring Vineyards
The New Member Award is given to a new member of the North of Boston Convention and Visitors’ Bureau that recognizes the importance of tourism within the region and has made great strides within their first years of membership to support tourism.
2017 Award of Appreciation
Paul Tucker
Massachusetts House of Representatives
The Award of Appreciation is given out to those individuals who have gone above and beyond to promote tourism in Essex County.
Congratulations to the 2017 Tourism Mini-Grant Recipients
Amesbury Chamber of Commerce
Greater Beverly Chamber of Commerce
Discover Gloucester
Essex National Heritage Commission
Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce & Industry
Salem Office of Tourism & Cultural Affairs: Destination Salem
Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce
Rockport Division, Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce
The House of the Seven Gables
Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce
Marblehead Museum
2017-2018 Board of Directors
Executive Board
Kate Fox, Chair – Destination Salem
Jennifer Close, Vice Chair – Peabody Essex Museum
Tammy Harrington, Treasurer – Salem Trolley
Bethany Groff Dorau, Secretary – Historic New England
Pilar Garro, At Large – The Trustees of Reservations, Castle Hill at The Crane Estate
Tami O’Brien, At Large – Encompass Premiums & Apparel
Patrick Cornelissen, Immediate Past Chair
Board of Directors
Julie Arrison-Bishop – The House of the Seven Gables
Michael Bevilacqua – Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce
George Carey – FINZ Seafood & Grill and Sea Level Oyster Bar
Krista Marchand – DoubleTree by Hilton Boston North Shore
Karen Nascembeni – North Shore Music Theatre
James O’Brien- Topsfield Fair
John Orlando – The Harborview Inn
Linn Parisi -Over the Bridge Tours
Drew Russo – Lynn Museum/LynnArts
Eva Valentine – Aegis Financial Strategies, Inc.
Merry Ward- Salem Witch Museum
Taunya Wolfe Finn, CTP – Wolfe Adventures and Tours, LLC
Rhonda Woodman – Woodman’s of Essex
Ann Marie Casey, North of Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau – Ex Officio
New Directors
Matt Anzivino, Rockport Inn & Suites
Elizabeth Carey, Discover Gloucester
Kassandra Gove, Amesbury Chamber of Commerce & Industrial Foundation
Ann Ormond, Town of Andover
Departing Directors
Tobin Dominick- Cape Ann’s Marina Resort
Rinus Oosthoek -Salem Chamber of Commerce