Tourism Richmond Board of Directors

Yannick Simovich’s management career spans over 30 years in a variety of progressive roles within the hotel industry. While he currently holds the position of General Manager at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel, his most recent roles have included General Manager at the Vancouver Airport Marriott Hotel, Director of Operations at the JW Marriott in Las Vegas, Director of Operations and Director of Food & Beverage at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel as well as several years at The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.  Yannick, who has a passion for food and wine, received his hospitality education in France and Switzerland.

Chris Perna is a seasoned hospitality professional with over 20 years of experience in customer service and management. Renowned for his results-driven approach, he has earned a reputation as a loyal and reliable team player, consistently navigating challenges to deliver exceptional guest experiences.

Chris began his journey in hospitality by obtaining a Business Administration diploma from Thompson Rivers University, followed by a diploma in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Douglas College. This solid educational foundation has been instrumental in shaping his successful career in the industry.

Chris was recently appointed as the General Manager of the Vancouver Airport Marriott Hotel. Prior to this role, he served as the General Manager of the Hilton Vancouver Airport since 2022 and held various departmental and senior leadership positions at the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown, where he advanced to the role of General Manager. His commitment to the community was evident during his time in Burnaby, where he actively contributed to various community initiatives and served on Tourism Burnaby’s Board of Directors as Vice-Chair and Chair for six terms.

Chris is honored to be a member of the Tourism Richmond Board of Directors, where he looks forward to collaborating with fellow board members, stakeholders, and the community to enhance tourism in this vibrant city.

Jason is the Marketing Manager, Air Service Development at the Vancouver Airport Authority. Prior to joining the Air Service Development, Jason spent the majority of his 13 years at YVR in the Corporate Finance group. Before joining YVR, Jason worked at various accounting firms, primarily focused on audit and assurance. Jason is a graduate of the Sauder School of Business and a designated Chartered Professional Accountant (CA).

Harald Kurtzke is a European-trained Hotelier who holds a Diamond CHA. This Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA®) award is the one of the most prestigious certifications available to a hospitality executive. Currently Harald is Regional Director and General Manager for Executive Hotels, and also manages the Executive Airport Plaza Hotel and Conference Centre, Richmond. Harald has held positions as Senior VP, Managing Director, Executive VP and General Manager in resort, full service, limited service, boutique and casinos properties.
His past positions include: Okanagan Tourism Board (Director); Skål Vancouver (Member); Rotary International, Islington Club (President). He enjoys working with independent and branded properties including: Executive Hotels; IHG; Sheraton; Carlson; Wyndham.

A hotel industry veteran with over 30 years of experience, Steve Veinot held various positions with the Hilton Vancouver Airport in Richmond prior to joining the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel as General Manager. Steve is currently a Regional Director with Larco Hospitality with responsibility for the Hilton Vancouver Airport, Marriott Vancouver Airport, and Sheraton Vancouver Airport hotels. Steve has spent the majority of his life in Ottawa, Ontario where he graduated from the University of Ottawa and immediately entered the hospitality field working with the Holiday Inn, Radisson and Marriott, Hilton and Sheraton brands.

Marie Fenwick is the Director, Arts, Culture and Heritage Services with the City of Richmond.  In this role, she provides leadership for the City’s heritage sites, including Britannia Shipyards, the Richmond Museum, Richmond Art Gallery, community arts programs, City events, public art, and the Richmond Film Office. Marie has over 20 years of experience in the municipal and non-profit sector and is passionate about collaborating with the community to create unique, authentic experiences for both residents and visitors to Richmond.  

Jerry Chong is currently the General Manager of Finance and Corporate Services at the City of Richmond and Chair and Chief Financial Officer of the Lulu Island Energy Corporation. He has over 35 years of progressive experience in accounting, audit, finance, operations, mergers and acquisitions and international taxation. Previous roles include Senior Tax Manager, specializing in international taxation with a large accounting firm, Director of Taxation and senior finance positions with a large privately held company and publicly traded companies.

Janeil Mackay is a seasoned retail and hospitality executive with over 25 years of leadership experience spanning global brand development, retail strategy, and operational excellence. She has built a career leading large-scale teams and international operations, most recently overseeing North American and European markets for Bensussen Deutsch & Associates (BDA), a global leader in sports merchandising. In that role, she guided strategic retail initiatives for world-renowned organizations including the Seattle Kraken, Manchester United, and the Invictus Games Vancouver 2025.

Janeil’s earlier experience includes senior leadership roles with Canucks Sports & Entertainment, Helly Hansen, and Nygard International, where she developed deep expertise in consumer engagement, experience-driven retail, and sustainable growth strategies.

As President of The Truffles Group, she now leads a portfolio of award-winning hospitality and attractions brands, including Victoria Butterfly Gardens. Her focus on strategic partnerships, workforce development, and destination stewardship reflects a strong commitment to advancing British Columbia’s visitor economy.

Beyond her executive roles, Janeil is passionate about community impact and tourism development. With a blend of strategic vision, governance experience, and industry insight, Janeil brings a collaborative and forward-thinking perspective to the Tourism Richmond board, supporting sustainable growth and innovation across the region’s tourism sector.

Paul has over 35 years of hospitality experience over multiple properties in his career. Known for building teams with strong culture and achieving top results. He also has extensive experience in opening hotels and managing renovations and capex projects.

Paul started his career in Manitoba where he is originally from. Working for companies such as Delta Hotels, Radisson, Sheraton and Fairmont Hotels. From there he moved to British Columbia where he held different roles with Fairmont Hotels and Resorts before rejoining Delta Hotels in Burnaby.

Paul joined the Radisson Vancouver Airport Hotel in September of 2024 after spending over 10 years at Element Vancouver Metrotown Hotel where he was the opening General Manager. During his time in Burnaby he spent many years on the Board of Tourism Burnaby with many of those years as Chair of the Board. 

Paul is excited to be able to contribute to Tourism Richmond and help support all of the great initiatives that have already begun and those to come in the future. 

Rudolf Heider is a senior hospitality executive with over 25 years of international experience in luxury hotel operations and leadership. He is the General Manager of the Fairmont Vancouver Airport, a world class luxury hotel uniquely located within YVR and consistently ranked among the top airport hotels globally.

Rudi holds a Master of Science in International Hospitality and Tourism Management from the University of Strathclyde and a Certificate in Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management from Cornell University.

Prior to joining Fairmont Vancouver Airport, he served as Director of Hospitality at Pacific Reach, overseeing a portfolio of more than 1,000 hotel rooms across the Greater Vancouver Area and working closely with leading global brands including Hilton, Marriott, IHG, Accor, Rosewood, and Radisson.

With professional experience across Europe, Australia, the United States, and Canada, Rudi brings a destination focused hospitality perspective to the Tourism Richmond Board of Directors and is committed to strengthening Richmond’s appeal as a leading tourism and business destination.