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.  

Mark was formerly the VP of Asset Management at Peterson Group and responsible for the strategic direction and overall performance of the commercial and residential portfolio as well as the Carmana Hotel & Suites. He has held a variety of positions with prominent real estate companies over the past 35 years, covering leasing, asset management, and property management across all asset classes, and holds a Managing Broker license for both BC and Alberta. Mark has a Graduate degree from the Sauder School of Business in Urban Land Economics, and now lives in Vancouver after stops in other Canadian cities including Victoria and Calgary.

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 has over 25 years in Retail Operations, Event Production and Store Design and Development and has worked for several outstanding companies across North America and in the UK. Her experience includes senior roles with Helly Hansen North America and Canucks Sports & Entertainment, as well as owning her own retail consulting and event planning company. She now serves as Senior Director, Global Sports Retail for Bensussen, Deutsch & Associates, a sport merchandising company that launched the Seattle Kraken retail division among other retail endeavours across NA.

From a community standpoint, Janeil serves on the Event Board for Dress for Success, a national charity with offices in Vancouver. She has produced their annual Success Luncheon for over 500 people every year since 2019 and continues to participate in events relating to this great organization. She was also on the Board of the Steveston Merchant Association from 2016-2019 and was active in driving initiatives to increase traffic to Steveston through local events and unique consumer activations.

Janeil feels strongly that local events and diverse experiences are two of the biggest contributors to the heart/pulse of a city. They attract visitors, support large and small businesses, strengthen communities and build the city’s brand and she is excited be a part of Tourism Richmond!