Incoming Board Members

Term for those below will be January 1, 2020 - December 31, 2021  

 

Officer

Secretary - Kristen Dollarhide, Travel Pendleton, Pendleton

Incoming Board Members
Maggie Groves, Orange Street Properties, Southern Oregon
Kris Hillard, Hotel Rose, StayPineapple, Portland
Jeannie Panchal, Clackamas County Tourism, Clackamas 

Mindy Dean-Caldwell, Portland Spirit , Portland 

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Continuing on the Board  

(Not part of the board slate vote)

 

Vice President - Tammy Thompson, Monarch Hotel and Conference Center (automatically becomes president until 12/31/2022)

Treasurer - Kristy Painter, Travel Medford (term ends 12/31/2020)

Amy Bailey, The Mill Casino (term ends 12/31/2020)
Chris Chester, CLC Support Services (term ends 12/31/2020)
Jennifer Morkert, LAM Hotels (term ends 12/31/2020)
Dennis Corwin, Portland Spirit (Immediate Past President - term ends 12/31/2020)

Working with the International Market and Receptive Tour Operators  

Panel Discussion Part 1 -  Following up on OTTA Leads and Partnering with Each Other to Better Promote Your Business or Area

Moderated by Greg Eckhart, Travel Oregon

Speakers:

Panel Discussion Part 2 - Fabulous Follow-Ups & Profile Sheets

OTTA is launching Member Meetups throughout the state in 2020. Meetups will be open to members and non-members in the area - there will be no cost to attend. These events are designed for members in a region to network and connect with others in the tourism industry.

Are you interested in hosting an OTTA Meetup? Please complete this interest form.  

• White "I love Oregon" on the front, white/green OTTA logo on the sleeve, black lining and a black soft shell  
• 100% Polyester stretch woven shell
• 100% Polyester stretch knitted lining
• 2,000+G/M2 Breathability rating
• DWR Water-resistant coating

Click here to order your jacket before 5:00 pm on Friday, January 3! 

Thelma was one of the first of Oregon Tour and Travel Task Force members that Chris Chester met while working for Travel Oregon. Her knowledge and history of our organization is so very important. As our second member profile, it seemed fitting to hear from one of our first members.

Most people don't know that two male friends and Thelma were inside the 'red zone' on the north side of Mt. Saint Helens during the 2nd major eruption, the weekend after the original eruption on May 18, 1980. They wanted to experience, firsthand, what had happened to the areas around the mountain. Thelma now shares the four notebooks of photos she took and the stories of that adventure with visitors she takes on a Tour to the Mountain.

 

Thelma doesn't remember what year it was, but she does remember why they got together to discuss establishing an organizational structure. At that time a lot of Group Tourism Industry people were unhappy with what was happening, or not happening, at the State Tourism level. The OTTA January newsletter will contain more for the history of Group Travel and Task Force or GTTF.

 

Primarily Sue Keys, who was the GM at the Sunnyside Inn at that time, got Thelma interested in getting together. There were 5 Tourism Industry people at the first meeting she was invited to attend. Beverley Meehan, the GM at the Crown Plaza, Dee Denton, the Lake Oswego Chamber Executive Director, plus one other person, but she can't remember who that was.

 

There was no "organization" when she was first invited to a meeting by Sue Keys. Organizing was one of the discussion items at the first meeting she attended.

 

Networking and information sharing are the two invaluable benefits Thelma has derived from membership in OTTA. As a 'Step-On Guide' one must be a "Jack of all Knowledge, Master of None." Knowing who the current contacts are and what is taking place in the various areas of the state are key factors in her ability to share information.

 

Thelma truly appreciates 'themed' OTTA" meetings. She thoroughly enjoyed the October 2018 OTTA meeting in Astoria that focused on the Oregon Film Industry. That meeting stirred all kinds of ideas to share with the people she works closely within the Oregon City Tourism/Heritage community. Over the years many Film and TV productions have taken place in the Oregon City area. They also have a great partner for holding a "Film Festival" showing some of those productions. More to come soon on the development of these ideas ... all because of that October 2018 OTTA meeting.