Message from Your President
Welcome to 2021 and my inaugural letter as OTTA's President. I wanted to begin by extending my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Mandy Morgan for her many years of dedicated service to OTTA, in particular for this past year as our President, where her perseverance shined. We are all fortunate to have had Mandy at the helm in 2020 and I'm grateful for her continued guidance as Immediate Past President.
I would also like to take a moment to thank those members who have applied to be on our 2021 Board. A slate of nominees has been emailed and we will ask for your vote during our February meeting. For those of you not ready for Board service, I would encourage you to consider serving on one of our committees which include: Organizational Development, Interactive Multimedia, Governance, Marketing/Social Media, Membership and Education. All of our committees are chaired by our working, volunteer Board Members so your help is appreciated. Many hands make light work!
We will begin the year with exceptional programming featuring renowned travel guide writer, Rick Steves. Sign up today for this fantastic opportunity. A special shout out to our Education Committee and Travel Oregon for putting this event together! If anyone has ideas for future topics or speakers that they would like to hear, please contact Tori Middlestadt at [email protected] or anyone on the Board.
I look forward to the year ahead as we work to keep Oregon at the forefront of packaged travel!
Cheers,
Tammy Thompson
OTTA President
Hotelco, LLC
We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open. - Jawaharial Nehru
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2021 Membership Renewal Invoices
Membership renewal invoices were sent out in mid-December. If you didn't receive one, please contract Stephanie at [email protected]. Membership renewals are due by the end of February.
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2021 OTTA Board of Directors
At the February 25 virtual winter meeting, OTTA members will be voting on the incoming officers and board members. Per the OTTA Bylaws, the slate needs to be sent out prior to the meeting.
Incoming Board Members
Term for those below will be February 25, 2021 - December 31, 2022
Officers
Vice President - Kristen Dollarhide, Travel Pendleton, Pendleton
(automatically becomes President 1/1/2023)
Secretary - Chris Chester, CLC Support Services, Milton-Freewater
Board Members
Nancy Burke, Mediamerica, PortlandJordan Winthrop, Estacada Community Events, Clackamas
Kristi Reed, The Grand Hotel, Salem
Amy Bailey, The Mill Casino, North Bend
Continuing on the Board
(Not part of the board slate vote)
President - Tammy Thompson (term ends 12/31/2022)
Immediate Past President - Mandy Morgan, Willamette Valley Vineyards
(term ends 12/31/2021)
Treasurer - Jeannie Panchal (term ends 12/31/2021)
Tori Middelstadt, Willamette Valley Visitors Association (term ends 12/31/2021)
Mindy Dean-Caldwell, Portland Spirit (term ends 12/31/2021)
Melynda Cordes, The Hungry Hustle Walking Food Tour (term ends 12/31/2021)
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OTTA Virtual Winter Meeting
February 25, 2021
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
OTTA members - FREE * Non-Members - $25
Speaker: Rick Steves
Rick Steves is a popular public television host, a best-selling guidebook author, and an outspoken activist who encourages Americans to broaden their perspectives through travel. But above all else, Rick considers himself a teacher. He taught his first travel class at his college campus in the mid-1970s - and now, more than 40 years later, he still measures his success not by dollars earned, but by trips impacted.
Rick is the founder and owner of Rick Steves' Europe, a travel business with a tour program that brings more than 30,000 people to Europe annually. Each year, the company contributes to a portfolio of climate-smart nonprofits, essentially paying a self-imposed carbon tax. He also works closely with several advocacy groups and has been instrumental in the legalization of marijuana in states across the US.
Rick spends about four months a year in Europe, researching guidebooks, fine-tuning his tour program, filming his TV show, and making new discoveries for travelers.
To recharge, he plays piano, relaxes at his family cabin in the Cascade mountains, and spends time with his son Andy and daughter Jackie. He lives and works in his hometown of Edmonds, Washington, where his office window overlooks his old junior high school.
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Support OTTA's 2021 Fundraising Activities
Year Long 50/50 Raffle
3 tickets for $10
7 tickets for $20
20 tickets for $50
Start buying your 50/50 raffle tickets now! You can buy some every day, every week or every month. The raffle pot will keep growing until October 25! 50% of the pot will be given to a lucky winner on October 25 at the OTTA fall meeting in Ashland.
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Oregon Bamboo Cutting Boards for Sale
Support OTTA and celebrate your favorite regions of Oregon while slicing, dicing and chopping on this cute bamboo cutting board. Also great as a decorative piece or sending as a gift to loved ones. Each cutting board measures 14.5" L x 10.75" W x 0.62" H and includes the Oregon Tour and Travel Alliance logo on the back.
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Member Profile: Mindy Dean-Caldwell
Mindy has worked for the Portland Spirit for 21 years! It started as a fun summer job and turned into a career. Her husband Jeff also works for the company. They have three kids, two still at home. Mindy grew up in Iowa with rows and rows of cornfield, so she feels very fortunate that swimming in a crystal clear waterfall, dirt biking in forests and snowboarding are so easily accessible. She is pretty much an open book. Mindy was a "Holt" baby, one of many orphaned babies from Korea that were adopted when she was four months old. The thing that makes her really happy, though, is her choice of music. Mindy loves Electronic Music (EDM). She will fly to Vegas just to see a DJ that she really likes. She has even bought solo tickets to 45East (venue in SE Portland). That's when she knew she crossed the line of liking EDM to loving EDM. :) Any one recognize this beautiful baby?!!
About her involvement in OTTA, Dennis Corwin asked if she'd like to go to the Night Out event. Mindy believes it was at the Armory. Shortly after, she joined the Organizational and Development committee, with Mandy at the helm. Dennis encouraged her to participate. One of OTTA's benefit is that she loves to communicate to others the one possible thing to add to their travel itinerary that might make their holiday even more special. Getting to know others through OTTA has given her more insight to the State and what each area has to offer. Helping others enjoy Oregon only helps our business as well.
There has been something special from each event, but one of my favorite memories was in Coos Bay! The ice sculpture and wood chip pile were very memorable.
One of her impressions from COVID is that the human interaction has definitely been hard, especially after the beautiful summer we had. It's hard to swim in rivers and sit around the campfire when it's 40 degrees and raining. My heart goes out to the kids that are missing their friends from school and then have to spend 24 hours a day with their parents :). My heart also goes out to people struggling with COVID or losing their jobs due to COVID. She definitely misses sports. She misses paying $14 for an overpriced glass of wine at a Blazer's Game or Timbers Match. Fortunately, she has had the opportunity to stay employed at the Portland Spirit.
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EOVA Agritourism Roundtable
Wednesday, February 3 at 10:00 am
Hear from industry partners on how to best utilize online and social media platforms to increase your customer base. Explore the opportunities and benefits of cross-marketing, and be inspired by an innovative business right in our corner of the world. If you participated in our first roundtable, you will find this dovetails nicely. If you are joining us for the first time, the information stands alone and is sure to get you excited for the coming season.
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