VANCOUVER, B.C.—Tourism Vancouver’s recent appointment of a tourism energy specialist is believed to be a worldwide first among destination marketing and management organizations. The role was made possible through sponsorship from BC Hydro with the mandate to guide member hotels, restaurants and attractions in energy efficiency and conservation initiatives.The new tourism energy specialist role will enable Tourism Vancouver to more actively support the City of Vancouver’s Greenest City Action Plan and goal to be the world’s “greenest” city by 2020. The services of the tourism energy specialist will build on the BC Hydro partnership and further assist Tourism Vancouver’s...

BRUNSWICK, MAINE—Green certification specialist Peter Cooke recently joined the Manomet Center after launching several successful and nationally recognized programs—including Maine’s Green Lodging Certification Program—at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).Cooke was previously the assistant director in the DEP’s Office of Innovation and Assistance. During his time in Maine state government Cooke designed and launched the nation’s first green certification program for grocery stores and the third green certification program for lodging businesses. The lodging certification system was adopted by nine other states.“I am thrilled to be joining Manomet and I look forward to working in an organization that...

NORTH MIAMI—To what degree are our academic institutions teaching sustainability in the classroom? If there is one person who knows the answer to this question, it is Nancy Scanlon. She is a professor at the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Florida International University (FIU), an author of numerous books and articles, and a leader in the application and research of sustainable operating practices and climate change adaptation for the hospitality industry. Nancy is also chair of the environmental hospitality special interest group for ICHRIE (International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education). Green Lodging News recently spoke...

CHICAGO—Hyatt Hotels & Resorts announced that Malene Rydahl has expanded her responsibilities and has been appointed in the leadership role in EAME (Europe, Africa, Middle East) for its corporate responsibility program Hyatt Thrive. Her new position as director of corporate communications includes the responsibilities of developing and implementing public relations, corporate communications and media relations initiatives for Hyatt in EAME. She also manages crisis communications and reputation management for the area. Rydahl, trilingual, a native of Denmark, has spent the past 12 years living in Paris where she most recently served as director of communication for Relais & Chateaux.She...

Name: JoAnn ShearerTitle: Green Lodging Program Coordinator, Florida Green Lodging ProgramOrganization: Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)Years in current position: 1.5Primary responsibilities: “Receiving designation applications, providing assistance to hotels, doing a lot of outreach, providing information on industry trends and managing the audit process. I do a lot of responding to e-mails and phone calls.”Organization’s most significant environment-related accomplishment so far: “With 684 properties participating around the state, we believe the program has had a significant environmental impact. Our program has been the basis for other programs around the country.” Organization’s most significant environment-related challenge: “The recent economic...

OVERLAND PARK, KAN.—Joe Andrick, general manager of the Overland Park Residence Inn by Marriott, has been named Residence Inn General Manager of the Year for 2011 by Marriott International, Inc. The hotel is managed by True North Hotel Group.Andrick won the award among his peer group of 611 Residence Inn general managers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany and Costa Rica.“My intuition told me that Joe Andrick was one to watch when I first interviewed him in the early 1990s, and my instinct keeps proving itself over and over,” said Lew Wiens, president of True North...

Name: Laura KaneTitle: Business Travel Sales/Sustainability ManagerOrganization: Westin Michigan Avenue ChicagoYears at Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago: Almost six yearsPrimary responsibilities: “I lead our green team and green efforts. I continue to promote environmental responsibility—minimizing waste, hazardous substances, improving energy efficiency—doing anything internally to promote sustainability.”Organization’s most significant environment-related accomplishment so far: “Earning our Green Seal certification. It was a huge accomplishment.”  Organization’s most significant environment-related challenge: “Developing a complete composting system. We are currently only doing a small amount. We would like to be able to completely compost our wet waste.” CHICAGO—If you visit the Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago...

VANCOUVER, WASH.—International sustainable travel expert Richard G. Edwards, founder of the travel marketing firm ecoism, has joined the Advisory Board of the Adventure Travel Trade Association, a global membership organization dedicated to unifying, networking, professionalizing, promoting and responsibly growing the adventure travel market.An expert in sustainability and adventure travel with more than 20 years of experience in marketing, ecotourism, and community development in Latin America, where he lived for many years, Edwards recently launched a new travel and sustainable tourism marketing company, ecoism, which is committed to a more socially and environmentally responsible approach to travel. “In the years...

Name: Bennett ThomasTitle: Vice President of Finance & SustainabilityOrganization: Hersha Hospitality GroupYears with Hersha Hospitality Group: FivePrimary responsibilities: Bennett is responsible for corporate finance and EarthView, Hersha Hospitality’s sustainability program.Organization’s most significant environment-related accomplishment so far: “We have a program in place to cut carbon emissions and water consumption by 7 to 10 percent and waste by 30 to 40 percent.”Organization’s most significant environment-related challenge: “Largely, when you have more than 80 hotels and rooms it is about implementation and engagement. Continuing to educate and reiterate what the message is. We try to reach out to properties as...

SAN FRANCISCO—Inn at The Presidio, the first hotel in San Francisco’s Presidio, a national park site, has appointed Terry Haney as the general manager. Haney brings extensive managerial and directorial knowledge to the position, with a wealth of more than 28 years’ experience in the hospitality industry.One of Haney’s notable achievements was his involvement with the much-heralded opening of the W San Francisco, where he was director of operations. Having started his career in 1982 as the restaurant manager at the Hyatt Regency, Fort Worth, Texas, he has since held numerous management and director-level positions at premier hotels, with...