Our Board

Annual Report 2012-13

Board of Directors

Tourism Tasmania operates under the Tourism Tasmania Act 1996 and is governed by an eight-member Board appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the Minister.

Grant Hunt

Grant Hunt is the Chairman of Tourism Tasmania Board of Directors. He is Executive Chairman of Anthology, a boutique nature based tourism management and marketing company and of Hunt Tourism Services, a tourism advisory business, both of which he owns and operates.

He is also a member of the CSIRO Stakeholder Group on Climate Change. He has held a number of board roles in the past including as Chairman of Tourism Northern Territory, as a Director of Tourism Australia, ATEC, the Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park Board of Management, and Voyages Hotels and Resorts.

For more than a decade, Grant was the creator and Managing Director of one of Australia's leading tourism and travel brands – Voyages Hotels and Resorts – and became an industry pioneer in the area of corporate social responsibility and sustainable business practices. He is best known for his pioneering work in the development of projects such as Longitude 131 in Central Australia and Wildman Wilderness Lodge in Top End NT.

He holds Masters of Management Degree, Bachelor of Education Degree and Diploma of Physical and Health Education from the University of Wollongong.

John Fitzgerald

John Fitzgerald is CEO of Tourism Tasmania. He has had an extensive career in senior executive management positions in the tourism industry in Australia, having held positions at national, State/Territory and regional levels. Previous to his appointment, John held the position of CEO at Tourism NT and was responsible for all aspects of the agency's strategy and operations.

Previous to this, John held the position of Chief Operating Officer at the Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre (STCRC), where he managed the successful completion of the seven- year STCRC program, influencing program design and implementation to ensure sector relevance. In this position John also led the development of a comprehensive online portal to disseminate information on sustainable tourism -Sustainable Tourism Online. Before then, John was CEO at Tourism Sunshine Coast, one of Queensland's major regional tourism organisations.

John has held numerous board, committee memberships and Directorships including with the NT Major Events Company, the Darwin Waterfront Corporation, the NT Aviation Committee, the Indigenous Tourism Working Group and the Queensland Tourism Industry Council.

John holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and is married with two children.

Mark Kelleher

Mark Kelleher was appointed to the position of Secretary of the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and the Arts in May 2009.

As part of the role, Mr Kelleher is the Chief Executive of the Tasmanian Development Board and a member of the Tourism Tasmania Board. He is also a member of the Tasmanian Infrastructure Advisory Council, and the Tasmanian Leadership Institute.

Preceding his appointment to the Department of Economic Development, Tourism and the Arts, Mr Kelleher was Managing Director of Roaring 40s, a leading Australian-based renewable energy company developing and operating wind farms in Australia, China and India, from September 2005 until May 2009. During this time he was also a board member of the Australian Clean Energy Council.

Previously, Mr Kelleher was with Hydro Tasmania for approximately 12 years. During that time he held a number of senior positions including General Manager Business Development and General Manager Corporate and held lead roles in major projects, such as the Tasmanian electricity industry restructure, Basslink and entry into the National Electricity Market.

Before this, Mr Kelleher was with Telstra, where he held a number of key positions in financial and strategy areas, and was the Tasmanian Financial Controller before joining Hydro Tasmania.

Mr Kelleher has a Bachelor of Commerce (University of Tasmania) and is a Fellow of the Institute of Company Directors. He is also a graduate of the senior executive program at London Business School.

Kimberly Seagram

Kim Seagram is co-owner and co-developer of the award winning Stillwater Restaurant and Black Cow Bistro in Launceston. She is currently Deputy Chair of the Northern Regional Reference Group for Economic Development, is a committee member of Harvest Launceston Community Farmers Market and is on the industry reference group for the Centre for Food Innovation. Prior to Stillwater, Kim and her husband developed and operated Launceston's Ripples Cafe as well as Lalla Gully Vineyard in the Pipers River region of north-east Tasmania.

In 1997 she was elected to the Vineyards Association of Tasmania's Committee of Management where she made a significant contribution to strategy and marketing development. She has held board positions on the Brand Tasmania Council, Launceston Chamber of Commerce and the Launceston Tamar and the North Zone Marketing Group. Prior to living in Tasmania, Kim held a number of positions in the Canadian Tourism Industry in operations, sales and promotion.

Simon Currant

Simon Currant is Chairman of the Tourism Industry Council Tasmania, a Director of TT-Line, and leading developer and operator of tourism infrastructure. He is also a member of the Events Committee for the Tourism Tasmania Board.

Simon has also been appointed as the first Chair of the Tourism Quality Council of Australia, a new national body. His past and present developments - among them Cradle Mountain Lodge, Franklin Manor, Strahan Village, Peppermint Bay and Hobart Cruises - have won 11 State and nine national tourism awards. In addition to his current ventures of Peppermint Bay and Hobart Cruises, he is developing the World Heritage Area site of Pumphouse Point, at Lake St Clair.

He also runs a tourism consultancy specialising in remote and natural area tourism. Simon has won national and state Best Small Business awards, a Churchill Fellowship, was state winner and national finalist in the 2004 Entrepreneur of the Year, and was the 2004 Tasmanian of the Year. In 2006 Simon was honoured with a Member of the Order of Australia Award, for service to the community and the Tasmanian tourism industry.

Brett Torossi

Brett Torossi is a well-respected property developer and business woman who focuses on creating and developing tourism, residential and commercial projects that explore her core values of sustainability, love and excellence. The results are dynamic and award winning.

Brett's accommodation experience, Avalon Retreats, is a collection of boutique tourism developments in Hobart and on Tasmania's stunning east coast.

All three properties reflect her signature values and have been recognised with state, national and international awards. Avalon Coastal Retreat was awarded the prestigious James Blackburn Triennial Award for excellence in architecture, Tasmanian Tourism awards in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 and Australia's Best Deluxe Accommodation at the 2009 National Tourism Awards.

Rocky Hills Retreat was awarded Best Unique Accommodation at the 2012 National Tourism Awards. And the newly opened Avalon City Retreat has already been awarded the Royal Institute of Architects' Peter Willmott Award for Small Projects.

Brett's other current projects include a major, innovative and sustainable development project in Launceston that will eventually be home to around 500 families.

Brett's board appointments include Wallis Watson Capital Ltd, an unlisted property development company based in Victoria, the Tasmanian Development Board, Tasmanian Early Years Foundation, and The Festival of Voices. She is also a Commissioner on the Tasmanian Planning Commission, a Trustee of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery and holds a position on the national board of Creative Partnerships Australia.

Dallas Newton

Dallas Newton is the owner and Managing Director of APT Day Tours in Sydney and Melbourne, a business he acquired from APT owner and founder, Geoff McGeary in 2006. Prior to that, Dallas was the Director of Sales and Marketing with APT Pacific Touring between 2001 and 2006.

Dallas cut his teeth in the coach touring business, commencing as a trainee accountant with APT Touring in 1980 before moving to rival AAT Kings in 1984 where he eventually became Managing Director. AAT Kings is a company with an annual turnover of $35 million and over 200 employees. It was during his years at the head of AAT Kings that Dallas developed a strong reputation for innovation and leadership in the traditional distribution space, forging strong and lasting relationships with international travel wholesalers and Inbound Operators from all parts for the world.

Dallas holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) from RMIT. He has held positions on the Tourism Australia, Western Hemisphere Market Advisory Board; Tourism Australia, Indian Market Advisory Board (2011); and Victoria University Program Advisory Committee Marketing Faculty.

Dallas is currently a member of Tourism Tasmania's Audit Finance and Risk Committee.

Karen Scott Davie

Karen Scott Davie is a Director of the CIO Advisory Board of Australia and a former Chief Information Officer of NSW Business Chamber. She is passionate about the internet, social media and digital technology, and enjoys the challenge of helping businesses use technology to do business better.

Karen is recognised as one of Australia's high profile speakers and leading training providers. She has travelled the world teaching business people leadership and communication skills and helping them adapt to new technologies. Karen has trained and presented in Alaska, Chicago, New York, Hong Kong, Europe, London, Hawaii and around Australia. She has presented e-commerce strategy and web design topics live on TV and radio, and has also written for several papers including the Australian Financial Review.

Her broad background in chartered accounting, marketing , IT Systems and training have equipped her with the necessary business knowledge and experience to successfully manage her own training and internet company for 5 years, achieving Finalist in the Telstra Business Women's awards (2000 & 1999).

Karen is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and holds a Bachelor of Economics. She is member of Australian Institute of Management, Director of Read to Lead and on the Board at the Hills Grammar School.

Karen is currently a member of Tourism Tasmania's Audit Finance and Risk Committee.

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