One of Geelong\u2019s most highly credentialed non-profit executives, Bill Mithen, will start a new role as Tourism Greater Geelong and the Bellarine (TGGB) chair.<\/p>\n
Mr Mithen will commence his new position on April 12 for a three-year term, the tourism body announced today.<\/p>\n
The incoming chair said he was looking forward to helping lead the organisation at a critical juncture, as the local tourism industry recovers from the impacts of COVID-19.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a born and bred Geelong local I\u2019m excited about the future opportunities for Geelong and The Bellarine,\u201d Mr Mithen said.<\/p>\n
\u201cRestoring tourism and the visitor economy will be crucial to our region\u2019s future growth and recovery from the pandemic and I\u2019m honoured to be given an opportunity to continue to play a role.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Mithen is currently the chief executive officer of Geelong\u2019s Give Where You Live Foundation, board chair at gforce Employment and Recruitment and is a member of the Barwon Regional Partnership.<\/p>\n
His previous experience includes five years as chair of G21 Geelong Region Alliance and a stint as deputy chair of Wine Geelong.<\/p>\n
John Stevens will step down from the role, nine years after becoming TGGB\u2019s inaugural chair when it was established in 2013.<\/p>\n
Mr Stevens assisted the organisation\u2019s transition from Geelong Otway Tourism, and has helped double visitation to the region while overseeing an increase in membership and investment from all levels of government.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am very proud of what TGGB has achieved and have full admiration for the resilience and capability of the industry. I wish Bill, the board, team and the industry all the best with the years to come,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
TGGB executive director Brett Ince thanked Mr Stevens for his successful tenure and looked forward to the board\u2019s transition to its new chair.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re incredibly thankful for John\u2019s passion for the industry over the past nine years, and his enthusiasm in leading the organisation through some pretty significant milestones and achievements during his term,\u201d Mr Ince said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re sad to see him go but equally excited for the future of our local tourism industry with Bill Mithen leading the charge.<\/p>\n
\u201cBill brings a fresh perspective and new expertise to Tourism Greater Geelong and The Bellarine which will be valuable skills as our region recovers.\u201d<\/p>\n
City of Greater Geelong deputy mayor and tourism portfolio chair Trent Sullivan also congratulated Mr Stevens and backed Mr Mithen\u2019s credentials to continue the local industry\u2019s pandemic recovery.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
One of Geelong\u2019s most highly credentialed non-profit executives, Bill Mithen, will start a new role as Tourism Greater Geelong and the Bellarine (TGGB) chair. Mr Mithen will commence his new position on April 12 for a three-year term, the tourism body announced today. The incoming chair said he was looking forward to helping lead the […]<\/p>\n