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May 11, 2006
Metro Toronto Convention Centre CEO Honoured
The Metro Toronto Convention Centre's (MTCC) President and CEO, Barry Smith, has been honoured for his contributions to the industry by the Ontario Hostelry Institute (OHI).
Smith, who has been serving as the MTCC's chief executive since 1998, was named a Fellow of the Institute at the annual Ontario Hostelry Institute's Gold Awards Dinner during a gala award ceremony held April 27, 2006 at Toronto's Four Seasons Hotel. Smith was one of only 11 people from the industry inducted as Fellows of the Institute. The marquee event was attended by 525 senior leaders of the foodservice-hospitality industry.
The tradition of inducting individuals from the industry as Fellows was established by the Ontario Hostelry Institute in 1988. This is the 16th anniversary of the 'honour' and approximately 150 people have been celebrated to date. The award of OHI Fellow recognizes individuals who have achieved significant professional success and have truly made a difference in the industry. Considered a great honour, the Fellows are selected through an informal process of nominations put forward to the Institute by members of the hospitality sector.
"These outstanding men and women simply must be honoured and recognized, said J. Charles Grieco, Chair and President of the Ontario Hostelry Institute. "They best demonstrate excellence and professionalism, along with unwavering support of industry-specific training and professional institutional education and they make a difference in what they do.
"We are better off for having Barry Smith in Toronto," Grieco added. "He is a man who understands the requirements of the market and of those who are planning meetings and conventions for now and seven years from now. He understands the value of a convention centre which is ranked among the ten best in the world. He is a hospitality man who has few equals!"
Smith came to the MTCC from ORCA Bay Sports & Entertainment in Vancouver, where he held the position of Vice President of Operations and General Manager. Before managing General Motors Place, Smith was Senior Vice President & General Manager of the British Columbia Pavilion Corporation and was responsible for the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre. Previously he managed B.C. Place Stadium.
"I am very pleased to be included in the company of such luminaries who have earned the OHI Fellow Award before. It is a real honour!" Smith said after the induction ceremony. "I would like to thank the OHI for thinking of me in this way and to thank my team at the MTCC. This award is very much a result of our collective effort," he added.
Smith plays an active role in the community and volunteers his time to the benefit of the industry. He is currently a Director of Tourism Toronto and of the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC), as well as a Trustee of the PCMA Foundation Board. He has also served as Chair of the MC&IT Committee for the Canadian Tourism Commission. While in Vancouver, he served on the Boards of Tourism Vancouver, the YMCA, and Crestbrook Forest Products.
Walter Oster, Chairman of the MTCC's Board of Directors, said that Smith continues to make major contributions to the success of the Centre. "He's very deserving of this award. His name is held in high regard among his peers, and he is seen as one of the top leaders in the field across Canada. Being chosen as an OHI Fellow confirms the important role he is playing in furthering the tourism, convention and hospitality business in Toronto and Ontario," Oster added.
About the OHI
The Ontario Hostelry Institute was established in 1977 by a broad cross-section of culinary, tourism and hospitality industry leaders concerned over the scarcity of well-trained and educated hospitality professionals. Today, the Institute undertakes various projects whose primary objectives are to serve as catalysts in raising standards of post-secondary hospitality programs and presenting the industry as an attractive and fulfilling life-long career choice; to serve as an advocate for the industry in matters relating to post-secondary education and training including apprenticeship; and, to promote and recognize professional excellence in Canada's food service-hospitality industry. The OHI notes that Hospitality-Tourism is the world's largest and fastest-growing industry. For more information visit www.theohi.ca.
About the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC)
The Metro Toronto Convention Centre is Canada's No. 1 trade and convention facility and one of the finest in North America. With more than 2 million square feet of state-of-the-art space, it is considered a world-class, tier-one facility. Since its opening in 1984, the MTCC has hosted approximately 10,000 events, entertained nearly 40 million guests and has had a multi-billion dollar direct and indirect economic impact on the City and Province.
