A former journalist is looking forward to the chance of telling New Westminster’s story.
Judy Frankel, who worked as a journalist before becoming the director of public relations and communications for the Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau and Madison Area Sports Commission in Madison, Wisconsin, is the new face of Tourism New Westminster. The Montreal native is thrilled to be back in Canada after years living in Japan, New York and Wisconsin.
“One of the things I am really excited about doing is working with the destinations in the region – Vancouver, Surrey and Burnaby - because I think there is a great regional story to tell here,” she said. “Working together to help tell that regional story is really, really exciting to me. I think that the history, the art and the urban cool that is happening in New West is an interesting story to tell.”
Frankel said she can’t wait to “dig in” to her new job, but her first task is to do some orientation as the position has been vacant since May.
“Yes, I have a lot of goals and a lot of plans, but I want to see, really get an understanding of what the financial limitations are as an organization,” she said. “Certainly as a non-profit I want to make sure we are being penny wise and not pound foolish in terms of spending.”
After moving to Vancouver last fall, Frankel spent some time visiting different parts of Metro Vancouver, including New Westminster. She thought New West was “a very cute, very interesting community” – a view that was only solidified during return visits during the interview process with Tourism New Westminster.
“Each and every time I was more blown away by what I was seeing here,” she told the Record. “I am not like a hippy-dippy person, but there was something palpable. There was an energy. There was an excitement. There was something that was happening here, and it was not lost on me at all.”
In addition to a good feeling about the city, Frankel also felt the Tourism New Westminster board members had great enthusiasm and energy. She’s taking over for longtime executive director Tej Kainth, who took a tourism position in Mississauga, Ont.
“I was really honoured to be asked to lead the organization because one, I think the organization has been doing a very good job, and now that the former executive director had departed there were big shoes to fill,” she said. “However, I felt really excited about the opportunity of working with a board and a community that is clearly on the cusp of something fantastic happening. I can’t wait to see what we will all be able to do together. I have seen great cooperation, great collaboration, great ideas, great activity. It’s been really amazing.”
Frankel hopes to use her journalism and tourism experience to highlight New Westminster as a tourist destination.
“There is a youthfulness to the community that is a great juxtaposition to the history,” she said. “You see a lot of young families, you see a lot of younger faces walking around on the streets, yet here it is this historic capital. I love that juxtaposition of the treasuring of the history and the embracing of the past, but also with a modern spin on it.”
Along with a new executive director, Tourism New Westminster also has a new slate of directors for the 2018-2019 year, with Susan Greig of 100 Braid St. Studios taking on the role of president, and Tracy Eyssens and Rich Patterson being new additions to the board. Other members of Tourism New Westminster’s board are: Alejandro Diaz; Jorden Foss; Vali Marling; Stephen O’Shea; Glenda Ploegman; Bonnie Poon; and Blair Fryer (non-voting).
