By Alison Taylor
The municipality has hired one of Tourism Whistler’s top executives to fill a critical hole at the hall.
Diane Mombourquette will be the new general manager of economic enhancement for the Resort Municipality of Whistler by the end of January. She will be in charge of not only the financial services in the municipality but also Events Whistler, partnerships and sponsorships and the business arm of the organization, which includes Whistler.com, among other things.
The scope of the role has been expanded in the recent municipal restructuring, which suits Mombourquette to a tee.
“I am a trained accountant but I actually don’t want to just do accounting,” said the Halifax native. “I like to do more of the front line stuff, be involved in the business of the resort and what’s actually happening.
“Economic viability in Whistler is very closely related to the tourism economy. I think that’s where the experience that I have here at Whistler will be beneficial.”
After climbing the ranks at Tourism Whistler for the past nine years, she leaves with mixed emotions, sad to say good-bye to her colleagues but ready for a new challenge.
“I’ve gotten to do a lot of cool stuff while I’ve been here,” she said. “I’ve worked with some really, really great people.”
Mombourquette came to Tourism Whistler nine years ago as the director of finance. She had been working as an auditor with Grant Thornton in Vancouver and Tourism Whistler was one of her clients. And though she didn’t know how to ski, she was willing to learn.
A few months into her new job she had her first lesson, where she learned how to put on ski boots, she joked.
Her responsibilities at Tourism Whistler have grown over the years. She became director of business operations, including Central Reservations and membership. Later as vice president of business operations she took on the golf course operations as well as the conference centre.
Her current position, which she has been in for the past three years, is vice president of finance and operations.
“It’s always a sad situation when you’re leaving one thing to go to something else,” said Mombourquette.
“(But it) was time to make a move, try something new.”
She said she’s looking forward to working with the team at the hall, many of whom she has gotten to know over the years.
The position for the economic enhancement general manager was advertised in recent weeks after John Nelson, general manager of corporate services, asked to be moved within the organization to oversee the multi-million dollar upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant.
