Long time Director of Sales and Marketing at the Harrison Hot Springs Resort and Spa, Ian Maw passed away on Monday July 3 shortly after being diagnosed with Amyloidosis. Ian a seasoned Hospitality Industry executive came to Harrison in 2001 after many years working in Vancouver at the Pan Pacific, Four Seasons and Hotel Vancouver.
During his 15 years as the Director of Sales and Marketing at the Resort Ian played an important role in the local business community. Ian joined the Chamber of Commerce as a Director in 2005 and had been an active Director for 12 years. He was instrumental in setting up Tourism Harrison which he chaired for over 10 years. He was also a past Chair and Director of Vancouver Coast & Mountains Tourism Region.
“He played a key role promoting tourism not just for the Harrison Resort but for all of Harrison Hot Springs”, according to Robert Reyerse Executive Director of Tourism Harrison. As Reyerse pointed out “The Resort has always been the draw for tourism in our region but Ian was happy to reach out to the business community at large and ensure that other businesses benefited from the Resort’s success. In fact, it was his idea as Chair of Tourism Harrison to create ‘Marketing in a Box’, a program to help smaller businesses market and sell their products and services”.
In his role at the Resort Ian was the go-to person for many local activities and was a keen supporter of a range of community events such as the Harrison Festival of the Arts, Bands on the Beach, Harrison Beer Festival and many more.
His unique sense of humour and wit will be missed by all that worked with him and were involved with him at Tourism Harrison and the Chamber of Commerce. There will be a Golf tournament honouring him and to raise money for Amyloidosis research at the Sandpiper Golf Course this September.
A private Celebration of Life service was held Thursday July 13 at the Pan Pacific Hotel where his career began. Ian is survived by his wife Nancy Barker an Associate Professor at the University of the Fraser Valley and Head of the Hospitality and Event Planning Program.