Vale Todd Blake
It is with deep regret that I announce the recent passing of our friend and colleague Todd Blake while on holiday with his family in Fiji.
Todd was CEO of the Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) and General Manager, VECCI Tourism and Events.
He was greatly respected by colleagues in the tourism sector and his passing is a big loss to VECCI, VTIC and the state’s wider tourism industry.
Todd is survived by his wife, Kirsty and their two children. Our deepest sympathies are with Kirsty and Todd’s families at this difficult time.
Todd was previously Chief Executive of Restaurant and Catering Victoria.
After joining VECCI, he played a key role in integrating tourism brands into VTIC, to form a more powerful tourism advocacy body.
VECCI has been overwhelmed by the number of organisations passing on their condolences and remembering Todd’s achievements, and his warm, humorous and ‘can-do’ nature.
Mark Stone
Chief Executive - VECCI
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About Us
VTIC Chairman - Jeremy Johnson
Jeremy Johnson has been the Chief Executive Officer of Sovereign Hill, the Outdoor Heritage Museum at Ballarat, since December 2002. Prior to taking up an appointment at Sovereign Hill in 1995, he held various senior positions within local government.
He is a member and Honorary Treasurer of the Council of Australasian Museum Directors, President of the Board and the Executive Council of the Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chairman of the Victorian Tourism Industry Council and Chair of the Tourism Excellence Working Group, Victoria. Jeremy is also a Director of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Jeremy has been involved with VTIC since its inception in 2000 and has chaired it since 2006.
VTIC Deputy Chairman - Roger Grant
Roger Grant is the Executive Director of Geelong Otway Tourism. Roger's present and past positions include; Chairman Great Ocean Road Marketing, Board member of Tourism Alliance Victoria, Deputy Chair Victorian Tourism Industry Council, Director Great Southern Touring Route, Chairman Great Southern Touring Route, Chairman Geelong Area Consultative Committee, Panel of Tourism Experts – United Nations World Tourism Organisation.
Roger Grant is the Executive Director of the regional tourism body Geelong Otway Tourism (Hall of Fame 1999 Victorian Tourism Awards) and is also currently the Chairman of Great Southern Touring Route (Victorian Tourism Awards winner 2000). In 2004, Roger was awarded the Victorian Tourism Award for Outstanding Contribution By An Individual.
Prior to his present position, Roger was the Tourism Manager for what is now Parks Victoria for seven years. During this time Roger was awarded both Anzac and Churchill fellowships to study tourism issues in North America and New Zealand.
Roger has a Master of Arts degree from the University of Alberta Canada in addition to Education and Physical Education Degrees.
Tourism Operations Manager - Kristina Burke
As Tourism Operations Manager - VECCI Tourism & Events, Kristina is responsible for the operations of the unit and a number of the associations within it, including Tourism Alliance Victoria, VTIC and VEIC.
Kristina started out in hospitality at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne, before moving to Germany and working at the Australian Pavilion at the 2000 Hannover Expo. Upon returning to Melbourne she opted for more 'sociable' working hours and spent a number of years in EA roles with companies such as BMW, PwC and BankWest.
Kristina's tourism career commenced in earnest when she joined the Marketing and Events team at Federation Square, where her responsibilities included web content and communications management, event coordination and running the guided tour program. She then took on the role of Advocacy, Policy and Project Co-ordinator for Tourism Alliance Victoria, tackling a wide range of issues and delivering a number of local government projects.
Kristina has completed a Master of Tourism at Monash, including a thesis on the travel behaviours of international students.
She sits on the Project Control Board of the Public Land Licence Reform and on the tourism industry advisory boards for Monash and La Trobe Universities.
Lochlan McLachlan – Membership and Advertising Sales Executive
He comes to this role with a long career in Tourism and Hospitality management having worked with Accor Hotels and Australia and internationally as a Director of Sales and Marketing as well as other international hotel chains. He is able to draw on extensive experience within the restaurant and catering industry in Australia, New Zealand and The United Kingdom as well as media sales in the print media industry.
Lochlan has held board positions within many industry associations including The New Zealand Institute of Tourism and Travel, Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association, Skall and AGLTA.
Events Coordinator - Mariella Mejia
Coordinator of event calendar for the VECCI Tourism and Events Unit.
Mariella Mejia’s career began in the Aviation and Computer Science industry where she enjoyed speaking over the PA more than she enjoyed physics. It wasn’t until one weekend, while her parents were away that she organised her first event in their backyard. Three bands and one hundred guests later, she knew she was destined for a career in event organising.
Mariella completed an Advanced Dual Diploma of Hospitality and Events at NMIT. After completing her course, Mariella’s professional event career began with Expohire, where she gained vast knowledge of logistics and foundations of events and exhibitions. This knowledge of logistics and exhibitions saw her become a member of international publishing company, John Wiley & Sons, where she coordinated their academic exhibitions and conferences in Australia and New Zealand. The knowledge of academic events took her to work for professional conference organisers, ICMS, where she worked organising large scale conferences.
Mariella is passionate about the events and tourism industry and believes that events create business. She one day aspires to be the Michael Chugg of the event world, bringing large scale international events to Victoria.
To date, Mariella’s parents still don’t know about that party.
Office and Membership Services Coordinator - Monica Lougoon
Front line contact for general information on membership, activities, projects and services.
Monica holds a Certificate 5 in Business Administration at the Bendigo Regional Institute of TAFE.
Prior to working at Tourism Alliance Victoria and VECCI, Monica was offered a traineeship as an administration assistant at Tourism Training Victoria and went on to win the Trainee of the Year award for the year 1999/2000.
Monica moved to Tourism Alliance Victoria in May 2001 to take on the role of Office Co-ordinator. In this role she looks after the day to day running of the organisation, which includes the handling of enquiries, Membership, Starting Up In Tourism Seminars and more.