President - Garry Crockett

Garry Crockett is a founding Director of the Accommodation Association of Australia's forerunner, the HMAA and served on the Board of MIMA from which HMAA emerged. His accommodation industry involvement began in 1979 with the purchase of his first hotel in the Blue Mountains.  He has since acquired two more accommodation properties and is developing a sizeable resort in Victoria’s Yarra Valley. Garry's company, the Crockett Group, diversified into tourism consulting and property development in the 1980s. Garry is the director of more than a dozen private and not for profit organisations and participates in the TTF Hotel Industry Panel and other industry groups. In 2010 Garry received the NSW Tourism Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Individual and the Blue Mountains, Lithgow and Oberon Regional Tourism Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Individual.
 

Vice President - Carole Smith 

Carole is the Managing Director of Classic Holidays and has extensive experience in the day-to-day operations and management of timeshare schemes. Carole’s role includes financial and administrative management of Classic Leisure Pty Ltd along with the management of strategic alliances. Carole has over 20 years experience in the timeshare and tourism industry and has held managerial positions at RCI Asia Pacific, Mariner Shores Beach Resort on the Gold Coast and Port Pacific Resort at Port Macquarie. In addition to the Accommodation Association, Carole is Director of ATHOC and several other public and limited companies. Carol holds hold diplomas in Tourism Operations and Hospitality Management and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Pamela Hardgrave

Pamela Hardgrave is the owner and manager of Lillydale Farmstay. Pamela opened the farmstay in 2000 and expanded her working cattle property into an ecologically sustainable retreat. Through Pamela’s guidance Lillydale has obtained Advanced Ecotourism accreditation with Ecotourism Australia. In 2008, Lillydale was inducted into the Queensland Tourism Hall of Fame and Pamela won the Queensland Westpac Business Owner Award in 2006. Pamela is a graduate of AICD and has a Diploma in Management. In addition to the Accommodation Association, Pamela is President of the Bed & Breakfast and Farmstay Queensland, a board member of Tourism Queensland and a member of Scenic Rim Regional Council Tourism Advisory Committee. 

John Atkin

John is actively involved in tourism through his ownership of the multi-award winning boutique accommodation property The Falls Rainforest Cottages at Montville in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Prior to purchasing The Falls in 2000 John held senior management and executive positions within the New South Wales and Queensland rail organisations, where as a career railwayman he worked for 41 years. John is the former Chairman of Tourism Sunshine Coast, Vice President of the Hinterland Tourism Sunshine Coast and a Director of the Queensland Tourism Industry Council. John is a Life Member of Queensland Tourism Industry Council and in 2008 he was awarded the prestigious “Marie Blake-Watson Award for Most Outstanding Contribution to Tourism by an Individual”. John conducts workshops and provides mentoring for businesses interested in local, regional and state awards.

Wayne Mawbey

Wayne has been operating in the regional motel environment since 1985 and is the owner of the Matilda Motor Inn, Dubbo, NSW. He has participated in local tourism and development organisations at various levels. Wayne’s background includes 11 years serving with the Australian Army Reserve, before retiring at the rank of Captain. In addition to the Accommodation Association Board, he is currently the Chairman of the ARRA Accommodation Group, having served on the board since 1988.

Bruce Copland - Treasurer

Bruce Copland is a professional hotelier with over 37 years experience in the hospitality industry spanning Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Mexico, and Australia.  Bruce migrated to Australia in 1986 to work for Western Resorts in WA. He has since held senior group management positions with Quality Pacific, Country Comfort, Austotel and was CEO of Toga Hospitality until June 2007.  Under his leadership both Vibe Hotels and Travelodge joined the already successful Medina brand and the first Adina Hotels were opened in Europe (Budapest and Copenhagen).  Bruce is currently an independent Director of Toga Hospitality and a Director of McKenzie Scott & Associates, providing ERP systems to a wide variety of companies across Australia.

Ian Sandilands

Ian operates the Best Western Gregory Terrace, Brisbane, Queensland and the Best Western Henry Parkes (Tenterfield, NSW).  He has over 20 years industry involvement and is also a Board member of Best Western Australasia, a member of the Hospitality Training Association of Australia (HTA) and the Principal of Sandilands Hospitality Consulting.

Wayne Kayler-Thomson

Wayne Kayler-Thomson is the Executive Officer of the Australian Chamber Alliance and the former Chief Executive of VECCI (Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce & Industry). He is a member of various government and non government boards, councils and committees including a Director of VicSuper, Victoria University Council member (and an Adjunct Professor to the Centre for Tourism and Services Research). Wayne is also a board member of the National Tourism Alliance. Wayne is also  the former Deputy Chief Executive of Tourism Victoria. Wayne has extensive private and public sector senior executive management and business experience in tourism, regional economic development and the manufacturing industry, including as a tourism business owner/operator.

Jerry Bour

With more than 35 years experience in the Hospitality and Tourism SME sector, Jerry has worked with many organisations including the National Reservations Centre for Small Hotels in Holland, Country Comfort Motels, Jetset Tours Australia Pty Ltd, Jardine Matheson Pty Ltd,  Killara Inn Hotel & Conference Centre and GNI Corporate Services. Jerry is also a licensed business and real estate agent. Jerry’s strong background in management, marketing, human resources and industrial relations has been essential in establishing his own consultancy and coaching business, ‘ProActive Business Support Pty Ltd’. In addition to serving on the Accommodation Association Board, Jerry is Chair of Judges for the NSW Tourism Awards and a board member of the Hospitality Training Network.

Andrew Turner

Andrew Turner  is the Managing Director of Shenton Hospitality, a company which develops prefabricated accommodation rooms that are constructed within a factory setting prior to shipping. As the former CEO of Mirvac Hotels and Resorts Andrew was responsible for the management of 45 properties in Australia and New Zealand. Andrew is on the Advisory Board of the Tourism and Transport Forum and has 30 years experience in the Australian hospitality industry in addition to roles in France and the United Kingdom.  In 2011 Andrew was inducted in the HM Awards' Hall of Fame. Andrew holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel Management from the University of Surrey (UK).

Julian Clark

Julian is as CEO of The Lancemore Group; a family owned and managed business and one of the largest boutique hotel operators in Australia. Julian has extensive experience in the accommodation industry and in his current role manages four iconic properties across regional Victoria –Lindenderry at Red Hill, Lancemore Hill at Macedon Ranges, Lindenwarrah at Milawa and the Mansion Hotel & Spa at Werribee Park. Julian is also a board member for the Melbourne Convention & Visitors Bureau (MCVB) and is the Australian Chapter President of the International Association of Conference Centres (IACC). Julian’s background includes positions in corporate strategy and marketing for financial service corporations in both Sydney and London. 

Rachel Argaman

Rachel Argaman is the CEO of Toga Hospitality, one of the largest accommodation providers in Australia and currently operating 51 apartment hotels in Australia, New Zealand and Europe. Rachel joined Toga Hospitality in 1998 as Group Sales Manager and became the Chief Executive Officer in 2007. Rachel was named the Telstra National Corporate Businesswoman of the Year in 2008 and HM Magazine’s Hotelier of the Year in 2010. Rachel participated in the Australian version of Undercover Boss in October 2010, allowing her to see her company through a “different lens” as she worked on the front line of the business. Rachel holds an MBA in Service Industry Management and is passionate about the travel industry.

Dino Mezzatesta

Dino Mezzatesta has over 20 years experience in the hospitality & tourism industry, both in the international and Australian market, and is currently General Manager for Accor’s Franchise Hotels in Australia and New Zealand. Dino joined the Accor network in 2005 as Director of Sales & Marketing for The Menzies Sydney. Dino has an extensive background in the hotel and tourism sector and began his career in the travel industry with Qantas Airways Ltd in 1986, with a range of roles including Reservations Sales Supervisor, Customer Service Controller NSW and Travel Centre Manager during his 10 years in the Sales fields.  In 1996, he moved into operations and managed the Sydney Domestic Airport Terminal, before taking up an overseas posting as Airports Manager Japan & Korea for 3½ years based in Tokyo. Dino holds an Advanced Diploma in Travel and Tourism Operations.

Mark Hodge

Mark Hodge is Group Director of Operations at the Mantra Group. Mark joined the Executive of the Mantra Group team in September 2006. Mantra Group is one of Australia and New Zealand's largest accommodation providers with a network of over 130 hotels, resorts and retreats operating under the successful brands of Peppers, Mantra and BreakFree. Accommodation ranges from self-contained apartments to luxurious resorts and retreats. Mark has been involved with many facets of the tourism and hospitality industry for the past 26 years. He has worked through all layers of management up to Group General Manager and Chief Executive Officer at both corporate and resort style hotels. Mark is a former regional chairman for Tropical North Queensland and a former national board member of the Association’s predecessor - HMAA.