Photo: Contributed
Okanagan Edge and the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce are partnering to showcase some of the region’s most exciting entrepreneurs through the “Top 40 Over 40” program.
Sponsored by BDO, the “Top 40 Over 40” recognizes high-achieving professionals in our community and showcases their accomplishments. This marks the seventh year the chamber has conducted a “Top 40” showcase. Honourees will be featured throughout the year on Okanagan Edge.
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Lisanne Ballantyne is proud to serve as President and CEO of Tourism Kelowna, the lead destination marketing organization for the Central Okanagan that helps attract two million visitors and $2 billion in economic impact to the region every year.
Born in Montreal, she graduated university and began her early career in Winnipeg in print and television media before moving to Alberta in 1995 for what would become a 25-year career in successful business and marketing leadership roles in economic development, the provincial government, Indigenous relations, the technology sector, arts and culture sectors, and major event production.
Prior to joining Tourism Kelowna in 2017, she worked with Edmonton Economic Development as general manager of the Edmonton Convention Centre, overseeing a team of 400 event experts, hosting 650 events and half a million guests annually, generating $30 million in economic impact.
Her focus upon arriving at Tourism Kelowna was the successful construction and opening of the new downtown visitor centre on time and on budget. Since then her team has expanded Tourism Kelowna’s marketing to a four-season strategy and implemented a collaborative major events program responsible for securing new, city-wide events like the Memorial Cup.
Combined with building a values-based service organization, a high-achieving team and best operations and professional practices, this led to recognition in 2018 for Tourism Kelowna as Destination Marketing Organization of the year among our provincial counterparts.Ballantyne volunteers her time and support for a variety of local community groups and organizations, including the Kelowna Art Gallery, Cool Arts Society, the SPCA and Rotary Clubs. She is proud to serve on advisory councils for both Okanagan College and the COEDC. She privately coaches and mentors fellow executives as well as young students and those just beginning their careers.
She was an active supporter of post-secondary education, arts and culture, and women in business prior to her time in Kelowna, serving as chair of Alberta Women Entrepreneurs, chair of the IAVM Senior Executive Symposium board of governors, University of Alberta senate executive member, chair of Edmonton’s Homeless Connect program and board member of the Nina Haggerty Center for the Arts and the Alberta Jubilee Society.
Ballantyne is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration’s Senior Executive Symposium and has achieved national accreditations from the Canadian Public Relations Society and the International Association of Venue Managers. Ballantyne holds undergraduate degrees from the University of Manitoba in organizational psychology and the University of Winnipeg in public relations.
In 2016 she summited Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro in what is perhaps her favourite achievement.
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