After more than three months with a vacant seat, the White Rock Business Improvement Association has hired a new executive director.
Alana Souter, originally from Maple Ridge, started work Dec. 1.
In last month’s newsletter, the association said it received more than 50 applications. Its decision was announced Monday.
Souter moved to the Lower Mainland two weeks ago from Peace River, Alta., where she worked for Mighty Peace Tourism.
“I developed co-operative marketing campaigns for a lot of the tourism operators and events that take place in the Peace region. We did that with Travel Alberta,” she told Peace Arch News. “I think tourism is a huge factor and something that’s super important that the BIA could use.”
Souter said she hopes to work closely with Tourism White Rock, which has been under the direction of Tourism Surrey since March.
She said the BIA has “a lot of new and exciting ideas” for the new year.
Funded by a municipal business levy, the BIA was formed in 2005. It's a non-profit organization governed by a volunteer board of directors.
Former executive director, Douglas Smith, stepped down from the position at the end of the August, two years after he took over the job.