The Kitsap Peninsula Visitor and Convention Bureau (VCB) held its annual meeting and awards banquet on Saturday, Feb. 2nd, at the newly completed Tuckers at Gold Mountain.

Honored by the group were: Melode Sapp, executive director of the Port Orchard Chamber of Commerce. She was presented with the Bob Morrissey Lifetime Tourism Award, which recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution to Kitsap County tourism. Nominees must live in Kitsap County and have been involved in tourism for over 10 years.

Mickey Molnaire, or Fuurin-oka Futon & Breakfast received the Charles J. Higgins, Innkeeper of the Year Award. Named for the late Chuck Higgins, Board member and co-owner of Foxbridge B&B, this award recognizes an owner or operator of any lodging facility on the Kitsap Peninsula who has shown dedication as a superb innkeeper committed to the tourism industry on the Kitsap Peninsula.

Joyce Noonan of the KPVCB South Visitor Center was named Visitor Information Center Volunteer of the Year. The award recognizes an individual who has gone “above and beyond” the normal duties of a volunteer in assisting the VCB in its mission to promote the Kitsap Peninsula.

Mark W. Linz, of Island Country Inn & Suites was presented with the Hospitality Award, which honors an individual who has displayed exemplary and consistent customer service in his or her front line position.

Mary Graves of MG Productions was named as Tourism Promoter of the Year. Criteria for the award includes the following:

• A project which utilized partners to accomplish a tourism goal.
• A print or electronic advertising campaign used to entice customers to visit the Kitsap Peninsula or utilize tourism products or services
• An organization, business or community that prompted tourism awareness by providing a festival or a tourism-related service.

Installed as officers were: President, Tim Thomson, Port of Bremerton; Vice Presidents, Pat Brannigan, or McCormick Woods and Kevin Wojcik of the WestCoast Silverdale Hotel; Treasure, Carey Kolb or Applied Technical Systems.

Installed as directors were: Debby Baker, Kitsap Country Parks & Recreation; Gordon Buhler, Murphy House Bed & Breakfast; Rob Henry, Historical Ships Society; Fred Howard, West Sound Technical Academy; John Kuntz, Olympic Outdoor Center; Sandra McKenzie, Best Western Bremerton Inn; Troy Summerill, Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel and Linda Thurrott, Island Country Inn.