The Bob Morrissey Lifetime Tourism Award is given each year to an individual who has made a significant contribution to Kitsap tourism. This year the award was presented to Bill Galvani, director of the Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport. He has been a true advocate of the KPVCB for the past twelve years and always tries to accommodate its requests for assistance if the organization needs to bring a travel writer or VIP through his building on short notice.

The Innkeeper of the year award goes to the owner or operator of a lodging facility on the Kitsap Peninsula, and who is committed to the tourism industry. This year Jenny Santori of Bear’s Lair Bed & Breakfast in the Gig Harbor area.

The Visitor Information Center volunteer of the year for 2006 is Agnes Schultheis from the KPVCB South Visitor Center. She has been a volunteer at the South Visitor Center in Port Orchard since 1999, and serves as co-coordinator. She has given her time freely over those years and often fills in for others are not able to come in.

Tourism Promoter of the Year can be given to an organization, business, or a community. It can be given for an effective advertising campaign, or to a project that utilizes partnerships to accomplish tourism goals. Gold Mountain Golf Complexes Director, Scott Alexander was honored with this year’s award for his successful efforts hosting the 2006 national Publinks Championship at the Bremerton course. Not only did the tournament draw national press and television exposure for Kitsap, it received the praise of USGA as having the best galleries at this event.

The Hospitality (Front-liner) award was given to the team of Jac Baker and Tom Heman form the Naval Undersea Museum. This award was presented to two individuals who volunteer at the Naval Undersea Museum and have been greeters and docents at the museum for the past five years. Surveys from visitors regularly mention their experience at the museum being made more memorable because of the attention of Baker and Herman.