News Releases

Appointment Notice Rocky Mountaineer Vacations

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (August 23, 2005) –Rocky Mountaineer Vacations is pleased to announce the following appointments.

Mr. Mark Southern as Vice President, Guest Services.
In this role, Mark Southern is responsible for the day-to-day delivery of the very best in service. This includes the Rocky Mountaineer train’s internationally acclaimed food, beverage and souvenirs as well as a team of over 140 exceptional staff. Mr. Southern oversees the station staff and those that manage Rocky Mountaineer Vacations (RMV) motorcoach programs in the Rockies, and the company’s network of Guest Service Managers throughout Western Canada.

Mr. Southern brings to his new role twenty-four years of experience in the travel and tourism industry. Prior to joining the company he worked in a variety of senior management positions for both Canadian Airlines and Air Canada. Most recently, he served as Director of Station Operations in British Columbia for Air Canada.

Ms. Alison Stewart as Director, Environment, Health and Safety.
In this newly created position, Alison Stewart is responsible for coordinating the implementation of Transport Canada’s Rail Safety Management System, the development of emergency preparedness and crisis management plans, while also serving as a resource to the company’s Health and Safety Committees.

Ms. Stewart joins RMV following five years with the Tourism and Economic Development office in Kamloops, B.C. and 10 years of practicing law in Edmonton, Alberta and Kamloops. Her appointment is an investment for RMV in the area of Health and Safety and complements the recent hiring of a Director, Sustainable Development.

Ms. Stewart received her BA in Recreation Administration, and a Law Degree from the University of Alberta. She is currently on the Board of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association and a Director of the 2006 B.C. Summer Games.

Mr. Todd Jones as Marketing Manager.
Mr. Jones is responsible for the implementation and execution of strategic marketing initiatives and programs as they relate to the Gray Line West motorcoach product line and the Whistler Mountaineer train, which will launch in May 2006.

Most recently Mr. Jones worked as the Marketing and Communications Specialist at Science World in Vancouver, B.C. and previously served as the Marketing and Communications Manager of the H.R. Macmillan Space Centre in Vancouver for over four years.

A graduate of the University of Western Ontario, Mr. Jones has a B.A. in Psychology and Sociology and is currently enrolled in the Marketing Management part-time program at the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Rocky Mountaineer Vacations (RMV), owned and operated by Armstrong Group, offers year-round vacation packages to the most unique regions of Canada. From mid-April to mid-October (with select December departures), the company features over 70 vacation packages which include the highly acclaimed Rocky Mountaineer train, a two-day, all-daylight rail journey between Vancouver, British Columbia and the Canadian Rockies. Since 1990, over 800,000 guests have travelled onboard the Rocky Mountaineer, the largest privately owned passenger rail service in North America. In 2006, Rocky Mountaineer Vacations will premiere the highly anticipated Whistler Mountaineer three-hour train experience, between North Vancouver and Whistler, B.C. and launch the Fraser Discovery Route, a third route for the Rocky Mountaineer train between Whistler, B.C. and Jasper, Alberta. Armstrong Group, one of Canada’s leading tourism providers, recently acquired Gray Line West motorcoach operations in Banff, Alberta and Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia.

Photograph:

Photographs of Mr. Southern, Ms. Stewart and Mr. Jones are available upon request.

Contacts:

www.rockymountaineer.com
www.WinterRailVacations.com
www.whistlermountaineer.com
www.spectacularcanada.com