VVW Minister of Tourism

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Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace Named Minister of Tourism & Aviation and Appointed to Senate In The Bahamas

Nassau, The Bahamas – July 2, 2008 – The Hon. Hubert A. Ingraham, Prime Minister of The Bahamas, has named Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace Minister of Tourism & Aviation and will be appointing him to the Senate of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

The appointment, which takes effect from July 7, 2008, marks Mr. Vanderpool-Wallace’s return to tourism and public service in The Bahamas.  Vanderpool-Wallace served as Director General of Tourism of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism for 12 years, before being appointed Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) in 2005.

Born in Nassau on Jan. 10, 1953, he graduated cum laude from Harvard University in 1975, with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Anthropology.  Upon graduation, he returned to The Bahamas and was employed at the Ministry of Education and Culture from 1975-77.

He soon joined the Ministry of Tourism’s marketing department, where he rose to the position of Deputy General Manager – Marketing from 1979-82.  During this time, he continued his studies and was awarded an MBA, summa cum laude, from the University of Miami in 1981.  In 1982, Mr. Vanderpool-Wallace joined the staff of Resorts International (Bahamas) Ltd., where he held various managerial positions including a position as Senior Vice President/Office of the President.

Mr. Vanderpool-Wallace has received several honors throughout his career including the Albert E. Koehl Award for Lifetime Achievement in Advertising by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) and the Atlas Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Association of Travel Marketing Executives International. In March 2002, he was recognized by Fast Company magazine as one of the Fast 50 global champions of innovation from among 1,650 entries and at the 50th Anniversary celebrations of the Caribbean Tourism Organization he was recognized as one of 50 people who contributed most to Caribbean tourism in the past 50 years.

Former Minister of Tourism & Aviation the Hon. Neko C. Grant will assume portfolio responsibility for the Ministry of Public Works & Transport, overseeing the completion of various Bahamas infrastructural improvement projects.

Media Contacts:

Rene A. Mack
Weber Shandwick
(212) 445-8123 
rmack@webershandwick.com

Anita Johnson-Patty
Bahamas Ministry of Tourism
(954) 236-9292
ajohnson@bahamas.com