Government Of Alberta Appoints Mike Mendelman To Banff Centre's Board Of Governors

Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity has announced that the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta has appointed Mike Mendelman as a new member of Banff Centre's Board of Governors.

"Mike brings both passion and proficiency to this role. He is an accomplished Banff businessperson, entrepreneur, and community builder. We look forward to having his voice at the Board table. Welcome Mike!" - Adam Waterous, Chairman of the Board of Governors, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity

"We are committed to ensuring that there are voices on the Banff Centre Board from the Bow Valley community. Mike will bring a wealth of local knowledge, experience in the region's unique hospitality and tourism sector, and a recognition of the power of this place to the Board's governance. We are excited to welcome his experience and perspectives."
- Janice Price, President and CEO of Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity

"I've seen the evolution of Banff Centre in my nearly 30 years working and playing in this beautiful part of the world. I am excited to provide my voice and expertise to setting the future strategic directions of this historic institution alongside an impressive group of Board Governors." - Mike Mendelman, CEO, Banff Hospitality Collective

Mike Mendelman is an entrepreneur at heart with a deep passion for Banff hospitality and tourism since the 1990s. He is a local leader committed to shaping individual lives and talents one opportunity at a time; Mike builds highly functioning teams who work together towards a common goal.

Mike brings his in-depth knowledge of Banff's tourism and hospitality industry, his naturally collaborative style, and his fierce love and respect for Banff as a long-time local.

In 1996, Mike conceived of the Banff Hospitality Collective and has grown the model to become a multi-concept restaurant collective. The Collective's 11 restaurants, distillery, brewery & bowling alley are all located within a 5-minute walk of each other in downtown Banff. The Collective has grown from 25 employees in 1996 to over 1000 in 2019.

As part of his contribution to community, he created The Collective Community Commitment in 2017, that has volunteered 674 hours of community involvement, $175,000 direct dollars, and are 40% of the way towards meeting established environmental goals. Partners include the YWCA, Bow Valley SPCA, The Banff Canmore Community Foundation, Kid Sport, and the Bow Valley Mountain Bike Alliance.

Mike enjoys finding inspiration in Banff National Park with its 6441 km² of protected canvas. He is an avid road and mountain biker, and skis as often as he can in the winter. He has a wife and two school-aged children.