MVA’s Benavente joins MTEC board

The Marianas Tourism Education Council, a non-profit private organization promoting community awareness on the importance of the visitor industry in the CNMI, has two new board members, among them Marianas Visitors Authority deputy managing director Vicky I. Benavente.

Benavente replaces MVA managing director Jonas Ogren, who will be leaving the CNMI for good on June 15, 2004. Ogren was interim MTEC board president. Benavente will take his post as MVA’s representative to MTEC.

Rita Sablan, associate commissioner of the Public School System for instructional services, and MTEC secretary, will temporarily be the MTEC acting board president pending an election.

Also on the MTEC board is Jon Cramer, director of the Pacific Islands Club’s sports and entertainment activities. Cramer replaces former PIC general manager Wendi Herring, who also was MTEC president before she left in April this year.

The addition of Benavente and Cramer to the MTEC board, officials said, is expected to further boost efforts on involving the community in the campaign to enhance tourism in the CNMI.

Benavente and Cramer said they look forward to working together with the board, the government and the private sector for an even more active tourism body.

MTEC was established on the belief that for the CNMI to stay competitive in the regional tourism market, it is crucial to have off-island promotional efforts complemented with an equally aggressive campaign in the community.

To achieve this, it has spearheaded the formation of school-based tourism organizations called Marianas Youth WAVE Clubs which so far has a general membership of over 500 students in the Public School System including Tinian and Rota.

MTEC also has several activities lined up including seminars for frontline government employees about the hospitality industry.

Other MTEC board members are James Whitt, Ernst & Young partner who also is MTEC treasurer; Tony G. DeLeonGuerrero, acting president of the Northern Marianas College, Larry Lee, NMC tourism instructor, Mark Swinton, Dai-Ichi Hotel general manager, Ray dela Cruz, head of the Tinian Mayor’s Office’s tourism and promotions desk, Yoichi Matsumura, Pacific Development Inc. general manager, Duty Free Shoppers President Marian Aldan-Pierce, and Lynne Michael of Rota.