Presented to an individual, organization or business influential in bringing a meeting, convention and/or event to Winnipeg, resulting in increased visitation.

Award Nominees

2019 National Gathering of Elders - MIKE SUTHERLAND OF PEGUIS FIRST NATION - AWARD WINNER

After attending the first-ever National Gathering of Elders in Edmonton in 2017, Mike Sutherland of Peguis First Nation saw an opportunity in hosting the 2019 event in Winnipeg and approached Chief Glenn Hudson of Peguis First Nation and RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg to discuss. From there, they sent an application to the national body to host, competing against other cities and organizations. Their bid and volunteer efforts stood out from the rest thanks to the strong and engaged local committee led by Mike and many other volunteers and Elders in Winnipeg and Manitoba. In just 13 days, Mike secured confirmation that the National Gathering of Elders was coming to Winnipeg in 2019. The conference brought in 3,450 visitors and delegates to the city. The warmth and hospitality extended by tourism partners and the local host committee put Winnipeg on the map as an ideal host city for future largescale and Indigenous conferences.

2019 National Trust Conference - CINDY TUGWELL 

For more than seven years, Heritage Winnipeg Executive Director Cindy Tugwell advocated to bring the National Trust Conference back to the city’s historic Exchange District after not being held here since 2002. As a local leader, she gathered letters of support from partners which celebrated Winnipeg as a leader of heritage conservation and tourism in Canada. The 2019 National Trust Conference brought in 450 delegates to discover Winnipeg’s rich history through panel discussions, tours and self-guided exploration. The experience highlighted Winnipeg’s unique historical infrastructure and showcased the city’s conservation efforts through a visitor lens.