Visitor Centre Welcomes Hospitality Sector Veteran
Mindy Fair at the Station Gallery & Gift Shop where she is the new Nelson Visitor Centre manager, bringing a passion to enhance the visitor experience and help build the local economy.
Mindy Fair Joins Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce
After more than two decades building a career in hospitality management, education and tourism, Nelson-raised Mindy Fair is bringing her experience home as the new manager of the Nelson Visitor Centre.
Joining the Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce team in March, Fair combines extensive industry expertise with a deep connection to the community she now helps showcase to visitors from around the world.
“A visitor centre plays a pivotal role in the community,” says the 42-year-old. “It connects new and re-visiting guests to local businesses, areas of interest, fun adventures and to the people. We are the first point of contact for so many visitors, truly laying the foundation for the level of hospitality and kindness they can expect throughout the community and surrounding areas.”
The Chamber operates the Nelson Visitor Centre with partial support from the City of Nelson and Destination BC through a fee-for-service agreement. Located at the west end of historic Baker Street in the beautifully restored 125-year-old CP Rail Building, the visitor centre is a terrific gateway into the community. The staff at the centre provide maps, up-to-the-minute event listings, brochures, road conditions and insider insight. It’s also where visitors and locals can find the Station Gallery & Gift Shop that’s packed with unique items, the vast majority created by local artisans.
“Mindy is an excellent addition, we are very fortunate to have her expertise, experience and enthusiasm,” says Chamber Executive Director Tom Thomson. “We are proud to provide this service for the region because the voice of business must represent its members at every opportunity so that we can help Greater Nelson prosper.”
The visitor experience is critical in the competitive tourism market and working with economic development partners like Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism (NKLT), the Chamber strives to enhance the service every year.
From Local Roots to Industry Leader
Fair grew up in Nelson appreciating both the beauty of her community and the rural work ethic it takes to succeed in challenging circumstances. By the age of 15, she was bussing tables at the Hume Hotel and starting on a career path that would lead to exciting opportunities.
With top-notch mentorship from the likes of legendary Hume catering manager Greg Schlosser, Fair’s first step into post-secondary came when she enrolled in the Resort & Hotel Management Program at Selkirk College’s Tenth Street Campus.
“When I looked around the restaurant, I realized that I loved it,” Fair says. “I had so much fun every time I went to work, I met so many people and had all these different experiences. I wanted to go further in hospitality and when I started to dig into what Selkirk College had to offer, it was all right in my hometown.”
Graduating from the program in 2005, Fair decided to expand her horizons and headed east to Calgary where she took a position at the ultra-hip downtown Earls location. Within two months, Fair was the lounge/bar manager overseeing a budget of $1.2 million in inventories per week. She was the youngest lounge/bar manager in the burgeoning Earls’ corporate empire and at the age of 23 was flown to Denver, Colorado to open a new three-storey restaurant in that city’s downtown.
With a homegrown rural work ethic and thirst for knowledge, Fair continued to be a coveted team member in Calgary. She helped open the new Stampede Casino, several Ric’s Grill locations, and a $3 million combo steak house and Italian restaurant in the funky Eau Claire neighbourhood. Her last stop in Alberta before heading back to the West Kootenay was with Canadian-based premium brand Moxies, where she launched the chain’s catering arm and was a valued member of the corporate team.
Fair returned to Nelson a decade ago and started working for locally-based Owl Hospitality that owns Yum Son, Cantina Del Centro and Broken Hill. With an incredible wealth of hospitality knowledge compiled over two decades, in 2021 she decided to start mentoring the next generation and joined the faculty in Selkirk College’s School of Hospitality & Tourism. In her time at local post-secondary, she managed the Scholar’s Dining Room and expertly guided cohorts of students through the early steps of the exciting world of hospitality.
“I’ve always enjoyed working with the Chamber team through the years as a business manager,” Fair says of her pull towards a new direction. “The impact the Chamber has on not only the businesses, but the community as a whole, I have really admired. It’s a true economic driver.
“When I left my position with Selkirk College, my first thought was: ‘how great would it be to work with Tom and his team!.’ I’m born-and-raised in this amazing city and have got to know a number of business owners over the years, so I felt like it would be a great fit and an opportunity for me to grow and learn all about the non-profit side of the spectrum. From there I hoped a position would open at some point and I would get the opportunity to join the team. I guess the universe was listening because here we are!”
Growing and Learning that Never Stops
Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the visitor centre, Fair’s duties extend into helping the Chamber’s overall success. She is spending her first few months digging deeper into the different systems at the centre and getting more familiar with the entire regional business community.
“My philosophy going forward in this role is to lead with kindness, integrity and a genuine commitment to the community,” she says. “As the Visitor Centre Manager, I want every interaction – with visitors, locals and staff – to feel welcoming, honest and helpful. I believe in being transparent in how decisions are made, loyal to the values of Nelson, and consistent in how I support both the team and the public. My goal is to create an environment where people feel seen, supported and excited about what this region has to offer.”
