Established in 1904 as the Manitoba Hotel Keepers’ Association, it was later renamed the Province of Manitoba Hotel Association. In 1927, a second organization named the City and Provincial Hotelmen’s Association was founded but the two rival organizations united in April 1928 to form the Manitoba Hotel Association, with its executive drawn mostly from that of the newer organization.
Period
President / Chair
1904-?
William John “Billy” O’Connor (1837-1910)
?-1922
?
1922-1923
George Edward Dangerfield (1863-1923)
1923-1927
?
1927-1930
C. E. Smith
1930-1935
E. J. Ryall
1935-1938
George McDonald
1938-1940
Francis Stanley “Frank” Fowlie (1890-1958)
1940-1942
Frederick William “Fred” Dangerfield (1888-1959)
1942-1944
A. D. Harrison
1944-1945
F. J. Fall
1945-1947
Jack McDonald
1947-1951
Francis Stanley “Frank” Fowlie (1890-1958)
1951-1957
M. Sparrow
1957-1959
Joseph Gustave Van Belleghem (1901-1967)
1959-1961
H. J. Marko
1961-1964
George Frederick Dangerfield (1914-1991)
1964-1966
Walter Bohonos
1966-1968
D. J. Perfumo
1968-1970
Gordon James Fowlie (1918-2004)
1970-1973
Edward James “Ted” Bloomer (1924-2012)
1973-1974
N. Pyrch
1974-1976
Ted Hinchcliffe
1976-1978
George John Prost (1915-2008)
1978-1981
A. Malkoske
1981-1983
H. Nairn
1983-1985
J. Desautels
1985-1987
Bob Sparrow
1987-1989
Murray Gottschlich
1989-1991
George Gershman
1991-1992
Lawrence Smale
1992-1994
Ed Dandeneau
1994-1996
Dough Chernican
1996-1998
Gordon Wutke
1998-2000
Lawrence Maksymetz
2000-2002
Bob Young
2002-2004
Marina James
2004-2006
Heidi Howarth
2006-2008
Leon Norman “Leo” Ledohowski (1944-2025)
2008-2012
Reid Kelner
2012-2013
Brian Sparrow
2013-2014
David Kaisaris
2014-2016
Josette Roch
2016-2019
Bruce MacKay
2019-2022
Justin Schinkel
2022-2023
Naomi Griffith
2023-2024
Joel Waterman
2024-present
Connor Ward
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: Charles Albert Tanner (1887-1970)
“In interest of hotelkeepers,” Winnipeg Tribune, 7 March 1904, page 3.
“Repudiate new association of hotel keepers,” Winnipeg Tribune, 19 November 1927, page 10.
“Rival hotel associations effect amalgamation,” Manitoba Free Press, 11 April 1928, page 7.
We thank Michael Juce (Manitoba Hotel Association) for providing information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 15 January 2026
