Gail Scott. (Richard McGuire file photo)
Gail Scott, the managing director at Destination Osoyoos (DO), is stepping down early next year.
Scott plans to continue in her current position until April 29, 2016, almost exactly two years since she stepped into the job.
Don Brogan, Destination Osoyoos board chair, made the announcement last Wednesday. He said the process of seeking a replacement is starting immediately and DO plans to use a professional recruiter.
Scott said she found the job didn’t leave her enough time to do economic development, her area of expertise, because so much of her time was taken up by administration.
“I wasn’t able to utilize my economic development skills, talent and experience to the level I had hoped I could here,” she said. “I realized I wanted to do more in that area than, say, administrative operations. I thought Destination Osoyoos’ board and society would be better off selecting somebody that was a little bit better fit, that enjoys the administrative side more than the economic development side that I want to do.”
Brogan acknowledged the board faces a challenge with the small staff, saying Scott and marketing director Brianne Hearle have a lot on their plates.
“The time and effort being put in by both of them is just incredible,” he said. “We were thinking maybe we’ve got to scale back what it is we’re trying to accomplish. If you can’t get out of here in less than 60 hours a week, then maybe we’re doing too much.”
Brogan said DO can’t afford to hire more staff. With nearly four months until Scott leaves, there’s time to restructure and look at how DO will operate, he said.
“If we’ve created a monster, we don’t want to continue on that way and just have something that’s not manageable for the next person as well,” Brogan said.
For Scott, who just turned 67 last week, part of the decision stems from a realization that she has other things she wants to do with her life.
A serious vehicle accident in May, that kept her away from work for more than two months and left her on her back and unable to walk around much of the time, was also a time of reflection for her.
“It really was a life altering experience for me,” she said. “It really made me stop and think that you have to appreciate life and you have to appreciate some of the things that you haven’t done or you want to do more of. Some of the things I haven’t checked off my bucket list.”
These include spending more time with her family, grandchildren and friends, as well as travelling.
“I absolutely want to go to Europe,” she said.
Scott said she plans to remain in the Okanagan Valley and plans to do consulting work as well as explore agri-food production opportunities.
Previous manager Jo Knight was terminated in early 2013. For one year, Hearle ran DO herself.
At that time, however, DO’s main focus was tourism and economic development wasn’t part of the manager’s responsibility.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
