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Barkerville welcomes Matthias Koch

Matthias Koch is the latest addition to the passionate team of professionals dedicated to the successful management and operation of British Columbia’s largest heritage site, Barkerville Historic Town.

This new position on the management team will provide strategic business and financial leadership, develop and maintain strong relationships with the site’s merchants and contractors, plan and administer information technology platforms and provide on-site Human Resource services.

Accepting the position as corporate services manager and moving to the Cariboo is a natural choice for someone who loves the outdoors and new challenges.

“Although my passion for tourism and the travel industry has taken me all over the world, I fell in love with Canada’s West Coast several years ago and am excited to be part of Barkerville’s  future as a world class heritage destination,” Koch said.

Born and raised in Germany, Koch has a master’s degree from Pfeiffer University in Charlotte, North Carolina, and has worked or travelled to many foreign countries all over Europe, Australia, Asia and North America.

Koch believes that British Columbia and a site with the historical significance and character of Barkerville, has the potential to attract visitors interested in an authentic experience.

Barkerville was a hotbed of activity during the Gold Rush years and now offers visitors the opportunity to interact with a living museum of history.

Shop clerks, saloon keepers and the like are played by interpretive actors dressed in period costume and well-rehearsed with historical facts.

Visitors are literally taken back in time with activities like panning for gold and riding a stage coach.

The Barkerville Heritage Trust, as Barkerville’s operating and managing partner, works in conjunction with the Province of British Columbia, the owner and statutory guardian of Barkerville’s heritage resources  to ensure that Barkerville is efficiently managed, entertaining and educational to visitors and financially stable as the premier heritage resource and tourism attraction for the Cariboo.

“With a professional  portfolio that includes expertise in new IT technologies, managing a tourism inbound tour operation and most recently as the general manager for the Workforce and Spectator Transportation System for VANOC in the staging of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Matthias is a great addition to our organization,” Barkerville CEO Judy Campbell said.

James Douglas, manager of visitor experiences and public relations couldn’t agree more.

“Matthias brings a new perspective and has already implemented positive changes to the way we do business, ensuring we are as efficient as possible,” Douglas said.

Koch, his wife Maike, son Joshua and their dog Shira are looking forward to exploring the Wells Barkerville region with their favorite summertime pursuits – camping, hiking and canoeing.

Matthias and Maike also enjoy skiing and scuba diving.

They are thrilled to be part of the vibrant Barkerville community.