Christine Stocker can clearly remember the moment 25 years ago on her way to the future site of the Wickaninnish Inn when she should have turned right toward the McDiarmid Family Cabin. Coming to the Inn was always intended to feel like driving down a country lane, and with the light fading late in the evening on September 11th, 1995, with only the foundation for the original building poured, Christine turned left and drove right up to a concrete wall. When she looks back at that moment, she is certain she drove right up to the site of her future office - the very same office all these years later.

On that first visit to Tofino over a beautiful mid-September weekend away, Charles McDiarmid shared the vision of the Wickaninnish Inn and introduced her to Tofino. Having worked together for nearly a decade prior, she had heard some of the vision before, but was excited to see it coming to life from the perch of the family cabin looking out over the surge channel beyond which the Inn was being built. At the end of that weekend, Charles asked her if she would help open the Inn, and Christine agreed. As Charles’s right-hand during the thrilling opening, to the Inn’s first Front Office Manager, first Director of Rooms, and finally to the position she has held to this day as the Inn’s Director of Operations, Christine has been the Inn’s consummate operator since the beginning.

As Charles focused on envisioning the elements of rustic elegance on nature’s edge, and they both shared a vision for the exquisite spirit of guest service, Christine designed and perfected the Inn’s standards: its design, infrastructure, and choreography. Inspired by excellence and passionate about mentorship, when you ask Christine what she is most proud of, she will likely share that it is the work it has taken behind-the-scenes to empower generations of successful leaders: the careers and paths of those that have worked with her. Her alumni are outstanding: hoteliers, restaurateurs, executive chefs, and entrepreneurs; leaders who began to see their potential emerge as she helped bring it into their view as their constant collaborator, coach, and guide.

The rich set of moments and memories that make up the last 25 years for Christine are both the outstanding successes of the Inn and the work it took to realize them. In these ensuing years and amid distinctions and accolades, Christine’s focus has remained on perfecting the fine balance of talent, guest service, and operational elements of the fine choreography that make the Wickaninnish Inn what it is. As the end of this 25th year comes to a close, Christine is looking ever-forward to moulding the leaders of tomorrow and continually inspired by excellence as she has been since the beginning.