LAKE CHARLES, La. (Feb. 11, 2025) — Visit Lake Charles is now accepting nominations for the fourth annual ROSE (Recognition of Service Excellence) Awards, a prestigious celebration honoring individuals in the Southwest Louisiana hospitality industry who go above and beyond to create outstanding experiences for both locals and visitors. 

“The heart of our destination lies in the service professionals who ensure every visitor feels welcomed and valued,” said Kyle Edmiston, president and CEO of Visit Lake Charles. “The ROSE Awards is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the individuals whose dedication elevates the visitors’ experience here in Southwest Louisiana. We encourage the community to nominate those who deserve this recognition.” 

Nominations are open until Friday, March 14, 2025, and cover the following nine categories:  

  • Outstanding Banquet/Catering Professional – Includes event venue staff who serve guests, including bartenders at catered events.  

  • Outstanding Bartender – Includes bartenders in public food service establishments.  

  • Outstanding Casino Floor Professional – Includes casino hosts, floor runners and attendants, cashiers/tellers, cage and pit managers, and floor wait staff.  

  • Outstanding Culinary Professional/Chef – Includes chefs, executive chefs, sous chefs, and banquet chefs in public food service establishments.  

  • Outstanding Culinary Service Professional – (New this year) Includes waitstaff, bussers, and other front-of-house professionals in public food service establishments.  

  • Outstanding Front Desk/Guest Service Professional – Includes front-line personnel such as front desk agents, guest service representatives, valets, bellmen, clerks, and security personnel.  

  • Outstanding Hotel Sales Professional – Includes general managers, directors of sales, sales managers, group sales managers, and convention services managers.  

  • Outstanding Housekeeping Professional – Includes housekeeping personnel at hotels, motels, and casino resorts.  

  • Outstanding Transportation Professional – Includes drivers and personnel from charter bus companies, bicycle and carriage tours, rental car services, and ride-share companies.  

An impartial panel of judges will evaluate all nominations to determine the winners in each category. The 2025 ROSE Awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, May 1, at L’Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles.  

Eight recipients were honored with ROSE Awards in 2024. Since its start in 2022, the program has recognized 27 individuals. 

For more information and to submit a nomination, visit www.visitlakecharles.org/rose. 

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About Visit Lake Charles:
Visit Lake Charles, the official destination marketing organization for Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana, is the only organization in Southwest Louisiana providing advocacy, promotion, and education for the tourism industry. For more information on Visit Lake Charles and things to see and do in Louisiana’s Playground, log on to www.visitlakecharles.org.