2024 Excellence in Hospitality Awards
The 2024 Excellence in Hospitality Awards was held May 9, 2024 at Horseshoe Bossier Casino & Hotel in Shreveport. Thank you to Kyle Johnson Photography. Join us in congratulating this year's recipients:
(If in list format, honorees will be listed alphabetically.)
OUTSTANDING ATTRACTION WINNER
Shreveport Aquarium
OUTSTANDING CATERING PROFESSIONAL WINNER
Ashley Norton-Hebert, Superior's Steakhouse
OUTSTANDING BANQUET PROFESSIONAL
Trina Wright, Sam's Town Hotel and Casino
OUTSTANDING BARTENDER - RESTAURANT WINNER
Brayden Hermes, Beauxjax Crafthouse
OUTSTANDING BARTENDER WINNER - HOTEL/CASINO
Michael Bamburg, Hilton Garden Inn & Homewood Suites Bossier
OUTSTANDING CASINO FLOOR PROFESSIONAL WINNER
Earnestine Simmons, Horseshoe Bossier Casino & Hotel
OUTSTANDING CULINARY PROFESSIONAL/CHEF WINNER
Chef Hardette Harris, Us Up North, Celebrating North Louisiana Cuisine
OUTSTANDING OUTSTANDING EVENT WINNER
Day of the Dead Festival
OUTSTANDING EVENT VENUE WINNER
Hurricane Alley LIVE
OUTSTANDING FOOD SERVER - RESTAURANT WINNER
Carlton Barrett, Chianti Restaurant
OUTSTANDING FOOD SERVER – HOTEL/CASINO
Sharon Taylor, Louisiana Downs Racetrack & Casino
OUTSTANDING FRONT DESK PROFESSIONAL WINNER
Margarita Royal, Hilton Garden Inn & Homewood Suites Bossier
OUTSTANDING GUEST SERVICE PROFESSIONAL WINNER
Ryan Gullatt, Horseshoe Bossier Casino & Hotel
OUTSTANDING HOTEL SALES PROFESSIONAL WINNER
Lauren Knicely, Hilton Shreveport
OUTSTANDING HOTEL SALES PROFESSIONAL - MULTI-LOCATION WINNER
Joanna Folse Alexander, Sunrise Hospitality
NON-CASINO OUTSTANDING HOUSEKEEPING PROFESSIONAL
Janice Harris, Holiday Inn Express Park Plaza
CASINO OUTSTANDING HOUSEKEEPING PROFESSIONAL
Zawaunyka “Zoe” Washington, The Service Companies
OUTSTANDING TRANSPORTATION/VALET PROFESSIONAL
Virginia Howard, Horseshoe Bossier Casino & Hotel
OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER
Tamara Crane
OUTSTANDING EXECUTIVE
Andrea Butler, Louisiana Downs Racetrack & Casino
COMMUNICATIONS AWARDS
2024 FOODIE FAVORITES
Chef Damien “Chapeaux” Chapman, Orlandeaux’s Café
Chef Anthony and Amanda Felan, Fat Calf Brasserie
2024 CREATIVE COLLABORATOR
Chris Dean, KSLA
2024 ATTRACTION ALLSTAR
Ami Powers Sci-Port Discovery Center
CONVENTIONS AWARDS
SPIRIT OF HOSPITALITY AWARD
Ted and Tonya Hofmeister
TOUR AND TRAVEL PARTNERS OF THE YEAR
Bonne Summers
Dr. Cheryl White
Johnny Wessler
Liz Swaine
Winston Hall
CATERING PARTNER OF THE YEAR
Chefs Antonio & Besheka McCoy-Harris
SPORTS COMMISSION AWARDS
PARTNER OF THE YEAR
Gulf Coast Athletic Conference
SPONSOR OF THE YEAR
Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
William Bedford
PINEAPPLE AWARD
The Pineapple Awards are presented to individuals and organizations who have spent their careers promoting Shreveport-Bossier to visitors and locals alike.
Kathleen Elliott, Louisiana Downs Racetrack & Casino
Ruth Hunter, Finance Director at Visit Shreveport-Bossier
TRAIL BLAZER AWARD
The Trailblazer of the Year Award celebrates pioneers in their field who lead with courage and innovation, setting new standards for excellence.
Curtis Elkins, Pyromania Fireworks, LLC
2023 Excellence in Hospitality Awards
The 2023 Excellence in Hospitality Awards was held May 11, 2023 at Bally's Shreveport Casino & Hotel in Shreveport. Photos from the 2023 Excellence and Hospitality Awards are available here. Thank you to Shannon Palmer Photography. Join us in congratulating this year's recipients:
(If in list format, honorees will be listed alphabetically.)
OUTSTANDING ATTRACTION WINNER
SB Rides
OUTSTANDING BARTENDER WINNER
Jessica Deason, Sam's Town Hotel and Casino Shreveport
Nipa Molina, Horseshoe Casino & Hotel Bossier City
OUTSTANDING CASINO EXECUTIVE WINNER
Jason Roberts, Bally's Shreveport Casino & Hotel
OUTSTANDING CASINO FLOOR PROFESSIONAL WINNER
Lushus Tyler, Louisiana Downs Casino and Racetrack
OUTSTANDING CULINARY PROFESSIONAL WINNER
Joslin Mar-Dai Pickens, Vegans on the Run
OUTSTANDING EVENT WINNER
Christmas In Roseland, American Rose Society
OUTSTANDING EVENT/VENUE WINNER
Eleven Events, LLC
OUTSTANDING FOOD SERVER WINNER
Horia Hebert, Sam's Town Hotel & Casino
Valerie Perot, Hampton Inn Shreveport Bossier City
OUTSTANDING EVENT/VENUE WINNER
Eleven Events, LLC
OUTSTANDING FOOD SERVER WINNER
Horia Hebert, Sam's Town Hotel & Casino
Valerie Perot, Hampton Inn Shreveport Bossier City
OUTSTANDING HOTEL SALES PROFESSIONAL WINNER
Limited Service: Sabrina Edwards, Dimension Hospitality
Full Service: Tracy Young, Hilton Shreveport
OUTSTANDING HOTEL/GUEST SERVICE PROFESSIONAL WINNER
Cornell Jackson, Bally's Shreveport Casino & Hotel
Crystal Persley, Springhill Suites by Marriott
OUTSTANDING HOUSEKEEPING PROFESSIONAL WINNER
Laquisha Moss, Hilton Shreveport
Tawana Brow, Springhill Suites by Marriott
OUTSTANDING TRANSPORTATION PROFESSIONAL WINNERS
Bryan Feldhiser, iShuttle, LLC
OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER WINNER
Eric Hess
COMMUNICATIONS AWARDS
PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS
Jamie Bradford Lopez, SOBO Promotional Products
PHOTOGRAPHY
Kyle Johnson, Kyle Johnson Photography
CONVENTIONS AWARDS
Hotel Partner of the Year Award
Dimension Hospitality
GROUP EXPERIENCE AWARD
Sanctuary Glass
Festival Event Partner
Krewe of Centaur
Krewe of Gemini
SPORTS COMMISSION AWARDS
PARTNER OF THE YEAR
Pat Harwell
OPERATIONS HERO
Bob Gross
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Penny Addington
Ronnie Lammons
PINEAPPLE AWARD
The Pineapple Awards are presented to individuals and organizations who have spent their careers promoting Shreveport-Bossier to visitors and locals alike.
Diane Short, Louisiana Downs Casino and Racetrack
Franklyn Briscoe, Louisiana Downs Casino and Racetrack
Jill Hughes, Louisiana Downs Casino and Racetrack
TRAIL BLAZER AWARD
The Trailblazer of the Year Award celebrates pioneers in their field who lead with courage and innovation, setting new standards for excellence.
Bonne Summers, Apex Communications & Events
2022 Excellence in Hospitality Awards Winners
The 2022 Excellence in Hospitality Awards was held May 9, 2022 at Sam's Town Hotel and Casino in Shreveport. Join us in congratulating this year's recipients:
(If in list format, honorees will be listed alphabetically.)
Attraction of the Year
Bossier Arts Council
Attraction Employee of the Year
Dr. Heather Kleiner, Sci-Port Discovery Center
Bartender of the Year
Eric Tietjen, Hilton Hotel Shreveport
Casino Employee of the Year
Mark Breaux, Sam's Town Hotel and Casino
Casino Executive/Non-Sales Employee of the Year
Aimee Conn-Ludwig, Sam's Town Hotel and Casino
Chef of the Year (Hotel)
Henry Rodriguez, Sam's Town Hotel and Casino
Chef of the Year (Restaurant)
Anthony Felan, Fat Calf Brasserie
Event Professional of the Year
Destiny Garcia, Shreveport Aquarium
Event Professional of the Year (Event Planner)
Sylvester Marshall, The Social Circle of Louisiana
Event Venue of the Year
Shreveport Aquarium
Hospitality Heroes
Keysha Hayes, Louisiana Downs Casino & Racetrack
Ruthie Mae White Capers, Fairfield Place Bed and Breakfast
Hotel Bellman of the Year
Cornell Jackson, Bally's Shreveport Casino & Hotel
Hotel Engineering Employee of the Year
Brandi Crockett, Sam's Town Hotel and Casino
Hotel Sales Professional of the Year
Amy McGee, Hampton Inn Shreveport-Bossier
Hotel Housekeeping Professional of the Year
Verdell Davis, Hampton Inn Shreveport-Bossier
Hotel/Non-Sales Professional of the Year
LaKasia Williams, Hampton Inn Shreveport-Bossier
Outstanding Services of the Year
Mary Rhodes, Appi-K's Embroidery and Gifts
Preston Lowder, Lowder Baking Company
Restaurant Employee of the Year
Brandy Bryant, Herby-K's
Restauranteur of the Year
Ryan Hope, Port City Bar B Que
Volunteer of the Year
Mark Crawford
Community Collaboration Award (Attraction)
Bakowski Bridge of Lights on the Texas Street Bridge
Dr. George and Sandra Bakowski
City of Bossier City
City of Shreveport
Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
Louisiana Public Service Commission
Red River Waterway Commission
Shreveport Public Assembly and Recreation
COMMUNICATIONS AWARDS
Gorilla Design Studio
Ernest's Orleans Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge
R.W. Norton Art Gallery
CONVENTIONS AWARDS
Cyber Innovation Center
Evelyn Hanson, Horseshoe Casino & Resort
Louisiana School Board Association
Tanya Sullivan, Margaritaville Resort Casino
SPORTS COMMISSION AWARDS
Community Collaboration Award (Event)
Archery Shooters Association
Bossier Parish Police Jury
Caddo Parish Commission
Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
Louisiana National Guard
Visit Webster Parish
Webster Parish Police Jury
SBSC Vendor of the Year
Majestic Tents & Event
SBSC Sponsor of the Year
CenterPoint Energy
SBSC Venue of the Year
Brookshire Grocery Arena
PINEAPPLE AWARD
The Pineapple Awards are presented to individuals and organizations who have spent their careers promoting Shreveport-Bossier to visitors and locals alike.
Captain Sandy Jackson
TRAIL BLAZER AWARD
The Trailblazer of the Year Award celebrates pioneers in their field who lead with courage and innovation, setting new standards for excellence.
Liz Swaine, Shreveport Downtown Development Authority (DDA)
