The Stockade’s own Charmaine James was named Housekeeper of the Year by the Baton Rouge Lodging Association (BRLA) in a luncheon held on September 12.
(from left) Charmaine James, Housekeeper of the Year; Janice DeLerno; and Cynthia Shelmire
Master of Ceremonies Chris Savoca, executive officer at Travel Media Network, addressed the BRLA members in a speech about the Baton Rouge hospitality industry. He commended the Baton Rouge Area Convention and Visitors Bureau for helping the city to become one of the nation’s culinary hotspots and urged members to continue to go the extra mile in order to make guests’ travels memorable.
“As we say in Louisiana, give guests a little ‘lagniappe,’ and see the response you get,” he said.
Savoca also spoke about the importance of each individual member of a hotel’s staff.
“Every person is as vital as every other person who holds a position in a hotel,” he said. “Today is about acknowledging the housekeepers who work day in and day out to provide that ‘wow factor.’ We appreciate all your hard work and everything you do to secure the comfort and security of our guests.”
Sixteen housekeepers from hotels and inns across Baton Rouge were honored with the distinction of Housekeeper of the Year, and each honoree also received a gift basket containing tokens of appreciation from local tourism professionals.
James, who is employed at The Stockade through Advantage Personnel, was nominated by Cynthia Shelmire, an industrial employee consultant at Advantage.
“Charmaine is a wonderful person who takes pride in her work and does an incredible job,” said Janice DeLerno, innkeeper at The Stockade Bed and Breakfast. “She fully deserves this recognition for her hard work, dedication, and professionalism. I’m grateful for all of my talented housekeepers — Charmaine, Sissie, and Shemica — and for everything they’ve done for this business.”