Celeste Gomez, of Eunice, received the Woman of Excellence Award at the St. Landry Chamber of Commerce annual Awards Banquet at the Opelousas Civic Center on Monday.
Gomez, who is director of the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission, was named the Woman of Heart by the St. Landry-Evangeline United Way on Feb. 9.
Evangeline Parish’s Wanda Verrette also won a Woman with Heart Award.
Proceeds from the Women with Heart event support the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, a United Way program that brings age-appropriate books to children age 0-5 living in St. Landry or Evangeline parishes.
Gomez was co-chairwoman of the Chamber awards event with Yvonne Normand, who nominated her for both awards.
“It was a nice gesture for me,” Gomez said about the awards.
Normand said, “I nominated her for two things on the same day. She was selected by both committees.”
Gomez exemplifies what a woman of excellence is in her career and community, Normand said.
“She took her career from a little office to the side of the Police Jury Chamber .. then moved to the City Market ... Now she has this whole state-of-the-art building that is nationally recognized. That to me is excellence,” Normand said.
In the presentation to the Chamber on Monday it was noted she helped with the development of the Eunice Garden Club where she serves as historian; attends St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Eunice; serves on the Louisiana Tourism Development District Commission; and is active in the St. Landry Chamber of Commerce as ex officio or elected positions and currently serves as vice chair of Media and Tourism.
At tourism director, Gomez guided the construction of the St. Landry Parish Tourist Center located on 1-49.
Gomez is married to Jaime and is the stepmother of two and grandmother of three.
Other award recipients at Monday’s Chamber event were:
— Freddie Herpin, Daily World photographer, was selected as Chamber Person of the Year.
— Donald Young Sr. was presented the Humanitarian of the Year award.
— Chicory’s Coffee and Cafe in Grand Coteau was presented the Entrepreneurial Award.
— Opelousas General Hospital System CEO Kenneth Cochran was presented the Community Engagement Award.
