LAKE CHARLES, La. (Dec. 11, 2017)–Kyle R. Edmiston has recently been named as the Chief Operating Officer/Deputy Director for the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau (LC/SWLA CVB), working under the direction of Shelley Johnson, executive director/CEO of the bureau. Edmiston will begin working at the bureau in January.

Edmiston is currently serving as the assistant secretary for the Louisiana Office of Tourism, a position which he has held for more than five years under the direction of two different Lt. Governor administrations. He is the former president/CEO of the Ruston Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau as well as the former executive director of alumni relations at Louisiana Tech University. He is a graduate of Louisiana Tech, having earned a bachelor’s degree in finance.

He was named as the National State Tourism Director of the Year for 2017 by the U.S. Travel Association and was recently named to the “Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality, Sales, Marketing & Revenue Optimization” by Hospitality, Sales & Marketing Association International in 2017. He served as the Travel USA board chair from 2016-2017 and currently serves on Brand USA’s board of directors as well as the U.S. Travel Association’s board of directors, the Federal Reserve Bank Travel & Tourism’s advisory committee, Travel South USA’s board of directors, the National Council of State Tourism Directors and the Southeast Tourism Society’s board of directors.

“We have had the pleasure of working alongside Kyle for many years on cooperative projects, and we are fortunate to have him lend his experience and talents to the overall team at the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana CVB,” said Johnson.

“From the time that I entered the field of tourism, Shelley Johnson has been one of my mentors and trusted colleagues. I am looking forward to working with her, the board of directors and the entire team at the CVB to inspire and grow visitation to Southwest Louisiana,” said Edmiston.

The Chief Operating Officer/Deputy Director is a new position at the LC/SWLA CVB. He will assist the Executive Director/CEO in initiating and coordinating the worldwide marketing of Calcasieu Parish and its facilities as a desirable destination for leisure travel, group tours, conventions, conferences, meetings and sports events. Edmiston will provide leadership in managing operations and implementing policies and procedures.

For more information on the Lake Charles area, contact the LC/SWLA CVB at (337) 436-9588 or visit www.visitlakecharles.org.