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Alabama 39th District U.S. Representative Richard Lindsey Wins Government Tourism Advocate Award

Montgomery, Ala. — Alabama 39^th District U.S. Representative Richard Lindsey was named the 2009 Government Tourism Advocate by the Alabama Tourism Department. The black-tie awards will take place Tuesday, September 1 at the Marriot Grand Hotel in Point Clear.

Representative Lindsey has been a proponent of tourism and sponsored Alabama Film Incentives Bill (HB 69) in the 2009 legislative session. As the sponsor of the bill, Lindsey made it possible to provide incentives for movie and television production companies to film in Alabama.

“With the sometimes skills of a film director, the orchestration of the special effects department and the quiet thoughtfulness of an actor, he redefined the promotion of the film industry for the state. Tourism is grateful to Representative Richard Lindsey for his leadership and guidance of the Alabama Entertainment Industry Incentive Act of 2009,” said tourism director Lee Sentell.

Lindsey was first elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1983 and has served as chairman of the powerful Education Finance and Appropriations Committee since 2001. He has won numerous awards during his legislative service including Legislator of the Year from the Alabama Rural Electric Cooperatives, State Representative of the Year from the Alabama Association of Conservation Districts, and the Lifetime Legislative Leadership Award for his work on behalf of Alabama’s school children from the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools.

Tourism leaders and representatives throughout the state along with First Lady Patsy Riley will attend the awards banquet. Celebrity Chef Lucy Buffett and WPMI NBC-15 reporter Darwin Singleton will emcee the awards ceremony.

Criteria for the Alabama Tourism Advocate Award in Government include outstanding support of tourism by a local, state, or national elected official; outstanding contributions benefiting tourism at the local, regional, state, or national level; development of new and/or improvement of existing programs/legislation that benefit tourism; and enhancement of local, regional or state image as a tourist destination.

The Government Advocate award is among 13 for 2009 that comprise the Alabama Tourism Awards. The awards were first presented in 1998 and honor outstanding achievements in the state’s tourism industry. Each award winner is recognized as a key player in making tourism a strong economic force. Tourism contributed $9.6 Billion to Alabama’s economy in 2008; supported 170,000 jobs statewide and an estimated 22 million people visited the state last year.

The Alabama Tourism Department coordinates the awards program. Other winners are as follows:

· Alabama Tourism Hall of Fame—Tony Rayne; founder and past president of Abbeville Chamber of Commerce.

· Media Advocate Award—Raycom Media.

· Governor’s Tourism Award—J. Gary Ellis, President of Compass Marketing, Inc., Gulf Shores.

· Organization of the Year—Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association.

· Attraction of the Year—The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.

· Event of the Year—BayFest, Mobile.

· Tourism Executive of the Year—Michael Gunn, VP of Convention Sales, Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau.

· Tourism Employee of the Year—Jennifer Moore, Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

· Partnership Award—Alabama Barbeque Association.

· Welcome Center of the Year—Sumter Welcome Center.

· *Theme Campaign— Alabama Scenic River Trail.

· *Rising Star Award—Kalleigh Drake, Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce.

*— denotes new award for 2009.

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