Rodriguez named emerging star

Visit Lake Charles Director of Communications Candy Rodriguez has been recognized as a 2025 eTourism Emerging Tourism Star, a prestigious national honor awarded to innovative professionals shaping the future of travel and tourism.

Rodriguez leads Visit Lake Charles’ communications efforts through local media relations, partner and stakeholder engagement, and storytelling across printed and digital platforms. She also manages social media strategies and communications for Just Imagine  SWLA, shaping messaging, content, and engagement initiatives to inform the community about the region’s long-term resilience projects.   

Rodriguez will be recognized in April at the 2025 eTourism Summit in Las Vegas. During the summit, she will engage in high-impact networking with top leaders in destination marketing, offering her a platform to explore the latest trends, tools, and technologies that are set to revolutionize tourism marketing strategies. She will join the Emerging Tourism Star panel allowing her to share insights with peers and fellow industry professionals.

McGlathery teams up with local firm

SWLA Injury Attorneys is pleased to announce its new partnership with Matthew McGlathery of McGlathery Law LLC, who has joined the firm as Of Counsel — a lawyer who has a close working relationship with a law firm but is not considered a full partner or associate.

As part of this  affiliation, McGlathery will operate from SWLA Injury Attorneys’ physical office while continuing his independent practice. this arrangement allows both firms to retain their unique identities while leveraging shared resources and expertise to better serve personal injury victims across Southwest Louisiana.

Visit LC, casino recognized

Visit Lake Charles is proud to announce that Golden Nugget Lake Charles and Visit Lake Charles have been awarded Louisiana Travel Association Louey Awards. The awards were presented during the association’s annual meeting in Monroe.

The Louey Awards honor individuals and organizations who have made exceptional contributions to the Louisiana tourism industry.

Visit Lake Charles won the Silver Louey Award for Tourism Campaign of the Year for its “As Much Joy As You Can Pack In” campaign, now in its third year. This award recognizes creative, innovative, and community-driven campaigns that capture travelers’ attention while delivering strong results.

Additionally, Golden Nugget Lake Charles won Accommodation of the Year, an award given to a hotel, resort, campground, RV park, or bed & breakfast that excels in service and understands the value of marketing to visitors. The recognition is based on the casino’s commitment to hosting world-class entertainment, signature culinary events, and community-driven initiatives that continue to enhance tourism in Southwest Louisiana.   

Wolf joins LC Memorial staff

Lake Charles Memorial Health System is pleased to welcome Erich W. Wolf II, MD, PhD, FACS, FACS, FAANS, a board-certified neurosurgeon, to its medical staff.

Wolf joins Memorial with over 30 years of neurosurgery experience. Having treated countless patients across the region, Wolf’s reputation for compassionate care and innovative surgical techniques has made him a trusted name in southwest Louisiana.

Wolf has extensive expertise in complex brain and spinal disorders. Most recently, before joining Memorial, he was in private practice at the Center for Neurosurgical and Spinal Disorders, in Lake Charles, where he specializes in advanced neurosurgical techniques, including minimally invasive and image-guided spinal surgery.

Wolf earned his Doctor of Medicine from Tulane University School of Medicine in 1993, followed by a Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering from Tulane University Graduate School in 1994. His doctoral research focused on the electrophysiological effects of magnetic fields on ion channel gating in neuroblastoma cells. He also holds a Master of Science in biomedical engineering and a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Tulane University, graduating magna cum laude with departmental honors in 1987.

Wolf completed his neurological surgery residency at the University of Tennessee, Memphis. During this time, he also undertook a categorical surgical internship. He later completed a prestigious fellowship in complex spinal surgery at the Semmes-Murphey Clinic, with a focus on minimally invasive and image-guided techniques.

Before founding his most recent practice, Center for Neurosurgical and Spinal Disorders, Wolf worked with the Neurosurgery Center of Lake Charles and served as a staff neurosurgeon at the renowned Semmes-Murphey Clinic in Memphis, Tennessee.

Wolf will continue to see patients at his clinic located at 1614 Wolf Circle in Lake Charles, newly named Memorial Center for Neurosurgery.

Fusion Five  announces board

Fusion Five, Southwest Louisiana’s premier young professional’s organization, is proud to announce its 2025 Board of Directors and executive officers.

Fusion Five provides opportunities for professional development, leadership growth, and civic engagement geared towards young professionals in the community.

The 2025 board will focus on several key initiatives, including expanding community engagement, building on the organization’s strengths and strategic planning, and providing enhanced professional development opportunities for its members.

Executive officers serving on the 2025 board are: Taylor Beard Stanley, president, Kaitlyn LaBove, vice president, Chase Brown, treasurer, Athena Gieger, secretary, Alex-Kaye Latiolais, communications.

Additional board members for 2025 includes; Mitchell Woods, Ben Drouilhet, Whitney Griffin, Jamal Bell, David Smith Jr., Kade Trahan, Ashanti Griffin, Michael Lopez, Andrea Kennedy and Maddy Guidry.

LC Yacht Club honors sailors

The Lake Charles Yacht Club recently held its awards banquet for the year 2024.

The Sudduth Award went to Ricky Richardson for his tireless efforts and commitment to promote sailing in the region. The Sportsmanship award went to Danny Craft for always being there to help the club anytime needed.

Richard Doss was honored with a lifetime membership for his years of service to the club to help promote sailing and his administrative board involvement for many years. Doss was commodore and also served in other board positions.