Southland Park Gaming & Racing congratulates Lynda Rice for being named 2008 Associate of the Year and Barbara Van Laan as 2008 Leader of the Year. These awards recognize the hard work and dedication of these individuals to the associates of Southland Park, as well as their customers. Lynda Rice was the recipient of the Associate of the Year award, which recognizes the associate who consistently performs to exceptional levels of work performance. She has served as a Security Officer at Southland Park for over 13 years. As a longtime West Memphis resident she devotes her time to protecting the community, currently splitting her career between Southland Park and the West Memphis Police Department where she has been dispatcher for over 18 years. In 2005, Rice was one of six associates representing Delaware North Companies Gaming & Entertainment to be nominated for the 2005 Legacy of Service Excellence Award. The Legacy of Service Excellence Award was established to recognize associates throughout Delaware North Companies who have consistently demonstrated attributes that exemplify its commitment to creating special guest experiences – one guest at a time.
Barbara Van Laan was recognized as the Leader of the Year, which recognizes the member of the Southland Park Management team that consistently performs at a high level and strives to improve themselves and their associates. She has been an integral part of Southland for seven years, starting her career as a Mutuel Teller, eventually helping open Instant Racing. She quickly worked her way to Assistant Cage Manager, which led Van Laan in late 2008 to her current position as Cage Manager. A resident of West Memphis for 13 years, Van Laan enjoys horseback riding and spending time with her grandchildren.
Rice and Van Laan were honored during an associate celebration ceremony and presented with special parking spaces for the year, $1,000 cash prize, a crystal trophy and an overnight dinner package in Memphis.