Damon Edmonds, a greeter with the ESG Security team at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, was honored on Thursday night with a prestigious ROSE Award (Recognition of Service Excellence) from VisitIndy, the Indianapolis convention and tourism bureau.
Edmonds was one of 10 recipients out of 81 nominees.
Below is Edmonds’ bio from the ROSE Awards website:
Damon’s not only a rock star himself, but he greets the rock stars and star athletes that arrive at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The top VIPs that come through our city – many for the first time – are greeted by Damon. And every time those doors open, he’s always on cue with a “Welcome to Bankers Life Fieldhouse” and a 100-watt smile to go along with it. One familiar face that comes through those doors is Paul George – and when you ask PG about his friend Damon, he says “There’s no better person and no better representative of our building and city than Damon.” Damon is the guy from the commercial for George’s NBA2K17 video game! Damon’s job is not all glam, though. Many days require him to put out fire after fire, from helping bandage a staff member who cut his head, to finding a misplaced phone, answering the nonstop incoming phone calls, managing shipments, working as a loading dock valet and still being there to greet everyone who comes in and out. For the past five years, he’s been the Fieldhouse’s problem solver and someone, it’s quite obvious, you want on your team. When asked what it is that he likes most about his hospitality career, Damon said, “People. I just like the people. Wherever I am, I try to meet and greet and be the warmest face you can see. That’s just my personality. I can get mad, but that’s really not me. I’ve had people tell me I’m one of the most pleasant people they’ve met and I really want to be that guy…the one that after I’ve departed someone says, ‘that’s the happiest guy I’ve ever known.'” Damon is that guy. A guy that is one of the most pleasant people many have ever met. A guy that is often putting in 14-16 hour work days, especially on game days. It’s not uncommon to find Damon is the first one in and the last one out, making this lifelong Hoosier one dedicated soul.