.png)
Each nominee for the Hospitality Service Award of Distinction is an individual front-line customer service staff member who consistently provides exceptional service to visitors to Dutchess County to help them have an outstanding experience. Join Destination Dutchess in celebrating all the honorees at the 12th annual Destination Dutchess Awards of Distinction on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, at The Henry A. Wallace Center at the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Home in Hyde Park. Read more about the event and purchase tickets here.
Read on to learn more about each Hospitality Service Award of Distinction finalist.
• Joe Fakhoury, Vice President of Operations, River Link Hotels, Fishkill
• John Mousseau, First Mate, Tour Guide, RV Estuary Steward Tour Boat, Bannerman Castle Trust, Beacon
• Annemarie O’Brien-Camuso, Server, Simply Gourmet, Poughkeepsie/Uncle Sam’s Canteen at the Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Educational Center, FDR Home, Presidential Library and Museum, Hyde Park
• Joe Fakhoury, River Link Hotels: What inspires me every day is seeing how our work creates real moments for people. I get the feeling that we’re building something meaningful — not just for our guests, but for our teams and our families. Whether it’s a guest walking into a spotless lobby and feeling instantly at ease, or a team member stepping up and owning their role — it’s those little wins that remind me why I do this. Hospitality isn’t just about rooms and revenue; it’s about pride, care, and connection. I get to shape environments where people feel welcome, where teams grow, and where excellence becomes the standard. That’s what keeps me fired up. It's personal for me. I’ve known I wanted to be in this profession since I was a child.
• John Mousseau, Bannerman Castle Trust: I come from a long line of people who have worked on the Hudson River for many decades, with family members dating back in this region since 1777. I have worked on several Hudson River yachts, vessels and tour boats for many years and also served in the U.S. Navy for 10 years, from 1972–1982. For 30 years I have also worked on engineering and maintenance projects on our Hudson River bridges. It inspires me to interact with our region’s tourists and educate them about the history of Dutchess and the Mid-Hudson region.
• Annemarie O’Brien-Camuso, Simply Gourmet/Uncle Sam’s Canteen: I truly love working in the hospitality industry — the friendly interactions with people and bringing a warm smile and and greeting can make someone’s day as well as my own.
• Joe Fakhoury, River Link Hotels: When People think of New York, I want them to think of Dutchess County, too! I hope travel in Dutchess County becomes even more welcoming and easy without losing the charm that makes this place special. Whether someone’s just visiting for the weekend or heading to work, I want them to feel the charm and spirit of our towns. If we keep backing small businesses, protecting what makes this place special, and making travel feel more welcoming, people won’t just stop by — they’ll want to come back.
• John Mousseau, Bannerman Castle Trust: I’d like to see all modes of intermodal transportation improve in Dutchess County, giving people of all ages access to our historic sites, including Bannerman Island.
• Annemarie O’Brien-Camuso, Simply Gourmet/Uncle Sam’s Canteen: After what we went through with the pandemic and watching so many people lose their businesses and their jobs, it is refreshing to see such a rebirth of our county. All the new things happening are really exciting. I’m looking forward to watching the growth in our area. Dutchess County has so much to offer between recreation, restaurants, activities, and entertainment. We are an amazing hub of excellence.
• Joe Fakhoury, River Link Hotels: One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned in my career is that true excellence isn’t just about what you know — it’s about the relationships you build along the way. The trust, support, and collaboration from those around me have shaped every part of my success. When you lead with empathy and invest in your team, you create more than results — you build a culture people want to be part of. That’s what I try to carry into every property, every meeting, and every decision I make. Don’t burn bridges. You might need to cross them again when you least expect it.
• John Mousseau, Bannerman Castle Trust: To be patient and listen to visitors and tourists. Many people are new to the Hudson Valley region or are visiting from all over the world and need assistance.
• Annemarie O’Brien-Camuso, Simply Gourmet/Uncle Sam’s Canteen: One of the most important lessons I can give to anybody coming into this business is you can never know enough. You have to always be open to learn more. They’re always new things to learn and grow from.
• Joe Fakhoury, River Link Hotels: Stay curious. This field is about welcoming people and making them feel special so they want to return. Never lose site of the human touch in everything you do. Treat every guest, every colleague and every challenge as an opportunity to grow and you will go far. Be an ambassador to your community. Get CTA certified and become a Gold Service pro.
• John Mousseau, Bannerman Castle Trust: Learn as much as you can about our region and make the delivery of the information as interesting, compelling and entertaining as possible!
• Annemarie O’Brien-Camuso, Simply Gourmet/Uncle Sam’s Canteen: My advice to somebody new into the industry would be to embrace our beautiful county. Go out experience all the amazing things we have to offer — go take a hike, try a new restaurant, venture into our quaint and incredible towns and, also, go see a show. Getting to know what Dutchess County has to offer will be paramount for you to know how to promote tourism and also to be able to really represent our amazing area.
