BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana Economic Development is now accepting nominations for the 2012 Lantern Awards. The awards are presented annually to outstanding manufacturers from each of Louisiana's eight regional planning and development districts. The deadline to submit nominations is Monday, May 7.

Nomination packets may be obtained at the Louisiana Association of Planning and Development Districts' website,www.lapdd.org. Nomination packets should be returned to the corresponding planning district office. Anyone may nominate a manufacturer for the award.

Awards will be presented June 12 during a reception held at the Governor's Mansion. Award winners are chosen based on their excellence in manufacturing and their community involvement during the three years prior to the nomination. Louisiana has honored more than 250 manufacturers since 1979 through the Lantern Awards. Last year's winners included a range of companies that illustrate the diversity of Louisiana manufacturers, including Bollinger Shipyards of Lockport, which makes vessels for the military and the commercial marine industry; ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston of Delhi, which makes frozen sweet potato products; and Southland Printing of Shreveport, which makes tickets for dispensing-machines found in parking lots, garages and tollbooths.

Award winners receive lanterns that are handcrafted and donated by Bevolo Gas and Electric Lights of New Orleans. Since 1945, Bevolo has manufactured traditional and antique lighting. The Lantern Awards are a partnership between LED, the Louisiana Industrial Development Executives Association and the Louisiana Quality Foundation. For more information about the 2012 Lantern Awards, contact Skip Smart at 225.342.4321 or [email protected].