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New Officers, Board Members Elected to National Restaurant Association, National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation

The National Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation elected officers to its Board of Directors and Board of Trustees, respectively. The officers serve one-year terms.

The NRA board consists of roughly 75 voting directors, representing every facet of the restaurant and foodservice industry across the nation. These leaders provide strategic guidance to the NRA in its efforts to advance and protect the restaurant and foodservice industry.

The National Restaurant Association’s 2016 officers are:

  • Chair: Joseph Kadow, executive vice president and chief legal officer, Bloomin’ Brands, Inc.
  • Vice Chair: Jeff Davis, chairman of United States Beef Corp., a Tulsa, Okla.-based restaurant group
  • Treasurer: Jay Stieber, executive vice president and general counsel of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Inc.

The NRAEF’s 2016 officers are:

  • Chair: Lorna C. Donatone, Sodexo region chair for North America and CEO schools worldwide
  • Vice Chair: Greg Hamer, Sr., FMP, owner of B&G Food Enterprises, Inc.
  • Treasurer: Sam Facchini is a co-founder and operator of Las Vegas’ Metro Pizza. 

The National Restaurant Association also added the following new members to its board:

  • Blanca Cabrera, founder and president, Sergio’s Family Restaurants
  • Kathleen Ciaramello, president, national foodservice and on-premise, Coca-Cola North America
  • Susan M. Connelly, senior vice president, communications and public affairs, Darden Restaurants, Inc.
  • Carol B. Dover, FMP, President & Chief Executive Officer, Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association in Tallahassee, Florida.
  • Anne Fink, chief operating officer, PepsiCo North America Foodservice
  • Jeffrey Gates, partner, The Aquitane Group
  • Stan Harris, president and chief executive officer, Louisiana Restaurant Association
  • Hattie Hill, president and chief executive officer, Women’s Foodservice Forum
  • Bob Omainsky, founder and president, Fried Stewed Nude, Inc.
  • Sonia Riggs, president and chief executive officer, Colorado Restaurant Association

The newly elected NRAEF trustees include:

  • Robert Black, culinary director and partner, A Good Egg Dining Group
  • Roy Jackson, senior vice president, business development and industry affairs, Coca-Cola North America
  • Steve Pattison, chief financial officer and vice president, business analysis and risk management, Restaurant Services, Inc. (RSI)
  • Scott A. Sonnemaker, chief customer officer, senior vice president, sales, Sysco Corporation