Restaurant Associates appointed Anthony Capozzoli to fill the newly created position of RA COVID-19 safety czar for the on-site dining management company.

In addition to the new position, Restaurant Associates has created an advisory board that will function as a think tank by examining information and guidelines to form protocols, counsel operators and clients, guide internal and external communications, as well as share best practices from across business sectors and industries.

As the title implies, in his new role Capozzoli will focus on COVID-19 related safety measures for both Restaurant Associates team members and guests. A 13-year Restaurant Associates veteran, Capozzoli most recently served as the company’s senior director of strategic projects, directing all new unit openings and refreshes as well as coordinating quality assurance and workplace safety programs.

Members of the advisory board include: Beth Torin, executive director for the New York City Department of Health’s Office of Food Safety; Dr. David Buckley, director of retail food safety for Diversey; Ted Diskin, president of Health and Sanitation Systems; Lena Darrell, MPH, REHS/RS, RD, CDN, food safety manager for Compass Group; Amanda King, workplace safety manager for Compass Group and Aaron Salsbury, vice president of data analytics for E15, Compass Group’s data services and consumer insights program.

“I am extremely excited to kick off this effort to translate guidelines into action plans and bring innovative solutions to our clients while supporting our managers and associates,” Capozzoli said. “My two main goals are to nurture a culture of enhanced safety and to foster a sense of guest confidence.”