Tom Bené will resign from his post as president of the National Restaurant Association and CEO of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. A 30-year veteran of the food and beverage industry, Bené is returning to the beverage distribution sector, per an NRA release announcing this news.
A former executive at broadline distributor Sysco, Bené joined the NRA in June 2020, during the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bené replaced Marvin Irby, who filled that post on an interim basis for five and half months 
following the departure of Dawn Sweeney, who served as president of the NRA from 2007 to 2019.
Irby also serves as chief financial officer and chief people officer for the association. Once again, Irby will assume the role of interim president and CEO as the NRA forms a task force to oversee the search for a new CEO.
