Leadership

National Restaurant Association names new officers

Galatoire’s longtime chief Melvin Rodrigue will assume the chairmanship, while Louisiana Restaurant Association chief Stan Harris will take the top spot at the Association's Educational Foundation.

Galatoire’s Restaurants CEO Melvin Rodrigue has been named the next chairman of the National Restaurant Association, and fellow Louisianan Stan Harris, CEO of the Louisiana Restaurant Association, has been selected as incoming chairman of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.  

The volunteers chosen as vice chairmen for the Association and the Educational Foundation, respectively, are Brian Casey, owner-operator of Oak Hill Tavern and Company Picnic Co. in Kingston, R.I., and Susan Adzick, EVP and COO of McLane Foodservice. Under the trade association’s usual succession process, Casey and Adzick would move up to chairmen’s spots next year.

Lance Trenary, CEO Of Golden Corral Corp., was named treasurer of the National Restaurant Association. The appointment puts Trenary in line to ultimately become chairman. 

Rodrigue succeeds Joe Essa, who started his one-year tenture as CEO of Wolfgang Puck Worldwide and shifted to president of The Thomas Keller Restaurant Group in June. 

The Association and its educational affiliate choose members of its board to serve one-year terms as chairman, vice chairman and treasurer.

The groups share a CEO. The prior holder of that dual responsibility, Dawn Sweeney, retired at the start of the year. Her permanent successor has yet to be named.  

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