NRA and NRAEF elect new directors and trustees

Nation's Restaurant News, June 2, 2008

CHICAGO -- Veteran foodservice chain leader Michael Kaufman was elected chairman of the board of directors of the National Restaurant Association during its annual meeting at the NRA show here last month.

Kaufman is co-president of Enovo Restaurant Ventures LLC of Chappaqua, N.Y., a joint venture with Centerplate Inc. that owns, operates and licenses Harry's Tap Room. He formerly was president of Metromedia Restaurant Group, Dallas-based parent of the Bennigan's, Steak and Ale, Bonanza, and Ponderosa brands.

Also elected to the NRA board were Michael Gibbons, president and chief executive of Mainstreet Ventures Inc. of Ann Arbor Mich., as vice chairman; and Sally Smith, CEO of Buffalo Wild Wings Inc. of Minneapolis, as treasurer. In all, 13 new directors were elected to the board.

At the same time, the NRA Educational Foundation elected Linda Bacin, president of the Chicago-based Bella Bacino's Italian Bistro & Pizzeria chain, as chairwoman of its board of trustees. William Hyde Jr. of the Abacus/Jasper's Restaurant Group in Dallas was elected vice chairman, and Carlton Curtis, vice president of industry affairs for the foodservice and hospitality division of Coca-Cola North America, was elected treasurer.