Martin, Magruder, 7 others to receive IFMA Silver Plates

Nation's Restaurant News, March 8, 1993 by Rick Van Warner

CHICAGO -- Olive Garden president Ronald Magruder, Marriott chairman J.W. "Bill" Marriott Jr., Taco Bell president and chief executive John Martin and Atlanta restaurateur I. Pano Karatassos have been selected to receive the prestigious Silver Plate awards from the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association.

Also winning Silver Plate awards are James O'Neill, chief executive of Sky Chefs; Helen Doherty, director of the dietetics department at Massachusetts General Hospital; Dorothy Dusenberry, foodservice director of DeKalb County, Ga., School District; Arnold Miller, manager, corporate food services department of Ford Motor Co.; and Richard Wheeler, foodservice director of Associated Students, U.C.L.A.

The class of 1993 -- which after numerous nominations was chosen by a jury composed of chief editors from leading foodservice publications plus the nine 1992 recipients of Silver Plates -- will be feted here at IFMA's awards banquet May 24.

Magruder has successfully guided the growth of Olive Garden from 14 units when he took command in 1987, to a 400-plus unit power-house generating more than $1 billion in annual sales. His hands-on, customer-oriented philosophy, embodied in the chain's "Hospitaliano" credo, is widely recognized as the driving force behind Olive Garden's success.

An avid supporter of foodservice education, he devotes his time and energy to numerous industry organizations and conferences as well as to charity.

Marriott, who started working in the Hot Shoppes restaurant chain during high-school, has headed this diversified hospitality company for many years. Under his leadership Marriott Corp. has implemented one of the most extensive Total Quality Management programs anywhere over the past three years, training nearly 60,000 employees. He also contributes to many civic and industry groups.

Martin is known as an innovative leader who over the past decade has transformed Taco Bell from a slow-growing regional chain into a cutting-edge giant whose 3,700 outlets now gross more than $3 billion per year.

After restructuring the entire operation to provide peak efficiency, including adding high-tech automation in the kitchen, Martin in late 1987 launched the "value menu" pricing strategy that largely changed the course of the entire fast-food segment. He is active in several educational and charitable endeavors.

Karatassos, as president and chief executive of Buckhead Life Restaurant Group, oversees a group of seven restaurants, including the Buckhead Diner, Pano's & Paul's, 103 West, Chops and Pricci. He is a hands-on entrepreneur who can usually be found chatting with customers at one of his restaurants. A tireless supporter of several hunger relief programs, he is very active in the industry.

One of the nine Silver Plate winners will be honored with the Gold Plate award during the May IFMA banquet based on a secret, sealed vote by the 1993 Silver Plate jury members.