National Restaurant Association Welcomes New Officers Of The Board

New National Restaurant Association officers assumed their roles this month, and presided over their first Board of Directors meeting, held in Palm Springs, Calif., this week. The newly inducted board officers are Sally Smith, chair; Rosalyn "Roz" Mallet, vice chair; and Phil Hickey Jr., treasurer. These officers will hold their positions until January 1, 2012.

"Sally, Roz and Phil are exceptional individuals and pioneers in our industry, and we are honored to accept their service as officers of the National Restaurant Association Board of Directors," said Dawn Sweeney, President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. "We have a new year of opportunities ahead, and will continue to work toward a future of prosperity, prominence and participation under their leadership. Their commitment to our industry will be instrumental in advancing our mission of enhancing the quality of life for all we serve."

Smith is president and CEO of Buffalo Wild Wings Grill and Bar. The Minneapolis, Minn.-based company operates 610 restaurants in 41 states. Smith has been CEO for 13 years and previously was chief financial officer with the company. Smith developed her business acumen at KPMG Peat Marwick and national franchise company Dahlberg Inc. (now Miracle-Ear Inc.), where was chief financial officer. Smith has been a member of the NRA Board of Directors since 2002.

Mallet is president and CEO of PhaseNext Hospitality in Plano, Texas, a franchise operating company. Mallet is recognized within the industry for her innovative approaches, financial and organizational development results, the ability to build sustainable talent pipelines and a commitment to impacting her industry and community. Previously, she was president and interim CEO of Caribou Coffee. She also held leadership positions at Applebee's, TGI Friday's and la Madeleine Bistro/Caf�.

Hickey is chairman of O'Charley's, a Nashville, Tenn.-based multi-concept public restaurant company. He operates a consulting company that specializes in hospitality. He was chairman and CEO of RARE Hospitality International until 2007. Atlanta-based RARE Hospitality employed more than 20,000 people and served more than 55 million guests a year at 300 restaurants, including Longhorn Steakhouse and the Capital Grille. From 1997 to 2007, Hickey and his team grew RARE Hospitality's market capitalization from $90 million to $1.3 billion.

The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation also welcomed new officers of its Board of Trustees this month. Read more on the NRAEF website, www.nraef.org.