Terresa Davis Honored By Puget Sound Business Journal

Steelhead Diner and Blueacre Seafood co-owner Terresa Davis has been announced asan honoree in The Puget Sound Business Journal's (PSBJ) prestigious "40 Under 40" program. This isthe twelfth year of the program. Assistant Managing Editor Becky Monk says "This year...marked the most competitive yet. More than 500 individuals were nominated and 232 people applied for what is one of Puget Sound Business Journal's premier awards." Honorees have all made great accomplishments in their company, industry and community while 39 years of age or younger as of September 30, 2010. In order to become an honoree, they had to communicate those accomplishments in essay applications which were then reviewed, discussed and scored by a panel of eight judges from the business community.

Terresa is honored to be part of this prestigious group of Seattle-ites, and very excited that the Puget Sound Business Journal has recognized the business side of the restaurant industry. In general, people associate successful restaurants solely with their chefs. But while a restaurant obviously won't succeed without talent in the kitchen, those creative forces need to be protected and managed by a competent business representative. Human resources expertise, sales and marketing implementation, cost controlling and financial planning are only the base requirements of the modern restaurant manager.

From the age of 17, Terresa has worked in the restaurant industry, from Australia to New Orleans, then California to Seattle. Throughout her career, she has alternated between operations and accounting, gaining a thorough understanding for both the front and back of house. In 2007, she completed an accounting degree at Seattle Pacific University where she was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma, an international honor society for collegiate schools of business. In New Orleans, she was the General Manager and partner of a 500 seat Bourbon Street nightclub facility. In Seattle, she was an Operations Manager for Wild Ginger, an accountant at The Oceanaire Seafood Room, and then the staff accountant for the Tom Douglas Restaurant Group.

In 2007, she wrote the business plan and managed the financing for the wildly successful Steelhead Diner where she was the General Manager for three years. During this time, she began working on her law degree at Seattle University. In early 2010, when approached about opening a restaurant in the former Oceanaire location, Terresa found financing for the new project at a time when most banks would not even grant meetings for start up ventures. Another business plan later, the city was introduced to the ultimate Seattle seafood experience, Blueacre Seafood. As a PSBJ 40 Under 40 honoree, she will be sitting for interviews and photo shoots, all of which will be published in the September 10 issue of PSBJ. Congratulations, Terresa!