EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
president's perspective
Randy Kenna
Chairman
Rudy’s Country Store and Bar B Q
Mark Vigil
Treasurer
Mark's Restaurant Catering
Vines Italian Restaurant
Fernando Olea
Secretary
Epazote on the Hillside
Bill Focke
Assoc. Vice President
Shamrock Foods
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ALBUQUERQUE
Gene Baca
Bueno Foods
Jorge Brasil
Laguna Development
Corporation
Marie Coleman
Church Street Cafe
Kathy Diaz
Monroe's Restaurant
Deborah Gagnon
Tomato Café
Pat Hafner
Outback Steakhouse
Todd Hickam
Ben E Keith Foods
Kevin Kirtley
Outback Steakhouse
Mike Maxwell
Golden Corral
Steve Paternoster
Scalo Northern Italian Grill
Johnny Riley
Bowlin Travel Co.
Dan Stock
Ex-Officio FISIF
John Szurek
US Foods
TomWillis
66 Diner
BERNALILLO
Matt DiGregory
Range Café
CARLSBAD
Janie Balzano
Trinity Hotel & Restaurant
CHIMAYO
Florence Jaramillo
Rancho de Chimayo
CLOVIS
Chris Bryant
Foxy Drive In
Tom Martin
Taco Box
LAS CRUCES
Ed Linderman
Village Inn/Applebee’s
Grill and Bar
Ashley Springer
De la Vega’s Pecan
Grill and Brewery
MESILLA
Jerry Harrell
Double Eagle de Mesilla
Tom Hutchinson
La Posta de Mesilla
LOS ALAMOS
Joan Duran
De Colores Restaurant
SANTA FE
Jim Hargrove
Santa Fe Dining
Rebecca Latham
Ex-Officio Secretary of Tourism
Al Lucero
Southern Wines
Barry Secular
Cowgirl BBQ
EMERITUS MEMBERS
Lou McLeod
Dave Minneman
Juergen Peters
Sharon Richards
Eddie Smithson
Maurice Zeck
Chris Christy
President
Black Mesa Coffee Company
O
ur workforce is our most important
asset and keeping them armed and
dangerous is the name of the game.
Educational classes are the best investment an
employer can make.
There are excellent opportunities available
to keep your staff on the cutting edge of
restaurant operations and management.
It’s a great relief to a hard-working, busy
restaurateur to have the most current
training programs available for both food
safety (ServSafe) and liquor server training
(ServSafe Alcohol), through the New Mexico
Restaurant Association. These two programs
are nationally recognized and are a necessity
in today’s world.
Considering the health code, passing a
health inspection with flying colors is
harder today than ever before. New code
enforcement is next to impossible without
structured professional training. For instance,
the “FDA Food Manager Certification—
Recommendation to Amend the Food Code”
requires that at least one Person in Charge in
each food establishment (exempting certain
low risk establishments) be certified in food
protection through a manager certification
program that conforms to the Conference for
Food Protection Standards for Accreditation
of Food Protection Manager Certification
Programs
).
The Albuquerque Health Department
adopted and mandates this recommendation.
It is a comfort to know that my managers on
duty, in all locations, are ServSafe certified
and can easily handle a health inspection
along with enforcing good practices daily.
The management team feels armed with
the information they need to run a safe and
healthy restaurant and dangerous with the
power to enforce the best practices. The ease
and consistency of the ServSafe program
taught by the New Mexico Restaurant
Association is a gift to our industry and
the best investment a restaurant can make
for themselves and their staff. Make that
investment today.
by Chris Christy
Director of Operations for
Black Mesa Coffee Company
Food Safety Classes
NMRA offers ServSafe® food safety training
and certification for managers as well as
employees by certified ServSafe instructors.
This training is certified by National
Restaurant Association Solutions. Food safety
is a concern for all consumers. Restaurant
customers are more savvy today than ever
before and they expect safe, clean food every
time they eat out. You owe it to yourself, your
employees and your customers to make sure
you have the highest level of food safety
training in your establishment. Visit
or a class schedule, or
contact NMRA at 505-343-9848 to inquire
about a private class for your restaurant.
4 New Mexico Restaurant Association
Invest in Education
for Your Workforce
