| GDRA Featured
on Good Morning Texas |
The Greater Dallas Restaurant
Association has teamed up with Medical City Heart for
the Heart Healthy Program, a program designed to
identify a restaurant's existing menu items that meet
certain health guidelines. On November 5th
GDRA President Jeff Barker, along with Medical City
Heart's Ryan Eason and Parigi's Owner and Chef Janice
Provost, were guests on WFAA Channel 8's Good Morning
Texas. Talking about the partnership between GDRA and
Medical City, as well as highlighting the FS Prep
program and scholarships, Jeff Barker discusses two of
the current community initiatives promoted by the GDRA.
Click here to watch the
video
|
| Welcoming New GDRA
Members! |
New members that joined in November
are:
Sihahrukh Siddrqui,
Valore
Italian
Restaurant
Terri Stump,
Outback
Steakhouse
Carey Edmund,
Agave
Bar &
Grill
Cynthia Long,
Alice's Tea Shoppe,
Inc.
Stacy O'Neil, Certification
Solutions
Dan Sparks,
Iron
Chefs / Dad's Adventure,
Inc.
Michael Yates,
Outback
Steakhouse |
| PAC Pointer -
H-2B Returning -Worker
Exemption |
|
In October, Senate approved a
one-year extension of the H-2B returning-worker program.
In 2005, Congress enacted the Save Our Small and
Seasonal Businesses Act to help ensure a more stable
seasonal workforce in the United States . The exemption
lets employees who have participated in the H-2B
seasonal-visa program in at least one of the past three
years to return to a U.S. job without counting against
the annual 66,000-visa limit.
The extension passed as an amendment to
the Commerce, Justice, and State Appropriations bill.
The language will extend a critical provision of the
Save Our Small and Seasonal Businesses Act that expired
on September 30. Extending the relief provision by one
year will help a wide range of small businesses,
including restaurants, which currently lack enough U.S.
workers to fill job vacancies.
"This is a great
step in extending the vital H-2B returning worker
program, and we appreciate Senator Mikulski's
leadership," said Mike Shutley, director of legislative
affairs for the Association and co-chair of the H-2B
Workforce Coalition. "However, there are several hurdles
left to clear. The National Restaurant Association will
continue to work with our friends in the House and
Senate to ensure this provision is enacted
soon."
|
| Another Exciting Member
Benefit |
The GDRA and the Dallas Convention
and Visitors Bureau have partnered to provide GDRA
members with a fantastic value-added member
benefit!
As a member of the GDRA, you
now have the opportunity to become a listing member of
the DCVB for $75 or $150.
As part of this listing
membership, you will also receive Chairman's Level DCVB
member benefits to include access to the DCVB Three-Year
Comprehensive Calendar, Convention Calendar Updates,
Qualified Business Leads, Member Activities Calendar and
Brochure Distribution at the Tourist Information Center.
For more information and to request an
application, please contact Jamee Green at jgreen@gdra.org.
Take advantage of member benefits -
they will more than pay for your membership dues!!
|
| Scholarship Applications Now
Available |
Not only is the GDRA supporting scholarship
programs at FSPrep schools throughout North Texas, it is
also looking for good, qualified applicants that are
already in the industry. Do you have an employee who is
currently enrolled in a hospitality field at a college
or university? We have scholarship opportunities for
those individuals through the Gus Katsigris Scholarship.
Applications are currently available online at www.gdra.org.
| |
| |
| GDRA President's
Dinner |
|
Members of GDRA welcomed
TRA Sate President Carmelo Mauro and
his wife, Hilary, to Dallas on November 7 at Rick
Stein's Steakhouse. Members had the opportunity to hear
from Carmelo regarding business at TRA and the TRA
Educational Foundation.
 |
|
The Martinez Family enjoys a wonderful meal at
this year's President's Dinner.
|
| Our Sponsors |
Would you like to sponsor a future
edition of the GDRA newsletter? Please contact Mary
Wilson at mwilson@gdra.org for more information.
|
| SUpcoming
Events |
|
|
Mark
your calendar!
Don't miss
any of the great upcoming events. For current listing
and information, please visit www.gdra.org.
Tuesday, January
15 - GDRA Mystery Dine Around
Sponsored by Reliant Energy
Friday, February 22 - GDRA TRAPAC
Fundraising Dinner
Friday, May
16 -
Foodies and Founders
Affair - Belo
Mansion |
| Special thanks to Royal Coffee for supplying
the GDRA office with coffees and teas. We appreciate
your support! |
| Happy Holidays!
|
|
The GDRA office will be closed on the following
dates:
Monday, December 24 - Tuesday, December
25
Tuesday, January 1 |
| Commercial Kitchens
will need to
"Spray to
Save" |
Dallas Water
Utilities' new program will save billions of gallons of
water for Dallas
DALLAS-
Dallas Water Utilities (DWU) is launching a new program
aimed at saving billions of gallons of water and big
bucks for commercial kitchen operators. With its new
"Spray to Save" program, DWU will replace high-pressure
spray nozzles used in commercial kitchens with a new
eco-friendly version that uses up to 70 percent less
water at no charge. For a complete copy of the press
release, please click here. | | |
