National Restaurant Association charged with duty to protect industry's interests

It's no wonder that a Gallup poll last month found the restaurant industry to be the most highly regarded business/ industry sector in America.

With sales of $476 billion this year, 900,000 restaurant locations and 12.2 million hard-working employees, we are helping to grow the nation's economy and are providing rewarding career and job opportunities while also giving back to our local communities in countless ways.

Our industry is continually leading, competing, creating, innovating and achieving higher levels of excellence every day. As our country has moved from a manufacturing-dominated society to a service-based one, our industry has led the way. We have a responsibility like never before to tell our story--particularly to key opinion leaders in Congress and in state legislatures--and an obligation to lead and provide ideas and solutions on a range of issues.

As the chairman of the National Restaurant Association, I am honored to be in the role of helping to tell the story of our vibrant industry. I believe the success of our industry is built upon working together as a team--as partners. We touch the lives of millions of Americans every day. This week more than 700 of my fellow restaurateurs are in Washington, D.C., for the association's 20th Annual Public Affairs Conference. During the conference we will highlight how our industry impacts everyone from our customers, employees and suppliers to our neighbors in our communities as well as how legislative action impacts association members and the industry at large.

Each year we have an opportunity to meet with public officials and policy makers to share our concerns, underscoring how our industry is interested in a level playing field on such issues as fighting frivolous lawsuits, keeping taxes low and maintaining the opportunity for growth, securing access to affordable health care, and ensuring the safety and security of our food supply. Our work in Washington and the state capitals is focused on those issues and on ensuring that the industry continues to thrive and create jobs. We must have a seat at the table when key decisions are being made that affect our employees and our businesses. That is why we are gathered in Washington this week and why it is so critical for industry professionals to get involved in the political process. We need to make our voices heard on key public policy issues that impact our businesses, our employees and ultimately our customers. Attendance at the Public Affairs Conference can provide that ultimate return on investment for these vital constituencies of our businesses.

It is noteworthy that many of the issues being debated in Washington for years now are aggressively being challenged at the state level. We must focus on making sure the association provides support and works with our state restaurant association partners, or SRAs, to be effectively represented in their states. The closer we work together, the more successful we'll be in our political battles in the grassroots arena.

One such issue that we have worked on as a united front is the Commonsense Consumption Act. The association has had incredible success in pushing legislation to prevent frivolous obesity lawsuits against the food industry, both on the federal and state levels. Members attending this week's Public Affairs Conference have rallied together to ask members of Congress to support this important legislation. At presstime the U.S. House of Representatives was expected to vote on the legislation introduced by Rep. Ric Keller, R-Fla., with an anticipated outcome of strong bipartisan support for the bill. The fact that 21 states have enacted obesity lawsuit bans not only speaks to the political strength of the association at the grassroots level but also helps amplify the greater message that the general public and key opinion leaders understand the role of personal responsibility in this ongoing debate.

How can restaurateurs get more involved on issues such as nutrition, obesity and other items on the association's pro-employee/pro-employer public policy agenda? The association's GO-Network--a grassroots force of thousands of politically active restaurateurs--provides opportunities to shape legislation, showcase the industry to policy makers, network and learn more about public policy issues that affect your restaurant business. In addition, the SAFE, or Save American Free Enterprise, Fund helps SRAs, business coalitions, restaurateurs and other groups fight anti-business initiatives at the local, state and federal levels. The NRA-PAC, or Political Action Committee, is another way to help the industry by supporting pro-restaurant candidates and reinforcing the industry's political clout in the nation's capital.

I encourage everyone in the industry to take advantage of what the association has to offer. Our mission is threefold: represent, educate and promote. We can serve as your partner by providing access to numerous programs and services that help companies with their bottom lines. And we can serve as a go-to resource for restaurant operators, government officials, key opinion leaders, the media and others by offering vital research and data. We are here to serve as the voice of the industry, but by lending your own voice and sharing your story, our combined messages will resonate loudly and clearly.

We hope you will join in the association's ongoing efforts to promote our public policy agenda and continue sharing the success stories that underscore why the restaurant industry garners the respect and admiration of the American public.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors and management at Nation's Restaurant News.

Craig S. Miller, FMP, is president and chief executive of Metairie, La.-based Ruth's Chris Steak House and chairman of the National Restaurant Association.

COPYRIGHT 2005 Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group