Fall 2017

28  • PENNSYLVANIA RESTAURANT & LODGING matters • Fall 2017 MEMBER MILESTONES Lehigh Valley Chapter Despite the loss by the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, it was night of family fun at the Lehigh Valley Chapter’s Baseball Night. Attendees enjoyed the game, hot dogs, and a raffle! The event proceeds benefited the PRLA Education Foundation Scholarship Fund. The Lehigh Valley Chapter also gathered in August for a presentation by Dr. Diana Sorrentino, Lehigh Valley Paladin, on how to identify, intervene, and prevent workplace violence. Thank you to the Hilton Garden Inn Allentown/Bethlehem Airport for hosting the event! Congratulations to Mike Axiotis for being promoted to President of the Lehigh Valley Restaurant Group! Mike also was recently nominated for a position on the Board of the National Restaurant Association. Northeastern Chapter It was a beautiful night for the Northeastern Chapter’s first baseball night in early July. Chapter members, their guests, and families were treated to a terrific view to watch the Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre Railriders take on the Buffalo Bison and enjoy a delicious buffet dinner. Thank you to Lehigh Valley Restaurant Group and the Red Robin team for hosting the event in their suite at PNC Field in Moosic. Philadelphia Restaurant & Hotel Alliance A terrific mix of restaurateurs, hoteliers and allied businesses met in August to learn about upcoming trends in the beverage world. The Philadelphia Restaurant & Hotel Alliance was treated to a lively panel discussion entitled “What’s in My Drink?” with Chloe Grigri, Good King Tavern, Jason Eliot, The Franklin, and Jason Malumed, M.F.W. Wine Co. Thank you to the panelists as well as to Chapter President Ben Fileccia and Amy Gorman, PRLA director of membership development, for facilitating the discussion. The Courtyard Marriott at the Navy Yard hosted the event. Thirty hospitality professionals participated in speed networking at a Women in Hospitality event held at Moshulu in Philadelphia. Southern Chapter The newly formed Southern Chapter held its second meeting in August at the picturesque Wyndridge Farm. Chapter members were briefed on issues affecting the industry by Melissa Bova, PRLA’s vice president of government affairs. Way to go! Each week, two Olive Garden restaurants in York County donate unsold, surplus food to two local charities which provide meals to residents in need. The charities receive between 30–70 pounds of food from the restaurants. Olive Garden restaurants across the U.S. have been making food donations—38 million pounds—since 2003. Western Congratulations! Steve Steingart was awarded the Harvey W. Wiley Award by the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO). The award is presented to an AFDO member for exceptional service to the state or nation in the performance of duties and responsibilities in the administration and enforcement of food and drug law. The award was presented at the AFDO Annual Educational Conference. It was a great night for baseball as the Western Chapter held its annual Baseball Night at PNC Park Fundraiser. Members and guests enjoyed a delicious buffet and networking in Picnic Park before the Pittsburgh Pirates took on and defeated the Detroit Tigers. The event’s proceeds benefited the PRLA Educational Foundation Scholarship Fund. Thank you to event partners Aramark, North Country Brewing and Church Brew Works! Kudos to Kevin Joyce at The Carlton on being named to Wine Enthusiast’s America’s Best Wine Restaurants of 2017 list. Only two other Pennsylvania restaurants were name to the list. Monterey Bay Fish Grotto was listed on OpenTable’s 100 Most Scenic Restaurants for 2017. Congratulations! In Memoriam Longtime PRLA member and industry support, John J. McGraw, 82, of Erie, passed away on Friday, July 21, 2017. He worked as a sales manager for C. A. Curtze and Specialty Steak Company for 50 years and was affectionately known as “Meat McGraw.”