Meet the National Restaurant Association’s New Board Members
The new officers—including individuals from Areas USA, Lehigh Valley Restaurant Brands and Landmark Hospitality—will serve a one-year term.

New board officers, directors and trustees have been seated at the National Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.
National Restaurant Association board appointments are as follows:
• Richard “Rich” Schneider, chief development officer of Areas USA, will serve as chairman, replacing 2024 chair Jeff Lobdell, president and founder of Restaurant Partners Management. Schneider is a member of the Texas Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Board of Directors as well as a trustee of FRLA Educational Foundation. He also is a trustee of the Illinois Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.
• Mike Axiotis, CEO and president of Lehigh Valley Restaurant Brands and a nearly 40-year industry veteran, becomes vice chairman.
• Jeanne Cretella, co-founder and president of Landmark Hospitality (owner and operator of fine dining restaurants, event spaces and boutique hotels throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania), takes on the role of treasurer.
Further, newly elected board directors include: Marisa Carona, of Wingstop Restaurants; Dave Dittenber, of Downtown Restaurant Investments; Scott Dolch, of Connecticut Restaurant Association; Angela Melton-Fray, of Dat Jerk Caribbean Chargrill; Daniel Ramirez, of Ramirez Hospitality Group; Jackie Tornes, of Valls Group; Emily Williams Knight, of the Texas Restaurant Association; and Justin Winslow, of Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association.
NRAEF appointments are as follows:
• William “Bill” Kohl, of Greenwood Hospitality Group, becomes chairman, bringing 40 years of experience in the industry.
• Carrie Leishman, president and CEO of the Delaware Restaurant Association and the Delaware Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, is vice chairwoman.
• Susannah Ryan, head of sales for national restaurants at PepsiCo Foodservice, is the treasurer. Ryan also a member of the Women’s Foodservice Forum and the Society of Fellows of The Culinary Institute of America.
New NRAEF board trustees include: Trona Balkissoon, of Nestle Professional Solutions; Mookie Golden, of PG1 Capital; Barbara Poremba, of The Coca-Cola Company; and Sonia Riggs, of the Colorado Restaurant Association.
“The restaurant industry is a $1.1 trillion driver of the U.S. economy,” says Michelle Korsmo, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association and CEO of the NRAEF. “The opportunities for business and workforce growth within the restaurant industry have a significant impact on the strength of the U.S. economy. The incoming leadership of our association and foundation boards bring extensive experience in successful industry growth and passion for community connections that will ensure our association and foundation are indispensable partners to the restaurant industry in its success.”
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