New 2018 executive officers named for Delaware Restaurant Association

Gathered at the Delaware Restaurant Association meeting are (l-r) Steve Montgomery, Gov. John Carney, Jeff Cook, Scott Kammerer, Carl Georigi and Carrie Leishman. SUBMITTED PHOTO

The Delaware Restaurant Association held its first-quarter board of directors meeting Jan. 24 and confirmed a new slate of executive officers who will also serve as ex officio members of the DRA's nonprofit Delaware Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.

Chairman of the Board Jeff Cook has served as a DRA board member since 2007 and has over 25 years of service in the restaurant industry. He is currently co-owner of the popular 2 Fat Guys American Grille & Catering in Hockessin and Greenville, and was formerly a managing partner with Ruby Tuesday where he was recognized for regional sales records for high-volume locations. He is active in many local community charity fundraisers. Cook is an active political advocate as a member of the Kitchen Cabinet for the National Restaurant Association, and he often testifies on behalf of small business owners in Delaware at Legislative Hall in Dover.

Vice Chair Scott Kammerer began serving on the DRA board in 2015. He is president of SoDel Concepts, which consists of 10 restaurants, a catering company and a food truck in Southern Delaware. In 2015, he was the recipient of the DRA Cornerstone Award for for industry achievement and service, and was named Delaware Businessman of the Year, the same year SoDel was awarded Delaware Superstar in Business. He is a founding partner of Highwater Management and HaleyKammerer Restaurant Consulting, which has worked with 50 clients in four states. He was also an original board member and co-founder of The Global Delaware Fund, which has partnered with the Boys & Girls Club of Rehoboth, Rehoboth Elementary School, the Cape Henlopen Educational Foundation, and the Cape Henlopen Senior Center in Rehoboth Beach. Kammerer has since started SoDel Cares, another nonprofit which focuses its support and fundraising locally.

Treasurer Carl Georigi is the founder and CEO of the Platinum Dining Group, a full-service hospitality company that operates multi-concept restaurants, catering/special events and specialty retail markets in northern Delaware. He was named DRA's Restaurateur of the Year in 2009, frequently lectures as a guest speaker at the University of Delaware and sits on the boards of the Sanford School, Meals on Wheels and Downtown Newark Partnership. He proudly supports and holds fundraising events for Kind to Kids, as well as the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition, Ministry of Caring, Special Olympics Delaware and Prevent Child Abuse Delaware. Platinum Dining Group has received numerous local, regional and national awards for its products and services, and currently employs over 245 hospitality professionals.

The Delaware Restaurant Association is the state trade association dedicated to promoting, educating and advocating for Delaware's foodservice industry. Delaware's 2,000 restaurants employ over 49,000 people with an economic impact of over $3.8 billion in annual sales. Delaware restaurants are the largest small business employer in the state and the largest component of Delaware's tourism industry.