Media release
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla., February 10, 2021 — The Oklahoma Restaurant Association (ORA) announced its 2021 Board of Directors at its annual meeting on February 10, 2021. The meeting opened with guest speaker Mike Whatley, Vice President of State and Local Affairs at the National Restaurant Association (NRA) who presented an insightful keynote address highlighting issues facing the restaurant industry and where ORA members from around the state participated in this virtual meeting.
Following the NRA presentation, the ORA Annual Meeting and Board of Directors meetings were held. The meetings consisted of reports on association business in the areas of member services, financials, governmental affairs objectives for 2021, and other information pertinent to the association and restaurant industry. A portion of the meeting included election of ORA Officers and the announcement of the previously elected Board of Directors.
The ORA has elected the following board members who represent membership around the state:
Officers for 2021 include:
Chair – David Haynes, Johnnie’s Charcoal Broiler, Oklahoma City
Vice Chair/Treasurer – Thomas Hunter, Ricardos Restaurant, Tulsa
2nd Vice Chair – Oliver Boudin, OKC Golf & Country Club, Oklahoma City
Assistant Treasurer – Craig Bothwell, Bothwell Restaurant Partners, Tulsa
ORA Board of Directors include:
Scott Bainbridge, Boom-A-Rang Diner, Seminole
Mike Bausch, Andolini’s Pizzeria, Tulsa
Matt Biard, Charleston’s – Meridian, Oklahoma City
Jon Biegel, Everidge, Edmond
Brian Bogert, The Jones Assembly, Oklahoma City
Alain Buthion, La Baguette Bistro, Oklahoma City
Jeff Castleberry, Caz’s Chowhouse, Tulsa
Momodou Ceesay, Mamadou’s Restaurant, Glenpool
James Como, Urban Management, Yukon
Rachel Cope, 84 Hospitality Group, Oklahoma City
Stephen DeGraffenried, Boom-A-Rang Diner, Shawnee
Marty Doepke, Traditions Spirits, Norman
Jason Ewald, A Good Egg Dining Group, Oklahoma City
Kyle Fleischfresser, The Hutch, Oklahoma City
Robert Founds, Tulsa Drillers, Tulsa
John Gaberino III, Topeca Coffee, Tulsa
Tyler Gillespie, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, Norman
Steve Griffin, Pearls Restaurant Group, Oklahoma City
Shay Hayes, Viridian Coffee, Duncan
Jeffrey Holloway, Boulevard Steakhouse, Oklahoma City
Jared Jordan, Summit Club, Tulsa
Amy Moss, McGill’s, Sand Springs
Seth Nimmo, Rib Crib Corporation, Tulsa
Rohit Patel, Teriyaki Madness/Tropical Smoothie Café, Oklahoma City
Keith Paul, A Good Egg Dining Group, Oklahoma City
Erik Reynolds, Smoke Woodfire Grill, Tulsa
John Ross, Packard’s New American Kitchen, Oklahoma City
Matt Schein, Sonic Industries, Inc., Oklahoma City
Eric Selby, Mazzio’s, LLC, Tulsa
Ned Shadid, Jr., Ned’s Starlite Lounge, Oklahoma City
Lauren Sizemore, Republic National Distributing Company, Oklahoma City
Alex Stodghill, GoFresh Produce, Tulsa
Blane Thompson, Flint/Vast/Colcord Hotel, Oklahoma City
Brian Treat, Chick-fil-A, Claremore
Katie Walters, Pete’s Place, Krebs
Michael Wehba, The Social Order, Edmond
Barry Willingham, Shangri-La Resort, Monkey Island
Chris Wolford, City Bites/The Cow, Edmond
Kelley Young, Santa Fe Cattle Co., Washington
ORA Associate/Emeritus/Advisory Board Members include:
Joe Abshere, Wayne’s Drive Inn, Lawton
Jim Anderson, Edmond
Bill Biard, Hammett House Restaurant, Claremore
Robert Black, SpringBoard, LLC, Edmond
Jimmy Blacketer, Waterfront Grill & Los Cabos, Jenks
Mark Blevins, City Bites, Edmond
Kathy Bondy, French Hen Bistro & Wine Bar, Tulsa
Sam Bracken, Canebrake Consulting, LLC, Wagoner
Siegmund Brown, EXPOSERVE / PARTYSERVE, Tulsa
John Burdge, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, Tulsa
Jim Burke, QSP Capital, LLC, Edmond
David Burns, Outback Steakhouse Regional Office, Edmond
Lori Burson, Stella Modern Italian Cuisine, Oklahoma City
Michel Buthion, La Baguette Bistro, Oklahoma City
Tommy Byrd, Bellini’s Ristorante & Grill, Oklahoma City
Marc Chastain, Watchtower Properties, LLC, Tulsa
Stan Clark, Eskimo Joe’s, Stillwater
Bob Clift, Oklahoma City
Tony Collins, Hirst Beverage Education Center, Stillwater
John Counts, Sysco Oklahoma, Norman
Jim Cowan, Broken Arrow
John Crancer, Napa Flats Wood-Fired Kitchen, Jenks
Tuck Curren, Biga, Tulsa
Zena Dater, Market Source, Oklahoma City
Joe Davidson, Oklahoma Joe’s Bar-B-Que, Broken Arrow
Bo Davis, RB American Group, Tulsa
John Davis, U.S. Beef Corp., Tulsa
Missy Dickinson, The Core Group, Oklahoma City
Randy Earhart, Taco Mayo, Oklahoma City
David Egan, Cattlemen’s Steakhouse, Inc., Oklahoma City
Leith Ezell, Tradition’s Spirits, Edmond
Tish Fidler-Tate, Fidler Marketing, Oklahoma City
Kurt Fleischfresser, Western Concepts / Vast, Oklahoma City
Greg Gawey, Jamil’s Steakhouse, Oklahoma CIty
Eddie Hartwick, Marcella Foods Corp, Edmond
Maggie Howell, Aunt Pittypat’s Catering, Oklahoma City
Richard Hunt, Ricardos Restaurant, Tulsa
Gary Jackson, Fireside Dining, Ardmore
Hank Kraft, Hal Smith Restaurants, Edmond
James Kraham, US Foods, Oklahoma City
Alex Kroblin, Thirst Wine Merchants, Oklahoma City
Phil LaRue, US Foods, Oklahoma City
Bill Leib, Francis Tuttle Technology Center, Oklahoma City
Chris Lower, Metro Wine Bar & Bistro, Oklahoma City
Ed Lynn, Buffalo Wild Wings / NW Expwy, Oklahoma City
Eric Marshall, Marshall Brewing Company, Tulsa
Joe Martin, Stillwater Hospitality/Hampton Inn & Suites, Stillwater
J Mays, Cafe 7 Delicatessen & Pastaria, Oklahoma City
Kim McLendon, Emerging Brands, Oklahoma City
Jane Mitchell, Moore
Joseph Naifeh, Naifeh’s Deli & Grill, Cushing
Rick Naifeh, Premium Brands, Oklahoma City
Elliot Nelson, McNellie’s Group, Tulsa
Frank Nelson, Pearl’s Restaurant Group, Oklahoma City
Ban Nguyen, Jimmy’s Egg Restaurant, Edmond
Jim O’Connor, McNellie’s Group, Tulsa
Dennis Patrick, Clanton’s Café, Vinita
Loretta Pollman, Weatherford
Pat Ponder, Ardmore
Joe Prichard, Pete’s Place, Krebs
Zach Prichard, Krebs Brewing Company, Krebs
Kirk Purnell, Ben E. Keith Foods, Edmond
Bill Ricks, Edmond
Mike Rogers, Hal Smith Restaurants, Edmond
Julia Salas, Salas Urban Cantina, Lawton
Brian Saliba, Freddie Paul’s Steakhouse, Stillwater
Jose Santiago, McDonalds, Edmond
Jim Sellers, The Artichoke Restaurant, Langley
Ned Shadid, Ned’s Catering, Oklahoma City
Nina Shuman, Van’s Pig Stand, Moore
Ed Slyman, Freddie’s BBQ & Steakhouse, Sapulpa
Jim Smelser, Naples
Dick Stubbs, Cattlemen’s Steakhouse, Inc., Oklahoma City
Dr. Brij Thapa, OSU School of Hospitality & Tourism, Stillwater
Marcus Tilley, Traditions Spirits, Norman
Tom Trimpa, Lawton
Mike Turek, Choctaw
Wes Turner, Baton Rouge
Mark Vannasdall, Traditions Spirits, Oklahoma City
Jay Wagner, McDonald’s, Tulsa
Hal Walker, McGills, Tulsa
Robert Williams, Eskimo Joe’s, Stillwater
Tom Winslow, Dumplings Classic Food, Hulbert
- Allen Wint, Wint’s Catering, Ardmore
Founded in 1933, the Oklahoma Restaurant Association is the trade association of restaurants and foodservice operations, the state’s largest private industry employer. Representing more than 4,500 restaurants and members, the ORA actively monitors legislation and regulatory agencies; helps foodservice management develop and strengthen business; and develops the membership to do together for the industry what cannot be done individually.
