Leadership - Oklahoma Restaurant Association

Leadership

The ORA is governed by a diverse group of industry professionals from across the state. The Executive Committee is made up of the officers of the Oklahoma Restaurant Association, and is empowered to act on such matters of business as have previously been authorized by the Board of Directors. Members of the ORA are elected annually by association membership to serve and represent the views and interests of the industry as Directors.

**ORA Executive Committee**
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

2021 Elected Board of Directors

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 Cafe
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

Associate/Emeritus/Advisory Board Members

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 Cafe
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

D. Allen Wint
Wint’s Catering
Ardmore

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What's Happening

Culinary Cook-Off

06.07.21

The Culinary Cook-off is a cooking competition that takes place during the ORA Expo. Oklahoma's most talented chefs will race the clock to create dazzling dishes using a mystery basket of ingredients. Chefs will compete in various heats until the contest is narrowed down to the last two chefs. Judges will consist of a panel of industry professionals who will critique each competitor on plate presentation, creativity, product taste, and sanitation practices, among other things. For each contestant, the high and low scores will be discarded. Chefs will be competing for a trophy, medals, and cash prizes. Learn more by clicking the link! #CCO2021

Cocktail Shakedown

06.07.21

Support Oklahoma’s most talented bartenders as they compete for prizes in the Oklahoma Restaurant Association Cocktail Shakedown. This exciting competition takes place during the first day of the ORA Expo. Bartenders from all over the state will put their skills and abilities to the test as they compete to move through four timed rounds of cocktail preparations including the Championship Round. As each bartender lifts a shaker and creates his or her requisite signature concoction, they race the clock to create innovative and crazy delicious cocktails that will be judged on taste and balance, originality, drink presentation, and stage presentation. Each round reduces the number of talented competitors until the four finalists compete for the grand prize! Applications will be available soon.

ORA EXPO - AUGUST 18 - 19

05.13.21

The ORA Expo at the OK State Fair Park in Oklahoma City is considered the best opportunity of the year for hospitality professionals to connect with food and equipment manufacturers, and a range of other suppliers who are eager to feature products and services to help you reach that next level of success. With restaurants back in full swing, we know that operators are more interested than ever in products and innovations to help save money and build upon their success. This is one Expo you won't want to miss!

Thirst For A Cause - Get Tickets Now!

06.07.21

Thirst for a Cause, an annual event started in 2009, raises funds to help with urgent medical expenses for members of Oklahoma's hospitality industry. Through our non-profit Oklahoma Hospitality Foundation, we are able to give something back to the hard-working employees in the hospitality industry. Thirst for a Cause was established to meet the extreme medical needs of persons employed in the restaurant industry in Oklahoma. Funds are limited and will be awarded based on demonstration of need to long-term employees in the restaurant industry. Aid to individuals may only be provided if such individual has no other means to receive needed support, such as from insurance, government assistance programs, etc. Monetary support will not be granted directly to the individual, but to the entity supplying goods and services to the individual, i.e. hospitals, physicians, etc. As you walk around and sample food from some of Oklahoma City's best restaurants, you'll be able to meet and interact with winemakers from all over the wine world. These vintners, who represent some of the best wines available in the country, are coming all the way to Oklahoma to help raise money for our cause. This is THE best wine tasting event of the year! Nowhere else will you be able to meet this many vintners, taste this many great wines, and sample this much amazing food under one roof - right here in OKC!