Ohio Restaurant Association changes name, brand

At the Ohio Restaurant Association Industry Awards presented Monday, Dec. 4 in Columbus, President & CEO John Barker unveiled a new name and brand for the organization.

“Beginning tonight, we will now be known as the Ohio Restaurant & Hospitality Alliance, or the Alliance, for short,” said Barker. “Our mission remains to advance and protect Ohio’s restaurant, foodservice and hospitality community by extending a steady, helping hand and offering solutions to operators, while protecting our industry with a powerful advocacy voice. With our broader audience, we will also give everyone who works in our industry a stronger voice. What does that mean? Well, from restaurants to breweries to coffee shops and caterers, our community is wide and wonderful, and everyone in the hospitality industry is welcome at our table. Alliance stakeholders include owners of local mom-and-pops … they are customer-facing employees, restaurant and hotel managers … and they are crucial suppliers and rockstar chefs. We also embrace our industry partners, educators, and students through our workforce programs and Ohio ProStart, as the Alliance connects everyone in the ever-evolving chain of hospitality.”