Ideagen Intersection
5
George Sifaki:
What has inspired your focus on innovation at the National Restaurant Association?
Dawn Sweeney:
I would say, fundamentally, that I have always been interested in innovation. But, when you work in the restaurant industry, you have no choice! Our members are very entrepreneurial, constantly evolving. The trends in the industry have really accelerated, and the customers’ needs and expectations regarding dining away from home are constantly changing. Simply to keep pace with our constituency, there is a need to be the kind of person who loves to grow and change.
Dawn Sweeney:
In the restaurant industry, technology is a huge driver of innovation, and we have spent a lot of our own efforts to ensure that we are creating an environment in which our industry can share knowledge, share experiences, things that are working, and things that are not working. 60 percent of consumers say that they are now likely to make a choice of restaurant based upon whether the restaurant has a “high technology IQ.” Adapting to and embracing technology is a large part of our agenda, and we want to do it in a way that does not change the unique kind of hospitable experience for which restaurants are so known.
George:
It is very insightful to hear about the role of technology in the industry yet, at the same time, the importance of hospitality, which is really the underpinning of the industry. And so, Dawn, how does your role as President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association continue to inspire you as you work to engage the incredible range of individuals, and organizations, in what is an absolutely incredible industry?
Dawn:
This industry is full of people who are masters of adaptability, consumer insight, and committed to continuous improvement. It is an environment that brings out the best in me and in many of the folks in our organization. We have gained a lot more clarity in terms of what our role is as the leading trade association representing the entirety of the food service industry. We represent a million restaurants nationwide, who employ 15 million employees. It is a massive industry with almost 800 billion dollars in annual revenues. There are a lot of moving parts in our industry and a lot of different concepts and business models. From quick service, to fast casual, to family dining, to buffet dining, and fine dining, they all have slightly different business models, and different challenges.
Dawn:
Much of the industry is franchised, and there are small business owners who are running those restaurants every day trying, to tackle big issues like employee healthcare.
Dawn:
To help restaurant operators figure out how to offer more affordable healthcare and health insurance to their employees, we launched a new initiative called the Restaurant and Hospitality Benefits Trust.
Work Hard, Be Kind
An interview with Dawn Sweeney, President & CEO of the National Restaurant Association
As president and chief executive officer of the National Restaurant Association, Dawn Sweeney has been instrumental in focusing the mission of the Association through a unique, multi-year strategic plan, highlighting key areas of opportunity within the restaurant industry. Sweeney has been named one of the perennial top association CEOs in the country for the past several years. A native of Maine, she is a graduate of Colby College and earned her MBA at George Washington University.