FCSI-The Americas, the only consulting society dedicated to serving independent foodservice design and hospitality management professionals, will offer free consultations to attendees of the 94^th annual National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show and International Wine, Spirits and Beer Event, running May 18–21 at the McCormick Place in Chicago.

Also known as NRA Show 2013, the foodservice and hospitality industry’s showcase event has partnered with FCSI-The Americas to manage its popular Ask the Design Experts attraction for more than a decade.

Each year, FCSI-The Americas staffs the meetings held at the Ask the Design Experts booth, which is again located in North Hall, Booth 6000 (next to the National Restaurant Association booth).

The annual hospitality industry gathering attracts more than 2,000 suppliers and tens of thousands of buyers seeking information and insights that will help their restaurants and foodservice operations thrive.

All registered attendees that are identified as foodservice, lodging, and retail operators are invited to register for a free 30-minute private consultation. The meetings allow operators to discuss personalized solutions for front-of-the-house, back-of-the-house, and management advisory issues with a certified foodservice consultant.

Appointments for consultations may be booked on a first-come, first-served basis through the NRA Show website.

“FCSI members look forward to the NRA Show every year, and they truly enjoy the opportunity to partner with the National Restaurant Association,” says Wade Koehler, executive director, FCSI-The Americas. “FCSI is proud to represent the hospitality and restaurant industry’s top designers and management advisory consultants.”

Up to 36 free, 30-minute consultation sessions with designers and management advisory consultants may be scheduled each day over the four days of this event.

Design and management experts from the following companies will be featured:

• Saturday, May 18, 2013: Steven P. Carlson and Christine Guyott, FCSI, principals of Robert Rippe & Associates in Minneapolis, Minnesota (providing Back-of-House consulting); Brad Belletto, FCSI, CEO of Vision 360 Design in Dallas (providing Front-of-House consulting); Anne Sasso, FCSI, interior designer at Vision 360 Design in Dallas;and Char Norton, FFCSI, executive success coach of DM&A Webb in Chula Vista, California (providing Management Advisory Services consulting)
• Sunday, May 19, 2013: William V. Eaton, FCSI, chairman of Cini-Little International, in Germantown, Maryland (providing Back-of-House consulting);Theodore Farrand, FCSI, president of Cini-Little International (providing Back-of-House consulting);Armand Iaia, FCSI, regional manager of Cini-Little International (providing Back-of-House consulting);Ed Norman, FCSI, president of MVP Services Group of Dubuque, Iowa (providing Back-of-House consulting);Eric Norman, FCSI, vice president of MVP Services Group (providing Back-of-House consulting); and William H. Bender, FCSI, founder and principle of W.H. Bender & Associates of Santa Clara, California (providing Management Advisory Services consulting)
• Monday, May 20, 2013: Karen Malody, FCSI, principal of Culinary Options in Seattle (providing Management Advisory Services consulting);Melanie Corey-Ferrini, FCSI, architect of Dynamik Space in Seattle (providing Front-of-House consulting);and Juan Martinez, PhD, PE, FCSI, principal of Profitality, LLC in Miami (providing Back-of-House consulting)
• Tuesday, May 21, 2013: James Peterson, FCSI, president of C.i.i. Food Service Design in Lapeer, Michigan (providing Back-of-House consulting); Rudy M. Miick, CMC, FCSI, president of The Miick Companies, LLC in Boulder, Colorado (providing Management Advisory Services consulting); A.J. Barker, FCSI, vice president of concept development at Think Tank HG in Seattle (providing Back-of-House consulting); and Lu Schildmeyer, FCSI, designer at Think Tank HG in Seattle (providing Back-of-House consulting)