The National Restaurant Association Friday announced the appointment of Tom Bené as the Association’s president and Chief Executive Officer and CEO of the Educational Foundation, effective June 1. In this role, Bené will be responsible for guiding the Association’s strategic path towards its vision for a thriving restaurant and foodservice community, providing America with nourishment, opportunity and joy, while working to enhance quality of life for all.

Bené will reinforce the Association’s position as the unifying voice of the restaurant and foodservice industry and the recognized leader for employee training and certification programs. Working in concert with state restaurant associations, Bené will continue to strengthen the Association’s advocacy efforts to ensure restaurants of every size are represented at the local, state, and federal levels. In this role, Bené will also be responsible for promoting the industry to multiple stakeholders, including members, prospective members, industry leaders and allies, government representatives, media, and consumers.

Inside the Association and Foundation, he is charged with driving an entrepreneurial environment fostering the ongoing development of programs, products, and services that increase member value, while leveraging technology to enhance efficiencies and deliver financial success.  

“Tom brings to the Association and Foundation decades of experience from across the restaurant and foodservice industry,” says Melvin Rodrigue, Chair of the National Restaurant Association Board. “Our industry’s operators, suppliers, and employees have been hardest hit by the coronavirus. Tom’s business acumen coupled with his remarkable record of success will be invaluable for our members and our industry as we begin the process of reopening and rebuilding.” Rodrigue continues, “And, we remain grateful for Chief Financial and People Officer, Marvin Irby, and his exemplary service as interim CEO during the last five and half months.”

Bené brings more than 30 years of leadership experience to the organization. Most recently, he served as Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Sysco Corporation, the global leader in foodservice distribution. Prior to joining Sysco in 2013, Bené served as President of PepsiCo Foodservice from 2011 until 2013 and also held a variety of senior leadership roles over his 23-year career with the company. Bené earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Kansas and currently serves as a member of the University of Kansas’ Business School Advisory Board.

“The National Restaurant Association and its Educational Foundation are critical components of the industry’s ongoing success and we are at a crucial moment in our industry’s history,” says Bené. “I am honored to have the opportunity to bring together the collective passion and influence of the full industry including multi-unit, independent, and franchise operators, while continuing to build the next generation of foodservice leaders and employees.”