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National Restaurant Association’s Marvin Irby & Other Industry Leaders Named to White House COVID-19 Recovery Group

April 15, 2020

Original content c/o: National Restaurant Association

Washington, DC – National Restaurant Association Interim President and CEO Marvin Irby was named to President Donald J. Trump’s Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups. The White House noted during the announcement that the groups will work with government officials to help chart the path to recovery following COVID-19 closures.

Irby released the following statement:

“Restaurants have been deeply and disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 crisis as state and local governments have taken action to enact social distancing policies. Economic forecasts reveal the industry will sustain at least a $225 billion loss and be forced to eliminate between 5 to 7 million jobs over the next three months. Despite this extreme economic hardship, restaurants continue to step up in every neighborhood across the country to feed and unite their communities.

“I look forward to working with the Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups to share the expertise of our industry members and help to set the stage for the safe reopening of our economy and restaurants across America.”

In addition to Mr. Irby’s inclusion on behalf of the National Restaurant Association, the President named the following restaurant industry leaders to the task force:

  • National Restaurant Association – Marvin Irby
  • Chris Kempczinski, McDonald’s President and CEO
  • Gene Lee Jr., Darden Restaurants President and CEO
  • James Quincey, Coca-Cola Chairman and CEO
  • Ramon Laguarta, PepsiCo Chairman and CEO
  • Dan Cathy, Chick-fil-A CEO
  • John Chidsey, Subway CEO
  • David Deno, Bloomin’ Brands CEO
  • David Gibbs, YUM! Brands CEO
  • Rob Lynch, Papa John’s President and CEO
  • Todd Penegor, Wendy’s President and CEO
  • Walt Ehmer, Waffle House President and CEO
  • Kevin Johnson, Starbucks CEO
  • Wolfgang Puck, Chef and Restaurateur
  • Thomas Keller, Thomas Keller Group Owner
  • Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Chef and Restaurateur
  • Daniel Boulud, Chef and Restaurateur
  • Ray Washburne, M Crowd Restaurant Co-Founder
  • Jimmy John Liautaud, Jimmy John’s Founder

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Founded in 1919, the National Restaurant Association is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which comprises 1 million restaurant and foodservice outlets and a workforce of 15.3 million employees. We represent the industry in Washington, D.C., and advocate on its behalf. We sponsor the industry's largest trade show (National Restaurant Association Show); leading food safety training and certification program (ServSafe); unique career-building high school program (the NRAEF's ProStart). For more information, visit Restaurant.org and find us on Twitter@WeRRestaurantsFacebook and YouTube.

Contact: Vanessa Sink (202) 331-5900