WASHINGTON National Restaurant Association, said she plans initially to focus on three key areas: membership services; advocacy at the federal, state and local levels; and promoting the industry to the American public. —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the
Sweeney takes the helm at the NRA, based here, on Oct. 1, following the association’s five-month search. Most recently she served as president and chief executive of AARP Services Inc., a subsidiary of the organization formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons. In that capacity, she was responsible for developing products and services for the 38million-member association. —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the
She succeeds Steven C. Anderson, who left the NRA in January after seven years to join the National Association of Chain Drug Stores as president and chief executive. —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the
Sweeney, the first woman to be named to the NRA’s top executive post in the group’s 88-year history, has spent the past 25 years in Washington, where she worked for such associations as the AARP and the International Dairy Foods Association, gaining experience in advocacy, social policy and marketing. —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the
Richard Rivera, chairman of the NRA and chief executive and chairman of Sarasota, Fla.-based Rubicon Enterprises LLC, said Sweeney’s “varied background” helped to convince the association’s 12-person search committee to unanimously offer her the job. —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the
“We saw some terrific, well-qualified people, but she has the background and depth of experience we need,” Rivera said. “She also has a passion for the food business at an instinctive level, and she also knows how to drive consensus. She has the leadership skills we thought were important. She is the right person to lead us forward.” —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the
Once on board, Sweeney plans to address three issues that will tap all areas of her expertise. —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the
“Our industry is really all about service, and I want to focus on good membership services here, like the annual trade show [in Chicago], ServSafe and other things,” she said. “I think there are additional products and services we can develop to help members compete in the marketplace.” —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the
During her eight years at AARP, Sweeney was responsible for expanding the group’s endorsed line of health and wellness offerings, financial and economic security products, and life stage and personal-growth initiatives. Under her leadership, AARP experienced double-digit sales and revenue growth, with annual revenue increasing to more than $700 million. —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the
She also served as group executive officer for membership at AARP and helped launch recruitment campaigns to increase Hispanic and African-American membership. —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the
Sweeney also plans to maintain the NRA’s high-profile lobbying and public advocacy efforts. —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the
“We must continue to put a high premium in successful advocacy at the federal, state and local levels,” she said, “and we must make sure they are all aligned.” —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the
She also intends to use her marketing experience to promote the industry to the public. —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the
“This is a vibrant, vital industry, and it is the cornerstone of the economy,” she said. “It provides careers and a gateway to employment for millions. It has a diverse work force, and industry members are deeply committed to improving the quality of life in this country.” —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the
During her 11 years with the International Dairy Foods Association, Sweeney directed the launch of the popular “milk mustache” consumer campaign, which continues to drive milk sales. —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the
She also previously worked for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, where she helped to shape public policy. —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the
Sweeney was one of Washington Business Journal’s “Women Who Mean Business 2006.” She also has served on The Conference Board and is a member of the Committee of 200 and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Committee of 100. —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the
“There are a lot of opportunities for major industry organizations in today’s environment to make a big impact,” she said. “I’m really excited to be joining this tremendously important industry, and I’m hoping that my leadership [at the NRA] can help propel its growth. I really believe this industry has a great story to tell.” —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the
Rivera said the NRA plans to move ahead with its announced plan to retain an outside consulting firm to help map out the group’s strategy for the next five years. —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the
“We held off until we had a new chief executive in place,” Rivera said. “The CEO has to drive that process. We didn’t want to get ahead of ourselves.” —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the
Approximately 380,000 of the nation’s 935,000 restaurants were NRA members at the end of 2006, according to the association. —Dawn Sweeney, the new president and chief executive of the