LRAEF Board of Directors
Tammy Smitherman, Heartland Payment Systems, Chair
Michael Eastman, Auto-Chlor System, Vice Chair
Greg Reggio, Taste Buds Management, Secretary/Treasurer
Garret LeBlanc, B&G Food Enterprises
Tony Rodrigue, Acme Oyster House
Bobby Hufft, Ecolab
Octavio Mantilla, BRG Hospitality
Derrick Dunne, Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers
Stephen Hightower, Baton Rouge Epicurean Society
Emery Whalen, QED Hospitality, Jack Rose Restaurant,
New Orleans
Glen Armantrout, Mahony's Po-boys & Seafood, New Orleans
Jason Jones, Sysco, Immediate Past Chair
Academic Advisor
Dr. Yvette Green, UNO Kabacoff School of HRT
Industry Representatives
Felton Jones, PJ's Coffee
Ex-Officio
Stan Harris, CEO, Louisiana Restaurant Association
Jonathan Baynham, Executive Director
Alan Guilbeau, PJ's Coffee
LRAEF Articulation Agreements
The LRA Education Foundation is proud to partner with these educational institutions through articulation agreements, which provides a smooth transition of credits from the completion of ProStart I and II. We are grateful to these schools for their commitment to the foodservice and hospitality industry.
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Annual Reports
Education Foundation News
Latest News The Louisiana Restaurant Association Education Foundation (LRAEF) is celebrating National Apprenticeship Week by showcasing the inspiring journeys of apprentices who have thrived in our Restaurant Apprenticeship Program. This initiative connects aspiring hospitality professionals with valuable on-the-job learning experiences, supported by classroom instruction to help them build the foundation for long-term success in the…
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Latest News Baton Rouge is gaining a newfound respect for its elevated culinary offerings, with concept restaurants like those under City Group Hospitality (CGH) leading the charge. Now, a groundbreaking partnership between industry and academia is set to further elevate the region’s foodservice sector. This fall, the Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA) proudly supports the launch…
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Latest News A group of young women from two ProStart programs in New Orleans are headed to Walt Disney World for an exclusive, all-expenses-paid culinary journey in honor of Chef Leah Chase, who inspired the animated motion picture The Princess and the Frog. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the newest attraction at Magic Kingdom Park, honors not only…
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