Restaurant association president announces retirement

The National Restaurant Association’s president and CEO, Dawn Sweeney, plans to retire from the helm of the organization at the end of the year.

She has led the association, which represents the $863 billion restaurant and foodservice industry, for 12 years. She is also the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation President and CEO.

“Serving and leading the restaurant industry during this historic timeframe, when foodservice has grown to an $863 billion business employing over 15 million professionals, has been the most fulfilling experience of my career,” Sweeney said in a press release on Thursday.

Sweeney joined the association after she was president of AARP Services, the taxable subsidiary of AARP. Before that, she worked at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the International Dairy Foods Association. 

Herman Cain was president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association from 1996 to 1999.

The board selected global executive search firm Spencer Stuart to assist with finding her replacement.