With over 80 years combined hospitality industry experience, the NMRA staff is here for YOU with whatever your business may need. Below are the staff’s answers to three questions about their expertise in the industry.
Allison Kuper-Smith – Government Affairs Director
What got you into the industry and how long have you been in it?
I studied Hotel Restaurant Management in Switzerland, graduated in 1991. I found the school there after working a summer in Germany in a hotel pub. I decided then that would be a good career for me. From there I worked in a hotel and restaurants in Zimbabwe Africa. Upon returning to the states after 5 years abroad studying and working, I moved to Santa Fe and worked in hotels. I worked one session at the NM Legislature while waiting for another job to start and was bitten by the legislative bug! In 2004 I returned to school and got a masters degree from NMSU that led to an internship with NMRA. That internship was in a lobbying capacity. After receiving my masters in 2005, NMRA asked me to submit a proposal to lobby for the association. I have lobbied full time for NMRA since 2006.
What do you love the most about the restaurant industry?
What I loved most about the restaurant industry was the people I met along the way.
If you could give one piece of advice to restaurateurs what would it be?
Advice I would give to restaurateurs as a lobbyist would be to get involved. Get to know the elected officials that represent the area where the restaurant is located. Let the legislators know you and how much you contribute as a member of the community and as a job and career provider.
Br
ianna Dennis- Education Coordinator
What got you into the industry and how long have you been in it?
Growing up my grandmother’s friend and neighbor owned a restaurant until I was 10. I remember being a kid and always wanting to be there especially in the kitchen. After she sold the restaurant I started cooking in Junior High and continued through High School. Then went onto to get my Associates in Culinary Arts and my Baking Certificate.
What do you love the most about the restaurant industry?
Being in the kitchen and playing with food and creating something that will change someone’s day for the better. I love how a kitchen crew is just like a family.
If you could give one piece of advice to restaurateurs what would it be?
Have a plan and be involved in the restaurant community as much as possible.
What got you into the industry and how long have you been in it?
The manager at my father’s restaurant quit and he needed someone he could trust. I was 21. I was in the restaurant business for 20 years.
What do you love the most about the restaurant industry?
The fact that the people and businesses in the industry are rewarded for their hospitality and service. We are the last of the service businesses.
If you could give one piece of advice to restaurateurs what would it be?
Join the association that supports your business. As a restaurateur, I was much better informed about the industry, the challenges and the solutions to running my business after I got involved in the association.
What got you into the industry and how long have you been in it?
When I was in high school I worked for my aunt who was a seamstress and wedding dress designer. Working with brides, I discovered I had a knack for speaking the “bride language” and helping them craft a vision even beyond just their wedding and bridesmaid dress design. As a senior in college, I took a job as an Event Planner with a company here in Albuquerque. A year later, I took a job as the Weddings & Events Planner at a hotel in Boston, MA. After a few years there, I had my son and realized I no longer had the ability (or desire!) to work 60 hour weeks during “wedding season,” so I started my own company. My hope was that working for myself would allow me to better control my time so I could focus on being a mom. I have officially been doing events for over 10 years now, and have over 500 weddings – about half of those having been done at destinations – and about 200 corporate events – destination and local – all under my belt!
What do you love the most about the hospitality industry?
The hotel I worked for in MA had a restaurant on property, and you could routinely find me hanging with the kitchen crew and the servers on evenings and weekends while I waited for tours or appointments to arrive. Of course, I worked extensively with the Food and Beverage team for all my events we hosted at the property as well. I currently work with countless hotels and caterers for events I hold around the world. Since moving back to ABQ and starting with NMRA, I have found that I absolutely ADORE the people who make up the industry here. The personalities are so varied and different one person to the next, but one thing that seems to play out well across them all is that everyone is incredibly friendly and just good fun people. Whether it is taking phone calls to help someone register for one of our ServSafe classes, or getting to meet Restaurateurs and Chefs at HIA, I genuinely have a great time talking to the people working in the restaurant industry has exposed me to, and just getting to be a part of their world for a bit.
If you could give one piece of advice to restaurateurs what would it be?
From both a professional event planner perspective, and from that as a consumer, having a decent (doesn’t have to be anything crazy fancy!) online presence is important. When I kick into Event Planner mode, the first step is researching sites/venues/caterers/restaurants/etc. If I go to a restaurant or hotel’s website and cannot find the basic information that an event planner would need – do you have any private rooms? Do you do offsite catering? What is your policy for hosting private events or even just large groups? What kind of menu and options do you offer? What are restrictions as far as what we can bring in and what not? Etc. – I will almost immediately move on to a different company that I CAN get that information from. Between the events I do for NMRA and the events I do through my own company, I average about 6-10 events a month that require a space and food/beverage of some kind. Having quick and easy access to what each venue/restaurant can offer without having to play phone tag, or take time out of my day to set up a tour, is instrumental in making sure a venue makes it from my initial list, to my list that I present to clients as possible options. Venues that do not have a website or even a Facebook usually do not warrant me passing their information on to a client because I would have nothing to share with the client beyond a name and a phone number. No photos, no real details, no menus, nothing that a client would be able to quickly look at and either connect with or not.
As someone who enjoys going out with clients/friends/family/etc., same thing. If I am going to go out to enjoy a meal, I want to be able to pull up a restaurant’s menu and see what their current offerings are, to confirm that there is something for everyone in my party on the menu. If a restaurant is hosting a special event, or live music, or anything like that, I would like to be able to know that prior to selecting a place to go for dinner. Nothing kills my desire to stick around when I’m just trying to enjoy some good conversation at a normally intimate spot, when they happen to be hosting a live band that night which kills all conversation.
The more available you are online, the more accessible you feel to me as a consumer, and the more tangible you feel to my clients.
Cynthia Ploen, Director of Finance and Administration
What got you into the industry and how long have you been in it?
My first official job when I was 16 was working the counter at McDonald’s. At the time, we had to memorize the menu board that was behind us, we had to manually add up the orders and be able to count back change. The McDonald’s put in a drive-up window and put in a computer ordering system while I was there. It was great for the flexibility of scheduling.
What do you love the most about the restaurant industry?
I have worked may jobs in food service and worked my way up to Restaurant General Manager. I have worked for independents, franchises and corporate stores. I love the flexibility, business opportunities and educational experience that restaurants extend to their employees.
If you could give one piece of advice to restaurateurs what would it be?
If I were to give advice to a restaurateur it would to get help with the business of the business. There are regulations that must be followed and basic business practices that should be followed. Don’t be afraid to admit that you need help in the business arena, not everyone has a head for business.
Dionne Wright-Bower, Membership and Communication
What got you into the industry and how long have you been in it?
My first job as a teenager was at Dion’s Pizza. I worked there until I left to attend college at NMSU. After receiving my degree in Communication Studies, I didn’t return to the restaurant industry specifically, but have over 10 years of combined experience with membership organizations including NMRA, ACVB (now known as Visit Albuquerque), and the Greater Albuquerque Board of Realtors. I also have experience in marketing, event planning and corporate training. I love seeing how individual businesses can work together as an organization to better themselves and their communities. There really is strength in numbers.
What do you love the most about the restaurant industry?
The restaurant industry is really a melting pot (excuse the cooking pun) of the best people from a wide assortment of educations and backgrounds. Restaurant employees are like a family, and there is a place for everyone. My husband is a restaurant cook, and I love seeing the support and camaraderie he has with his fellow employees. Restaurants are the social centers of our communities, and they provide so much more than food… they provide a connection to others, a place to socialize, and for employees, an opportunity to grow professionally.
If you could give one piece of advice to restaurateurs what would it be?
Your employees are your biggest asset. The service they provide brings customers back, and turns a one time guest into a regular. Developing strong training, reliable and accessible leadership, and room for advancement will reduce your turnover and show you are truly committed to the future success of your restaurant. Also, membership matters. NMRA has a lot of wonderful tools and resources for you, but it is up to you to take full advantage of your benefits. Help us help you. We are here for you.
John Fitzpatrick, Director of Sales
What got you into the industry and how long have you been in it?
I started working in my family’s wearwashing/laundry supply company when I was 12!
What do you love the most about the restaurant industry?
Having the pleasure of growing up in and around restaurants and the hospitality industry I was able to appreciate at a young age that the team mentality and environment is integral for the success of the business. I was able to see prominent successful owners roll up their sleeves and work hand in hand with the dish washer, servers and cooks.
If you could give one piece of advice to restaurateurs what would it be?
There is never just a lone person responsible for the success. It takes a team to make the operation run, and even though the hours can be long, the work is very rewarding.
Lisa Alvarado, Education Administration
What got you into the industry and how long have you been in it?
I’m new to the industry and Albuquerque, but when I saw the posting for the position, it seemed ideal. Then I met the staff and our CEO, Carol Wight, and through the interview, it was clear to me that it was a perfect match.
What do you love the most about the restaurant industry?
Its customer service focus, its creativity and its ability to think on its feet. Plus, I’m a foodie, and there’s no lack of fantastic places to eat in New Mexico. (But don’t ask me to pick between red or green chile.)
If you could give one piece of advice to restaurateurs what would it be?
I really don’t have any suggestions, but to all our readers, please feel free to let us know how we can better serve you!
Wendy Hughes- Communications Specialist
What got you into the industry and how long have you been in it?
I began my career in the hospitality industry working as a barista at Starbucks while going to school for hospitality management at Washington State University. I graduated in 2016 with a major in communications and a minor in HBM at which point I was hired by the Washington Hospitality Association as a local communications manager. After a move to Las Cruces this last June I was hired by the NMRA and have been working here since!
What do you love the most about the restaurant industry?
After taking some site tours of Seattle hotels while in school I fell in with the hospitality industry. I was amazed at the lengths companies would go to give customers an extraordinary experience. That love combined with my passion for marketing practically destined my future career field.
If you could give one piece of advice to restaurateurs what would it be?
My piece of advice for those in hospitality is to not forget the small stuff. In a time with growing legislation and rising food costs it’s easy to look to the small freebies as a way to cut costs. The thing is though, a nice warm basket of bread or free dessert on birthdays is a connection point for customers and your brand.
