ASAE has announced that Karen Bremer, executive director of the Georgia Restaurant Association (GRA), has earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation. The CAE is the highest professional credential in the association industry.
To be designated as a Certified Association Executive, an applicant must have a minimum of three years experience with nonprofit organization management, complete a minimum of 100 hours of specialized professional development, pass a stringent examination in association management, and pledge to uphold a code of ethics. To maintain the certification, individuals must undertake ongoing professional development and activities in association and nonprofit management. More than 4,000 association professionals currently hold the CAE credential. The CAE Program is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).
With more than 35 years in the hospitality industry, Bremer is a founding member of the GRA and the past president of the GRA Board. She serves on the board of directors for the National Restaurant Association, Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB), the DeKalb Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Hospitality Business Network Foundation. She also sits on the Industry Advisory Board of Georgia State University's Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality Administration and is a trustee of the Arby’s Foundation. She has been inducted into Les Dames d'Escoffier International and the International Women's Forum, while also serving as a member of the Georgia Professional Lobbyist Association. Bremer was the former owner of Dailey’s and City Grill restaurants and was a top executive with the Peasant Restaurant Group, starting out as a manager and ultimately being named its president.
Bremer has garnered numerous awards including the ACVB Member of the Year Award in 2002 for her role in founding Downtown Atlanta Restaurant Week. In 2009, Bremer received the Lifetime Achievement GRACE (Georgia Restaurant Association Crystal of Excellence) Award for her outstanding contributions to Georgia's restaurant industry. Recently, Bremer has also been listed as a notable Georgian by Georgia Trend Magazine in 2013, 2014, and 2015.
