The new slate of Texas Restaurant Association (TRA) leaders, led by Mark Davis Bailey, President/CEO of the Original Pancake House in Dallas took office at the annual meeting of TRA Marketplace, July 9—10 in Dallas, Texas.

Mark has been a longtime, active member of the Texas Restaurant Association, serving two terms as President of the Greater Dallas Restaurant Association (GDRA). He is a Leadership TRA graduate, Stagen ILP graduate, Conscious Capitalism member and recipient of the Outstanding Young Men of America award. He often speaks to youth, high schools, universities, restaurateur groups and others about the industry. He is well-known throughout the industry, and his writings on the restaurant business have been published in state, local and national media.

Serving as officers along with Bailey are president-elect Jimmy Hasslocher, Frontier Enterprises/Jim’s Restaurants, San Antonio; vice-president John Gessner, Front Burner Restaurants, Dallas; immediate past president, Tap Bentz, Outback Steakhouse, College Station and secretary-treasurer Gary Johnson, Magic Time Machine, San Antonio.

TRA officers have a busy year ahead, with 23 local chapters and more than 6,600 active restaurant and allied members, in addition to the TRA Education Foundation, which oversees the 248 Texas ProStart programs throughout the state.

“It’s an exciting time to be involved with TRA,” Mark says, “Industry challenges abound, yet our current leadership is among the best we’ve ever seen. I’m honored to work with this caliber of talent, and look forward to fulfilling our mission of being an indispensable resource to Texas Restaurants.”

Overall, the Texas restaurant industry has steadily grown over the last few years and now represents 10% of employment in Texas, and that figure is expected to reach 16.3% by 2027. Projected sales for 2017 are upward of $54 billion.

“The restaurant industry in Texas is booming right now,” says Richie Jackson, TRA CEO. “It provides 1.2 million jobs, by more than 43,000 employers. To manage and continue that growth, it is more important than ever that we provide restaurateurs the tools they need. We are very fortunate to have an incredibly diverse and experienced board with a wealth of industry knowledge. They are forward-thinking, creative and bring a fresh, dynamic perspective to the table, especially as the technology continues to change the business landscape.”