 |
Mike Rodrigue, owner of
Acme Oyster House is a
2013 Restaurateur of the Year |
Michael
Rodrigue, Lucien Gunter and Paul Rotner, owner, chief executive officer and
chief operating officer, respectively, of Acme Oyster House, will receive the
2013 Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA) Restaurateurs of the Year award at
the LRA Education Foundation (LRAEF) “Five Star Futures” Gala Saturday, August
3, 2013 at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside, Grand Ballroom.
Restaurateur
of the Year is the LRA’s most prestigious award. Each year, it is presented to
an individual (or individuals) who has contributed unselfishly to the
advancement of Louisiana’s restaurant industry and has continually dedicated
his services at both the local chapter and state levels.
Rodrigue,
a native New Orleanian, bought the iconic Acme Oyster House in 1985, during a
slow period in the restaurant’s history. He got to work, reviving the
restaurant and creating a brand that boasts five locations in the Greater New
Orleans area, Baton Rouge and Florida and has grown to 500 employees with an
annual revenue topping $25 million. Rodrigue is one of the founding members of
the Bayou District Foundation, which revitalized the former St. Bernard Housing
Project and City Park Golf Course.
 |
Lucien Gunter, CEO of Acme
Oyster House is a LRA 2013
Restaurateur of the Year. |
With
more than 20 years of hospitality experience, Gunter serves as Acme’s chief
executive officer, successfully opening four of the company’s five restaurants.
Next year, he will oversee the sixth location, located in Gulf Shores, Ala.
Gunter serves on many boards, including the LRA Education Foundation and the
Fore!Kids Foundation and currently chairs the New Orleans Oyster Festival.
 |
Paul Rotner, COO of
Acme Oyster House
is a LRA 2013
Restaurateur of the Year. |
A
California native, Rotner has more than 30 years of management experience in
the restaurant and hospitality industry, with stints at the Hard Rock Café and
Hotel chain in Las Vegas, among other cities, and the Pink Taco Restaurant
chain. He joined Acme in 2007 and is its chief operating officer. Rotner sits
on the LRA Board of Directors and is currently the LRA Greater New Orleans
Chapter President. He also volunteers his time to the Save Louisiana Coalition
and the Sunshine Kids Foundation.
“Acme
is involved at every level of our association,” said LRA Chair David Hearn.
“Their commitment of time, staff involvement and funds are unmatched. We are so
thankful to have them on board. They make the LRA a stronger organization.”
Four
other respected Louisiana business leaders received the LRA’s other annual
awards: Associate Member of the Year, Advocate of the Year and Hall of Fame
Inductee.
 |
Nick Hazard, VP
New Orleans Division
Crescent Crown Distributing
2013 LRA Associate
Member of the Year. |
The
Associate Member of the Year Award recognizes restaurant industry suppliers who
display exceptional dedication to and support of the LRA. This year’s recipient
is Nick Hazard, Vice President New Orleans Division of Crescent Crown
Distributing. Hazard, a hospitality industry veteran of 24 years, previously
worked for Hard Rock Café and Miller Brewing Company. He has been a dedicated
member of the LRA since 2002 and serves on the LRA Board of Directors. He is a
tireless volunteer to not only the state organization, but also the Greater New
Orleans Chapter, in which he is also a board member. A die-hard LSU fan and former
football player, Hazard was the Tigers’ team captain in 1987.
 |
Sen. Neil Riser is the
LRA Advocate of the Year. |
The
Advocate of the Year is presented to recognize individuals who have supported
the advocacy efforts of the LRA and its partner industries. This year’s honoree
is Senator Neil Riser, representing District 32 in the Louisiana Senate.
Riser is the president and owner of the Riser Funeral Homes in Caldwell and
LaSalle parishes, in northeastern Louisiana. As a business owner, he
understands the importance of the state’s restaurant industry and has been a
great champion of the LRA’s cause.
Each
year, the LRA recognizes a member who has given faithful, dedicated and
outstanding service to the association by inducting him or her into the LRA
Hall of Fame. Drago and Klara Cvitanovich of Drago’s Seafood Restaurant
in Metairie and New Orleans are this year’s inductees. The Cvitanovich family’s
generosity is legendary in the New Orleans area and at the pinnacle are Drago
and Klara. After emigrating from Croatia, they opened Drago’s Seafood
Restaurant in Metairie in 1970 and have been dedicated members of the LRA since
1991. Following Hurricane Katrina, Drago’s became a hub of activity, feeding
the community and first responders more than 77,000 hot meals at no charge.
These days, Drago can still be found sitting at the bar most afternoons at the
Metairie restaurant and Klara continues to work six days a week. As her son,
LRA Past Chair Tommy Cvitanovich, always points out, she still signs his
checks.
 |
Drago and Klara Cvitanovich of Drago's Seafood Restaurant
are the 2013 LRA Hall of Fame inductees. |
“On
behalf of the LRA, I am honored to recognize these award winners and commend
them for the work they do not only for their individual businesses, but also
for the association and the restaurant and hospitality industries,” said Hearn.
Also
during the gala, 24 culinary and hospitality students will be awarded $51,000
in LRAEF/National Restaurant Association Education Foundation co-branded and
general hospitality scholarships, including the Jim Funk Scholarship, which is
awarded to the top recipient among the general hospitality scholarship
applicants. The scholarship is named for former LRA President & CEO Jim
Funk, who retired in 2010, after a long career with the association.
If
you would like to make a donation to the LRAEF, in honor of an award recipient,
please contact Alice Glenn, aglenn@lra.org.
