FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 29, 2023
Contact: Sharokina Shams ▪ 916-431-2749 ▪ sshams@calrest.org

Sacramento, CA – The California Restaurant Association (CRA) is proud to announce that Richard R. Frank will lead the association as its Chairman of the Board, effective Friday, September 1.

Frank, a third-generation restaurateur, leads Lawry’s Restaurants, Inc., which owns and operates the legacy American restaurants, Lawry’s the Prime Rib. The company was founded by Frank’s grandfather, Lawrence L. Frank, in 1922.

“I am honored to lead the CRA as Board chairman,” Frank said. “In this industry, change is a constant. However, some of our current legislative and public policy challenges will require a strong, unified front. I look forward to helping lead those efforts.”

In addition to his responsibilities at Lawry’s, Richard Frank is an active community volunteer. He has served as Board Chair at AbilityFirst, a non-profit organization that helps people with disabilities transition from childhood to adult life; is a past Chairman of Hathaway-Sycamores, which provides a wide variety of support and services to youth and families in Southern California; a past Chairman of the San Gabriel Chapter of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), which is an active, global association of chief executives; a member of the Chief Executives Organization; and a past Director of the Harvard Business School Association of Southern California and of the Los Angeles Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.

“Richard is a passionate advocate for state and local policy that works for restaurants and their workforce,” said CRA President and CEO, Jot Condie. “We look forward to his leadership as restaurants strive to grow and succeed in a challenging business environment.”

Richard joined Lawry’s Restaurants, Inc. as director of long-range planning shortly after receiving his MBA from Harvard Business School. He earned his undergraduate degree from Pomona College in Claremont, CA, and worked for the management consultancy McKinsey & Company before joining Lawry’s. A member of the Lawry’s Board of Directors since 1979, Frank became President in 1992 and Chief Executive Officer in 1997. He served in that role until 2020 and currently serves as Chairman of the Lawry’s board.

Frank replaces outgoing Chairman of the CRA Board, Gary Maggetti, whose term expires August 31. Serving as Board leaders alongside Frank will be First Vice Chair Joe O’Donnell, Chief Operating Officer of Urban Plates and Second Vice Chair Fred Glick, President of Operations at OMG Hospitality Group.

Gary Maggetti, outgoing CRA Board Chairman, left, hands the
gavel to incoming Board Chairman Richard Frank, right.

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About the CRA: The California Restaurant Association provides ultimate access to the resources and support that neighborhood restaurants need to lead thriving businesses while serving as conscientious, contributing members of an unparalleled industry. California is home to eating and drinking places that ring up more than $72 billion in sales and employ more than 1.4 million workers, making restaurants an indisputable driving force in the state’s economy.