HLS 19RS-3418 ORIGINAL
2019 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 258
BY REPRESENTATIVE TALBOT
COMMENDATIONS: Commends Melvin Rodrigue on his election as chairman of the
National Restaurant Association
1 A RESOLUTION
2To commend Melvin Rodrigue on his election as chairman of the board of directors of the
3 National Restaurant Association.
4 WHEREAS, food, it's a thing; and glorious food is a glorious thing; and
5 WHEREAS, Melvin Rodrigue has devoted his professional career to glorious food;
6in 2005, the James Beard Foundation selected Galatoire's as the Most Outstanding
7Restaurant in the United States; at the operations helm of Galatoire's at the time was Melvin
8Rodrigue; since then, Melvin has been promoted to president of Galatoire's and has overseen
9the opening of additional restaurant facilities; and
10 WHEREAS, Melvin Rodrigue has increased the community impact of Galatoire's,
11already a New Orleans legend and landmark, by creating the Galatoire's Foundation, which
12has raised over one million dollars for charitable causes by auctioning off tables at the
13restaurant for the Fridays preceding Mardi Gras and Christmas; he also coauthored a
14cookbook in which he shared recipes for some of Galatorie's classic dishes with those of us
15who cannot get one of those tables; and
16 WHEREAS, Melvin Rodrigue's leadership in the world of glorious food goes way
17beyond one restaurant; he has held several positions with the Louisiana Restaurant
18Association, including chair of the association, chair of the association's self insurer's fund,
19and chair of the association's education foundation, and he continues to serve the association
20as a director; and
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HR NO. 258
1 WHEREAS, Melvin's community service also includes membership on the board of
2directors of the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Convention Center; he was originally
3appointed to the board by Governor Jindal and was reappointed by Governor Edwards; he
4has served the convention center since 2005, currently as board president, and has become
5its staunch advocate at the state legislature; and
6 WHEREAS, more recently, Melvin Rodrigue has moved onto a national stage; in
72016 he was elected to the board of directors of the National Restaurant Association; in 2018
8he was elected as a trustee for the association's educational foundation, and in 2020 he will
9serve as chairman of the association, which represents over one million restaurants and over
10$863 billion in revenue; and
11 WHEREAS, shortly after taking over as chairman of the National Restaurant
12Association board of directors on January 1, 2020, he will host the board in New Orleans for
13its winter meeting; thereafter he will be traveling the country and visiting federal
14government officials as the volunteer spokesperson for an industry that, for Louisiana,
15constitutes almost twelve percent of the workforce and over $10.6 billion dollars in revenue.
16 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
17Legislature of Louisiana does hereby commend Melvin Rodrigue on his election as chairman
18of the board of directors of the National Restaurant Association; does hereby take this
19opportunity to express its deepest gratitude to him for his innumerable contributions to the
20preservation, promotion, and advancement of Louisiana's glorious food culture and for his
21extensive civic service more generally; and does hereby offer best wishes for a fulfilling and
22productive term as chairman of the National Restaurant Association.
23 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
24Melvin Rodrigue.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HR 258 Original 2019 Regular Session Talbot
Commends Melvin Rodrigue on his election as chairman of the board of directors of the
National Restaurant Assoc.
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