Volunteer Leadership
LRA Officers
Octavio Mantilla
2026 LRA Chair
August, Luke, Domenica, Pizza Domenica, Shaya, Willa Jean, Delacroix, Tavi, and Feliciana Bistrot and Paradise Rooftop Wine Bar in Covington
Emery Whalen
Vice-Chair
QED Hospitality: Jack Rose,
Bayou Bar, Hot Tin, and the Silver Whistle Café, New Orleans
Billy Clark
Treasurer
Galatoire's Restaurant & Galatoire's 33 Bar & Steak, New Orleans
Stephen Hightower
At-Large
University Club Baton Rouge
John Lalla
At-Large
NATCO Foodservice
Greg Reggio
At-Large
Taste Buds Management
Mark Latter
Immediate Past Chair
Latter Hospitality: The Bower, The Bower Bar, Birdy's Behind the Bower, & Tujague's Restaurant, New Orleans
LRA Board of Directors
Tony Abadie*, QED Hospitality Group
Justin Adkins, Republic National Distributing Company
Buddy Aucoin, Ben E Keith Company
Randy Barrios, Fremin’s & Flanagan’s
Keith Bond*, Mel’s Diner Part II
Kyle Brechtel, Brechtel Hospitalty
Ralph Brennan*, Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group
Geordie Brower III, Dickie Brennan & Company
Katy Casbarian*, Arnaud’s Restaurant
Randy Daniel, OMW Restaurant Holdings
Michael DiSimone, Link Restaurant Group
Michael Eastman, Auto-Chlor Services
Mickey Freiberg, A La Carte Foods
Alan Guilbeau*, Bengal
Greg Hamer, Sr.*, B&G Foods
Nick Hazard, Crescent Crown Distributing
Bobby Hufft, Ecolab
Paul Hutson, Taste Buds Management
Jason Jones, SYSCO
Rob King*, Pitt Grills & Southern Kitchens
Megan Klock, Ruffinos
Garret LeBlanc, B&G Foods
Helen LeBourgeois, TLC Linen Services
Michael Maenza*, MMI Culinary
Patrick O'Bryan, Bon Temps Grill
Jake Palmer, Performance Food Group
Dwight Prudhomme, Gulf Coast Beverage
Scott Ricci, Drago's Baton Rouge
Melvin Rodrigue*, Galatoire’s Restaurant
Tony Rodrigue, Acme Management Group
Peter Sclafani*, Phil’s Oyster Bar & Seafood Restaurant
Randy Stein, Mr. B’s Bistro
Brad Watts, Cecelia Creole Bistro, The Loft, River Room
*Past Chairs