Chairman's message 2013

Thank you for visiting the official website of the RI Hospitality Association. I have been a proud member of RIHA's Board of Directors for the past several years and it is truly an honor to serve as your 2013 Chairman. I am privileged to be able to work alongside the many outstanding businesses and people that make up our vibrant hospitality industry throughout Rhode Island and I look forward to continuing to help lead such an impactful organization.

One of our primary areas of focus in 2013 is further strengthening Rhode Island's footprint in the hospitality industry. We will do this by continuing to drive job growth and leveraging our lobbying efforts, training programs, and community partnerships. We will also continue to work diligently to increase our membership. We depend heavily on support from our members. Without them, we could not achieve our aggressive agenda each year.

We will also continue to be the leading voice in our industry and will fight for what's best for our community. Whether it is another proposal to increase our meals and beverage tax, or a bill to change the expiration date of restaurant gift cards, we will be there to ensure that the best interests of your business are protected.

We'll continue to promote our RI Education Foundation and all the local, regional, and national initiatives they work on. We'll also remind and encourage people to participate in the training programs we offer in our community. Our industry is an economic cornerstone of the state and we will do everything possible to maintain that standing.

We look forward to working with our members throughout this New Year to achieve all of these goals. Please feel free to contact me with any issues, questions or concerns.

Thank you.
Angelo DePeri
Chairperson-RIHA Board of Directors