The Georgia Restaurant Association recently approved its new board for 2011, with Anthony Joseph as the new chairman.

Joseph, president of Concessions International LLC, has been involved with the GRA for several years. This year, he said, the group will concentrate on lobbying. "Our focus is on being the voice of restaurants," he said. "Our goal is to educate legislators and our elected officials on decisions they consider that [could negatively] affect small businesses, and restaurants in particular."

Those issues are going to include health-care and immigration reforms, Joseph said.

"The bulk of our industry are sole franchisees or sole proprietors," he said.

Also serving on the GRA board this year are: vice chairman, Patrick Cuccaro, general manager of Affairs to Remember Caterers; past chairman, Kat Cole, president of Cinnabon Inc.; secretary, Hank Clark, market partner at Sterling Hospitality and Marlow's Tavern; treasurer, Martin Tanenbaum, tax principal at Habif, Arogeti & Wynne LLP; general counsel, Charles Hoff, an attorney with The Law Offices of Charles Y. Hoff and former executive director of GRA; and executive director, Karen Bremer.

Atlanta Business Chronicle, February 4-10, 2011