Ted J. Balestreri Honored with 2006 Industry
Leadership Award
MONTEREY,
Calif.; December 31, 2006, Ted
J. Balestreri, President and Chief Executive
Officer of the Sardine Factory Restaurant
and General Managing Partner of the Cannery
Row Company was presented the 2006 Industry
Leadership Award at the Leadership Roundtable
Conference held in Santa Barbara, California.
The Industry Leadership Award was created
to recognize each year one outstanding
individual who has contributed significantly
to the success of the foodservice industry.
Ted Balestreri was selected in recognition
of his tremendous success in the restaurant
industry, having founded over 38 years
ago the world-famous Sardine Factory Restaurant;
as well as his instrumental role in preserving
and developing Cannery Row, Monterey,
as one of the country?s premiere tourism
destinations.
The Leadership Roundtable Conference “The
Food Service Forum for the New Millennium"
serves the needs of presidents and CEOs,
and is limited to forty top executives.
Balestreri joins an elite list of past
recipients of the Industry Leadership
Award, including: Norman Brinker, Brinker
International, Richard Marriott, Host
Marriott, and Jim Collins, Sizzler International.
Balestreri has been an active member and
leader within the hospitality, travel
and tourism industry for more than 30
years. Mr. Balestreri has served as President
and/or Chair on the boards of numerous
restaurant and culinary industry organizations,
including the National Restaurant Association
(NRA), California Restaurant Association,
U.S. Culinary Team Foundation, International
Gold & Silver Plate Society, Distinguished
Restaurants of North America (DIRoNA),
and the NRA Educational Foundation. He
is the longest serving California Tourism
Commissioner, originally appointed by
Governor George Deukmejian. He also serves
on the World Travel & Tourism Council.