Honorees
With a long and rich history, the MRA strives to recognize individuals and companies for their support, efforts, and dedication to the mission of the association. Below are lists of honorees that have either been inducted into the MRA Hall of Fame or received an MRA Distinguished Service Award.
MRA Hall of Fame
MRA Distinguished Serivce Award
MRA Hall of Fame Inductees
The MRA salutes these Hall of Fame members whose foresight was instrumental in shaping the future of the restaurant industry.
1972 Jessie Alice Cline, Columbia
1972 H.A. Pope, St. Louis
1973 Vincent Bommarito, Sr., St. Louis
1973 Joe Gilbert, Sr., Kansas City
1974 Florence Hulling Apted, St. Louis
1975 Brad Christie, St. Joseph
1976 Arther B. Schneithorst, St. Louis
1977 Joe Adelman, Kansas City
1977 J.W. “Jud” Putsch, Kansas City
1978 Harry H. Pope, St. Louis
1978 Ray Carter, Carthage
1979 Ned Eddy, Sr., Kansas City
1979 Farrell Siddens, Nevada
1980 Floyd Kennon, Potosi
1981 Louis Shelburne, Columbia
1982 Paul Robinson, Kansas City
1983 Max Koerner, Kansas City
1984 Jack Webb, Kansas City
1985 Leslie Stephenson, Kansas City
1986 George Koeh, Springfield
1987 Richard J. Harman, Kansas City
1988 Herb Leonard, Springfield
1989 Kenneth D. Hill, Kansas City
1990 C. Marshall Scott, St. Louis
1991 Dorothy Muck, Kansas City
1992 Doris Layman, St. Louis
1992 Brother Leo I. Slay, S.M., St. Louis
1993 Carl DiCapo, Kansas City
1994 Dick Walls, Columbia
1995 Maxine Griggs, Sedalia
1997 Pete & Jack Herschend, Branson
1998 Norman Sewing, St. Louis
2001 Ron Barkley, Kansas City
2002 Bart Saracino, Sr., St. Louis
2003 George Cascone, Kansas City
2004 Charlie Gitto, Sr., St. Louis
2005 Manny & Vivian Lopez, Kansas City
2006 Al Abbadessa, Bevier
2006 Ken Applegate, Columbia
2007 Thom Sehnert, St. Louis
2008 Jack Fiorella, Kansas City
2009 John and LaVeda Banken, Dexter
2010 Mike & Linda Craig, Osage Beach
2011 Ed Holland, Treat America Food Services
MRA Distinguished Service Award
This award is presented to recognize an individual or company for their extraordinary and selfless contributions, which have had a major impact on our businesses and our industry. Due to the award’s significant status, it is not presented every year.
Since 1994, past recipients include:
Robert Johnson, former Missouri State Senator
Dr. Stringer, University of Missouri Hotel and Restaurant School
The Guyol Family, Owners and Operators of Ronnoco Coffee Company
Herman Cain, former President of the National Restaurant Association
Jack Ford, of Ford Hotel Supply
Marty Haake, of Haake Insurance Companies
Jack Accurso, Owner of American Foodservice
Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
Tom Deer, Owner of A.J. Goss Distributor
Cynthia Arendt, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Don & Orville Middendorf, PFG Middendorf
Jerry Vincent, Johnson County Community College
Dick Walls, Walls Restaurant Group
Kenneth Hill, Formerly of Gilbert Robinson Inc. and Applebee's
