Bob and Deb Davis of Davis & Associates in Muskego and Dorothy Klemmer, owner of Klemmer’s Banquet Center in Greenfield will be honored at this year’s Salute to Excellence Awards, presented by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association Education Foundation (WRA EF).

Each year, the WRA EF recognizes five individuals and one company for dedication and commitment to education in the restaurant industry. Salute to Excellence honorees have made contributions to the future of the industry through their commitment to education and their communities.

Bob and Deb Davis of Davis & Associates – Supplier of the Year
Together the Davises represent over 40 combined years in the foodservice industry. Throughout the years, Bob and Deb have been very involved in their community through volunteer work at a local soup kitchen and also working with the Men’s & Youth Ministry.

Both Bob and Deb are very active in the Milwaukee Chapter of the WRA. Deb is a current board member of the chapter while Bob is a member of the state WRA board. Bob has already been honored with the WRA Milwaukee chapter supplier of the year award. The Davises are also very active in participating in lobby efforts both at the state and national level with the WRA and the National Restaurant Association.

Along with being active members of WRA, the Davises are also members of the Wisconsin School Foodservice Association, the Wisconsin Innkeeper’s Association and the Wisconsin Manufacturers Agents of the Foodservice Industry, where they volunteered for a golf fundraiser which raised over $125,000 for local charities.

Dorothy Klemmer of Klemmer’s Banquet Center – Restaurateur of the Year
Klemmer has been in the foodservice industry for 39 years. After some 20 years in the business, Klemmer entered into the Wisconsin Chef Apprentice Program at the age of 51. Three years later, Klemmer completed the program and was certified by the American Culinary Federation (ACF) as an executive chef. “I think I’m probably the oldest graduate of the program,” Klemmer states.

Klemmer has been an active member of the ACF Chefs of Milwaukee as a board member, publicity chairman, committee member and sergeant at arms in her 15 years of membership. The ACF Chefs of Milwaukee have honored Klemmer by nominating her for their Chef of the Year award for 2 years. She has also been the recipient of the Presidents Award, regional and local “Steady Eddy” awards and the Shine Star Award.

A WRA member for 27 years, Klemmer has served on the Board of Directors for the WRA EF along with the Executive and Finance Committees and has participated as a mentor for 3 years. Klemmer is also a member of the Culinary Advisory Committee at Waukesha County Technical College and has been for 14 years. She also serves on the Advisory Committee for Hotel and Restaurant Management program at Mount Mary College.

Along with her commitment and involvement in the industry, Klemmer is also very active in her community. The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra League has been a part of Klemmer’s life for some 27 years. She has served on the board of directors and chaired various fundraising activities for the League. She has also been a member of the Greenfield Jr. Woman’s Club and helped procure donations for the Milwaukee Southwest Kiwanis Spaghetti dinner for 10 years. A mother of 4, Klemmer has volunteered for a variety of church and school fundraising efforts over the years.

Other 2005 Salute to Excellence honorees include Diane Ryberg (Eau Claire North High School), Chef RC Schroeder (Big Tomatoes) and Jeff Igel (Fox Valley Technical College). Each honoree has worked in a variety of roles to create opportunities for people interested in foodservice industry careers. They work in different parts of the state and in different professions, but they share an enthusiasm and optimism for the future of the restaurant industry.

The Salute to Excellence awards will be presented at the 2005 Celebration of Excellence on Sunday, October 16 at Wintergreen Resort and Conference Center in Wisconsin Dells. Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased online at www.wirestaurant.org or by calling 800.589.3211.

A $50 donation to the Education Foundation will sponsor the attendance of a student scholarship winner or one of their family members. This tax-deductible charitable contribution will help defray the costs of the event, allowing more money to go to the Foundation’s programs such as scholarships and school-to-career initiatives.

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Founded in 1987, the WRA Education Foundation is one of the largest state restaurant association foundations in the U.S. It strives to create a promising future for the foodservice industry by raising awareness of foodservice as a professional career path, providing ongoing training and education for foodservice professionals and serving as a state leader on food safety and sanitation.