Alan LeBlanc, owner, Max Lager's, and Karen Bremer, owner, Dailey's and City Grill restaurants, will temporarily co-direct the Georgia Restaurant Council Inc., whose members occupy an estimated 20 million sf of retail space throughout the state, according to GlobeSt.com research. The group is searching for a full-time executive director.

"The dynamic growth of the Georgia restaurant industry in the last 20 years merits the creation of an independent statewide restaurant association," says LeBlanc. "Georgia now is recognized as one of the leading restaurant centers in the country, and the growing challenges of the industry led to the formation of an association solely dedicated to fulfilling those needs." The industry employs 250,000 Georgia residents.

LeBlanc says the aim of the Georgia Restaurant council is to provide legislative, educational, certification and marketing services to its statewide membership, while increasing the visibility of Georgia's restaurant industry at a national level."

Philip Hickey Jr., chairman/CEO, RARE Hospitality International Inc. which operates the LongHorn Steakhouse and Capital Grille chains, says "the Georgia restaurant industry needs its own voice to address the issues affecting all of us, from independent operators to large chains, and from quick service to fine dining."

Hickey is a founding member of the Georgia Restaurant Council and a member of the association's executive steering committee. Other committee members are George McKerrow Jr. of Ted's Montana Grill and We're Cookin' Inc.; Perry McGuire of Chick-fil-A; and Pano Karatassos of Buckhead Life Group.

The new association will retain close ties to the National Restaurant Association since two of the Georgia group's founding members also hold NRA board positions.