Associations

Associations: The "Fifth Estate" of
our 21st Century Democracy

Associations are as vital now as they have ever been, particularly in the current political climate. It's an election year, so the time has come once again for candidates for public office to engage in their even-numbered year bashing of so-called "special interests," who are "stealing our democracy." It is clear that these individuals do not fully understand the role that associations play in our nation's life.

Associations have evolved into the "Fifth Estate" in our 21st Century American democracy. They balance the power wielded by the three branches of government, and the press - - the other Four Estates. According to Alexis de Tocqueville in 1831, associations took Americans outside of themselves; away from a preoccupation with private or special interests and toward shared common needs and sympathy of others. More than 200 years later, the National Restaurant Association is strong evidence that these same ideals exist.

The Association's mission is to represent, educate and promote the nation's 878,000 restaurants * a $440 billion industry that touches and employs the lives of millions of Americans each day. The success of our industry * and the Association * is the diverse talents of a diverse workforce who share the common goal to educate and promote the essential role of our industry. We also achieve this goal through key partnerships with other associations, where we all have a seat at the table to promote everything from immigration and diversity, to education and training. The Association's Educational Foundation, the Women's Foodservice Forum and the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance are just a few examples of great resources that underscore the importance of being part of an association.

I encourage everyone to follow the values and ideals set forth by our founding fathers, who used the First Amendment to codify our right to freedom of speech, and to assemble, as well as to petition the government for a redress of grievances. In doing so, they gave associations a permanent place in American democracy. There's no better time to prove this than the upcoming elections in November!

Benefits of membership and how to join the National Restaurant Association can be found on http://www.restaurant.org/join/index.cfm

For information on restaurant associations in a particular state, please see the following web resource:
http://www.restaurant.org/states/index.cfm?CFID=7825120&CFTOKEN=67828897

Bio:

Steven C. Anderson, CAE 
President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Restaurant Association

Steve Anderson is President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Restaurant Association, a position he assumed in 1999. He represents and is the chief spokesman for the nation’s restaurant industry, which is comprised of 878,000 locations, 12 million employees and $440 billion in annual sales.

In 2004, Anderson was named the “Association Executive of the Year” by Association Trends newspaper, joining only 25 men and women honored with that title since 1980. Nation’s Restaurant News cited Anderson as one of the “50 Power Players” in the restaurant industry. On two occasions Washingtonian magazine has named Anderson as one of the “50 Best” trade association executives. Fortune Small Business magazine selected Anderson as one of its “Power 30” in America representing small business. The American Society of Association Executives has cited Anderson as an “Advocate with Impact,” and the Greater Washington Society of Association Executives has called him a “Rainmaker.”

Anderson has appeared on the NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather, World News Tonight with Peter Jennings, The Today Show, C-SPAN, numerous CNN and FOX News television shows, and other major television and radio outlets. Anderson has been cited in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Associated Press, United Press International, Reuters and numerous other major domestic and international print publications.

Before joining the National Restaurant Association, Anderson held management positions at the American Frozen Food Institute for 20 years, having served as President and Chief Executive Officer for 10 years. He was a candidate for the United States Congress from the Sixteenth District of Illinois in 1980. Anderson served as a senior staff member to Congressman John B. Anderson (no relation), the Chairman of the Republican Conference of the United States House of Representatives, the third-ranking position in the Republican leadership.

Anderson has been a Visiting Lecturer at Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management and American University’s Washington College of Law. He was a Paul E. Wise Executive in Residence at the University of Delaware.

Anderson currently serves on the Board of Directors at the United States Chamber of Commerce. He is the Past Chairman of the National Board of Trustees of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Organization Management, and a member of the U.S. Chamber’s Association Committee of 100.

He served as a member of the American Society of Association Executives Board of Directors, and Chairman of its Public Policy Committee and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of its Insurance Commission. He is a member of the organization’s Key Industry Associations Committee.

Anderson serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal for Association Leadership.

He holds the IOM designation from the Institute for Organization Management and the CAE designation conferred by the American Society of Association Executives.

Anderson is a graduate of Cornell College, where during his junior year he was selected to study at Oxford University and in London. During that time, he clerked for The Honorable William Hamling, a member of the British House of Commons. He attended the Legislative Affairs Program for graduate study at The George Washington University. He completed the six-year Institute for Organization Management Program at the University of Delaware.

He is married and has two sons.