MARKETING EXPERT LINDA DUKE TO MODERATE EXECUTIVE PANEL AT THE NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION'S 2011 RESTAURANT SHOW

Brand Insights Panel with Straw Hat Pizza, FREEBIRDS World Burritos and Chevys Fresh Mex executives, Saturday, May 21st, 2011 at Noon, McCormick Place, Chicago, I.L.

San Rafael, Calif. – March 2011 – Duke Marketing®, LLC,  an integrated marketing communications firm, announced the National Restaurant Association has invited Linda Duke, principal and CEO,  to speak at their 90th National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show, held May 21st – 24th at McCormick Place, Chicago, IL.         

Ms. Duke will be moderating a panel of restaurant executives for an educational session at the kick off of the show, “Restaurant Marketing Strategies: Top Restaurant Brand Executive Insights”, Saturday, May 21st at Noon.  Panelists include:  Jonathan Fornaci, president Straw Hat Pizza restaurants, Lowell Petrie, chief marketing officer, Real Mex Restaurants, and Jeff Carl, chief marketing officer, Tavistock Restaurants. 

The NRA Show is the largest restaurant-and-hospitality tradeshow in the Western Hemisphere with a gathering of over 73,000+ attendees and is held annually in Chicago with over 2,000 exhibiting companies and 70 education sessions.

"It is a privilege to be asked to speak at the NRA Show again this year," stated Linda Duke, chief executive of Duke Marketing.  "Attendees will hear Jeff Carl share successes about fanatics of the uber-popular fast casual chain FREEBIRDS World Burrito, part of the Tavistock Restaurant Group; Jonathan Fornaci will share how he is reviving and growing the 50 year old franchised Straw Hat Pizza brand outside of California for the first time in five decades; and Lowell Petrie will share how they are keeping Fresh Mex alive today at Chevys Fresh Mex, part of Real Mex Restaurants,” said Duke.

The 70 educational sessions the NRA show offers is an invaluable resource to event attendees.  Led by recognized experts, trend-setters and industry leaders from around the world, these sessions are free to all attendees registered for NRA Show 2011, and offers strategies critical to operator success.   Linda Duke’s ‘Top Restaurant Brand Executive Insights’ will kick off the NRA show opening day with a bang beginning at Noon, Saturday May 21, 2011.

Besides managing her full-service marketing firm, Ms. Duke is a nationally recognized speaker, educator and published author.  She speaks frequently at national foodservice industry and client conferences, and is a member of the board of directors of the California Restaurant Association’s Educational Foundation (CRAEF) and is one of the founding board members of the National Restaurant Association’s Fast Casual Industry Council (FCIC).  Ms. Duke is a contributing writer for several restaurant, hospitality and franchise industry trade and business publications and publisher of Restaurant Marketing Magazine, a quarterly industry publication.

About Duke Marketing, LLC®
Duke Marketing, LLC, is a California-based full service marketing company with expertise in integrated marketing communications for multi-location and franchise organizations.  Duke Marketing combines a full range of services including: thought-leadership, local store marketing, public relations, promotions and cause marketing, franchise communications, market-by-market planning, creative development, social media, and media buying with on-target strategies, fresh ideas and creative concepts to offer complete solutions

For more information contact Duke Marketing at 415-492-4534 or visit www.dukemarketing.com