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Des Moines, Iowa (November 4, 2007) – The Iowa
Restaurant Association selected Scott Carlson of the Court Ave. Restaurant and
Brewing Company as the association’s 2007 Restaurateur of the Year. The
Des Moines restaurant owner was honored at the association’s annual
Celebrating Excellence Gala on Sunday, November 4, 2007.
“This award honors the restaurant or tavern owner or
manager who shows originality, quality, and service to customers. He or she must
be successful in the eyes of his or her fellow operators, employees, and
community,” said Doni DeNucci, president and CEO for the Iowa Restaurant
Association. “Scott Carlson operates one of downtown Des Moines’ best
restaurants, but he also shares his time with the community and the industry.”
Lifelong Student of Industry
Carlson has spent his entire life studying the hospitality industry. His
family moved nine times across three continents during his formative years. They
often stayed for months at a time in beautiful hotels, particularly while living
and working in Europe. “It never took me long to get to know the banquet team at
the hotel and convince them to let me tail them through their days,” recalls
Carlson. Opening a restaurant was an obvious choice for Carlson who later
studied Hotel and Restaurant Management at Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA and
then business at Drake in Des Moines.
Carlson worked with a number of Des Moines area restaurants
prior to becoming owner of Court Ave. Restaurant and Brewing Company in 2001.
Carlson is also an active member of the community, serving for more than 10
years in various positions on the Iowa Restaurant Association Board, as well as
on the Court Avenue District Association, Downtown Neighborhood Association,
Downtown Council, Downtown Community Alliance, and the Chamber of Commerce.
National Association Chairman Attends
This year’s Celebrating Excellence was held at the Meadows Events
and Conference Center in Altoona and featured tasting salons with culinary
competition dishes from eight Iowa chefs, as well as wine, beer and spirits
tastings. The evening culminated with a dessert salon presented by five Iowa
dessert specialists. On hand for Carlson’s presentation was National Restaurant
Association Board Chairman Dick Rivera. Rivera is a principal of Rubicon
Enterprises LLC, a restaurant operations and development company based in
Saratosa, Florida.
About the Iowa Restaurant Association
Headquartered in Des Moines, the Iowa Restaurant Association is the professional
association of the restaurant and retail beverage industries in Iowa. In
addition to representing the industries’ legislative concerns, the Iowa
Restaurant Association provides industry training programs, and works to help
its members to operate efficiently, safely, and profitably and to promote
quality and professionalism in the industry. For more information, visit our Web
site at
www.restaurantiowa.com.
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Media Contacts:
Doni DeNucci, CAE
Iowa Restaurant Association
515- 276-1454
ddenucci@restaurantiowa.com
Jessica Dunker
Iowa Restaurant Association
515-
202-6786
jessica@dunker.com
© Copyright Iowa Restaurant Association 2007
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