The Restaurant Association of New Jersey has hired Marylou Halvorsen as its new president.
Halvorsen replaces Deborah Dowdell, who held the position for more than two decades until she passed away in March.
A former Director of Marketing for Jenkinson’s Boardwalk Point Pleasant Beach and Casino Pier, Halvorsen will take over an organization representing 25,000 eating and drinking establishments employing more than 300,000 people in the Garden State. She is currently a board member of the New Jersey Travel Industry Association and Jersey Shore Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. She also is a former chair of the Governor’s Tourism Conference and Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission.
“This has been baptism by fire for me with many of our members incurring great loss just two days into my tenure,” said Halvorsen. “Include this with the fact I’m filling the position of someone who was a friend for 10 years makes it a challenge to say the least.”
