Hospitality Industry Association

In this economy most businesses are not doing well with the exception of the restaurant industry. Both long standing and new restaurants seem to be thriving at least in Northern California.

Our Panelists have all been in the field of restaurant design for a great number of years, and have been through other down markets.

Lev Weisbach from Cass Calder Smith Architecture was formerly Gensler for 6 years. He joined CCS in 2003 and was responsible for the Shaklee Corporation Headquarters, Bay Meadows Mixed-Use Project and the new San Francisco Jewish Community Center. His projects have been exhibited in San Francisco, New York, Toronto and New Delhi.

Jim Gillam A.I.A. from Backen Gillam Architects, has had many notable projects including Catch Restaurant Santa Monica, 2007, Coast Restaurants, Red Cam Retreat, Santa Cruz, 2007. With the firm he has worked with Howard Backen on 30 wineries, 6 major resorts, 18 restaurants, a new line of retail stores called Sonoma Home, and the Performing Arts Center for St. Helena CA.

Barbara Best-Santos has been doing many restaurants and boutique hotels in her own design firm, Best-Santos Interior Design Studio, including sports themed restaurants such as Joe DiMaggio’s in San Francisco, and McCovey’s in Walnut Creek. She joined Gensler in 2008 and has been working on the new Church of Scientology Headquarters in Los Angeles.

Norm Sobel of West Coast Industries, San Francisco has been working with all three Panelists as a manufacturer for booth and restaurant equipment. He has been a restaurant manufacturer for over 40 years all over the Bay Area, Reno, and Las Vegas, Nevada.

Come join us for an enlightening and enjoyable program. Refreshments will be served.