PolitickerNJ.com

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.”