Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association

4 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 10, ISSUE 8 the individuals we elect to office. Without this interplay, there is no connective tissue between the operator struggling to hold onto their limited margin, and the politician looking to raise a new batch of money for their next passion project. Our primary focus at ORLA is building strong working relationships with decision makers in government. By bringing authenticity to the table we are able to lead initiatives to assist our industry in their recovery whether that includes launching legislation allowing a new element to restaurant business models like to-go cocktails, or navigating the legislative system to enact transformative unemployment insurance tax reform for employers. If industry operators need someone to have their back, its our job to be there. reel from increasing labor and food costs on top of their own commission payments to third party delivery companies. Too few Americans realize that 95 cents of every dollar they spend in a restaurant goes back into the food, the people, and the place. When you look at the hospitality industry through that lens, one could argue it is one of the more altruistic pursuits an entrepreneur can undertake. Most industries would balk and run the other direction if presented with an average margin of 5% for all their hard work. The challenges facing operators are real and its our job at ORLA to bring industry transparency to our many elected official relationships. We rely on engaged members to work with our staff to build meaningful, authentic connections with