Featured Affiliates

from On Premise July/August 2021

President’s Perspective

Wisconsin Restaurant Association

As restaurants were struggling to survive in 1931 (during the Great Depression), Herman Lehman, the owner of Milwaukee’s Boston Lunch, and Walter Mase, director of the Hotel and Restaurant Division of the Wisconsin Board of Health, arranged the first meeting of what was to become the Wisconsin Restaurant Association (WRA).

“As an association today, we’re 100% focused on giving our members the tools they need to succeed, and aim to be the champion on issues that make a difference in the world of restaurants, bars and other hospitality businesses,” says Kristine Hillmer, president and CEO of the WRA.

Through the association, WRA members gain access to information, services and resources to help them better run and promote their businesses. “Restaurant operators are busy getting pulled in a lot of different directions with the day-today management of running their businesses, which doesn’t make it easy to stay on top of the constant changes,” says Hillmer. “It’s the WRA’s job to protect their businesses and get them the info they need when they need it.”

It is important for the WRA to work with other groups — like the Tavern League — that have similar interests in order to make a greater impact. “The WRA has joined forces with the TLW on many occasions, particularly on legislative issues that affect both restaurants and taverns,” says Hillmer. “Being based in Madison allows our lobbyists to be there immediately whenever issues arise at the State Capitol that affect restaurant and hospitality businesses.” To support the education, training and charitable work of the association, the WRA Education Foundation was created in 1987. “Whether it’s helping high school students discover their passion for hospitality through the ProStart Program, awarding scholarships to students pursuing a culinary or hospitality degree, or providing ServSafe Certification trainings for current employees, the foundation offers essential programs to meet the needs of an evolving industry,” says Hillmer.

Last year, the WRA additionally pivoted to providing valuable virtual training and education through the Restaurant Insights Summit and Foodie Virtual Hub food demo series, as well as webinars on timely issues like tax credits and the WRA’s member rebate program. Many inperson events will be starting up again as well.

“Restaurant and bar operators are some of the most amazing people you will ever meet,” says Hillmer. “Even through the extremely difficult past year, they are resilient and strong and ever-focused on taking care of their employees and their customers. We are proud to be able to help Wisconsin’s unique and wonderful restaurant businesses survive and thrive.”

“The Wisconsin Restaurant Association has joined forces with the TLW on many occasions, particularly on legislative issues that affect both restaurants and taverns.”

— Kristine Hillmer, Wisconsin Restaurant Association

WISCONSIN RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION

2801 Fish Hatchery Rd., Madison, WI 53713 (800) 589-3211 | wirestaurant.org

PROTECTING YOU

Enviro-Master Services of Milwaukee

When layoffs due to COVID-19 abruptly halted his 20year career in IT, Milwaukee native David Poll took the opportunity to explore ownership of a business franchise. After evaluating more than 20 different options, he decided to purchase Enviro-Master Services of Milwaukee in October 2020. The company now provides commercial sanitization services to all of southeastern Wisconsin.

Though starting with a new business during a pandemic was rough at the beginning, demand for Poll’s cleaning services soon kicked in and phones were ringing off the hook. “Our core business is the sanitizing of commercial restrooms,” says Poll. “We serve various types of businesses, but are very heavy in the bar and restaurant area.”

Enviro-Master already had multiple products — including electrostatic sprayers — in its arsenal to help businesses disinfect their space that were implemented during the H1N1 outbreak, years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are a health and safety company, and I like helping my customers feel good about opening back up by providing cleaning services they can trust,” says Poll.

Poll says the company’s weekly restroom-cleaning service resets a commercial bathroom to “sparkle,” getting under rims and eliminating the persistent odors that make a bathroom smell like a bathroom. This weekly reset makes the intermediary cleaning easier, and frees up employees to serve customers or make drinks, saving business owners money in the long run.

“We provide and maintain things a business has to purchase anyway, like air fresheners, scented urinal screens and liquid foaming soap throughout an establishment,” says Poll. “Most people equate the cleanliness of the bathroom to the cleanliness of the establishment, so doing a little extra in the restroom area pays off.”

Poll says he learned about the TLW through a member, and knew he needed to get involved immediately to connect with his customers and the community. He started attending local TLW meetings and hopes to be an exhibitor at the Fall Convention. As he has gotten to know more of his clientele, Poll is even more confident about his decision to venture into a new business serving the community where he was born and raised. “I honestly feel good about the services I provide,” he says. “It makes bars and restaurants a healthier place for the employees and the customers.” TLW