NATIONAL RETAIL & RESTAURANT DEFENSE ASSOCIATION
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About Us

Networking for Knowledge

NRRDA's Mission

To foster the knowledge exchange among restaurant and retail industry leaders and experienced legal defense professionals to reduce claims and better mitigate risk. 

NRRDA's Origins

The brainchild of seven founding members--Robert Kopka, Ian Matthes, Jeff Vernis, Brian Cafritz, Michael Amaro, Joe Hassinger, and Jacqueline Canter—NRRDA began with a series of conference calls discussing the need for an industry-centered organization focused on the defense of retail and restaurant businesses.  The founding members soon formed an advisory board and invited their clients to join, including JC Penney, U.S. Foods, Home Depot, and Ruby Tuesday.  Their goal was to assemble a group of attorneys, claims professionals, and industry representatives into an organization in which the industry clients themselves are primary.  With that goal in mind, the founding members wrote into the By Laws certain restrictions on the number of attorneys who can join.  Today, the percentages of membership are roughly 50% industry representatives, 40% attorneys, and 10% vendors.  NRRDA’s first national conference was in Dallas, Texas, and it has grown in attendance each year.  NRRDA remains committed to providing an open, inclusive forum for the advancement and legal protection of the retail and restaurant industries. To review NRRDA's bylaws, click here.
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NRRDA Board of Directors 2022-2033

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Kurt Leisure - President
The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated
26901 Malibu Hills Road
Calabasas Hills, CA 91301


John Kemppainen - President-elect
Rynearson, Suess, Schnurbusch & Champion
500 North Broadway, Suite 1550
St. Louis, MO 63102

Brian M. Chance - Immediate Past President
Stephens Insurance, LLC. 
111 Center Street, Suite 100
Little Rock, AR 72201

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​Dena C. Abdallah - Secretary
Marsh USA Inc.
540 W. Madison Street
Chicago, IL 60661
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​Joe Hassinger, Jr. - General Counsel
Galloway, Johnson, Tompkins, Burr & Smith
701 Poydras St., 40th Floor
New Orleans, LA 70139
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​Anandhi S. Rajan - Treasurer
Swift, Currie, McGhee & Hiers, LLP
1355 Peachtree St NE
Atlanta, GA 30309
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​Tarush Anand
McGlinchey
​1001 McKinney Street Suite 1500
Houston, Texas 77002
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Madeline Baio
Vaughn Baio & Partners
​Two Logan Square, Suite 700
100 North 18th Street
Philadelphia, PA  19103
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Scott Bermack
​Weber Gallagher
1500 Broadway, 2401
New York, NY 10036
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Floyd G. Cottrell
Cottrell Solensky, P.A.
550 Broad St., Suite 1000
Newark, NJ 07102
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Thomas Culotta
Burlington Stores Inc.
1830 Rt 130 North
Burlington, NJ 08016
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​Bradley J. Levien
Mintzer, Sarowitz, Zeris, Ledva & Meyers, LLP
17 West John St.
Suite 200
Hicksville, NY 11801​
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Miriam Rich
Quality Dining, Inc.
​4220 Edison Lakes Pkwy, Mishawaka, IN 46545
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​​Mony B.P.  Yin
Perez Morris Hyde LLC
17 Squadron Blvd, Suite 410
New York, NY 10956
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​Britt Roarx, CP-FS
Texas Roadhouse
​6040 Dutchmans Lane
Louisville, KY 40205
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Douglas J. Stipanovich
Dicks Sporting Goods
345 Court Street
Coraopolis, PA  15108
Copyright NRRDA.  All Rights Reserved.
North Grove Corporate Park, 8120 Lehigh Ave, Suite 100  |  Morton Grove, IL 60053 
Phone: 847-324-7050
Email: info@nrrda.org
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