A Top 10 List for FRLA Members

1. Top 10 Reasons You Should Join
(There are actually THOUSANDS if you count the savings)
1 Strategic hospitality industry affiliations
As a member of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA) you are also a full member of both
the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) and if you have onsite foodservice operations, of the
National Restaurant Association (NRA) at no additional charge. That means you are part of a nationwide
network of lodging and restaurant operators who share a common goal of promoting and protecting your
business at the federal, state and local levels.
2
We’re protecting YOU in the halls of government
But we can’t do it alone. Every day our federal, state and local governments make decisions that affect the
way you are required to conduct business – and affect your ability to profit from your investment and labor.
We know how important the jobs you provide are to this nation’s economy and we work hard to ensure
that the burdens of regulation and taxation don’t threaten your business. But there is strength in numbers,
and FRLA needs to be able to count on you to help convince government to make better decisions whether
they are dealing with labor policies, with immigration issues, with hotel and restaurant regulations or with
bed taxes.
3
We’re training 20,000 of your future employees in Florida’s secondary schools
And you can help. One of FRLA’s most important programs is its school‐to‐career training in both culinary
operations and lodging management at the high school level. We have more than 20,000 students currently
enrolled in ProStart, Lodging Management Program (LMP) and START curriculums in more than 200 Florida
high schools. In partnership with local lodging and foodservice operators, we’re offering kids a head‐start
towards a career in the Florida hospitality industry and we need your help and mentorship to ensure they
are acquyiring the real‐world skills they will need to succeed in your business.
4
We can help you cut through the “red tape”
Often we can help you deal with difficult state regulatory, inspection or tax issues because of our
connections in Tallahassee. Our staff includes two past Directors of the Division of Hotels & Restaurants and
a former Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverages & Tobacco. We deal daily with the leadership of
Florida’s revenue, health and environmental protection agencies. Sometimes all it takes is a call to our
offices to resolve your problem or to at least reduce the time it takes to resolve a problem that is costing
you time and money. We’re never more than a phone call away.
5
Bottom‐line benefits
Did we neglect to mention that we can probably save you money or help you increase your profits? One of
the major reasons a business joins a trade association is to take advantage of the leverage our combined
buying power can give us in negotiating better deals from key suppliers – sometimes things you simply can’t
get from a national chain affiliation or on your own. Some of our members save more money from a single
benefit program than the cost of their annual FRLA dues.

2.
6
Personal leadership opportunities
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Ours is an industry of mobility, turnover and rapid personal advancement, so we’re always looking for new
leadership at the state and local levels. Whether it is service on a local chapter Board of Directors, on an ad
hoc industry committee investigating a statewide issue of significant concern or a position of leadership at
the state national level, there are opportunities for you to become a key contributor to your industry
through FRLA. The rewards are both personal and professional, and if you have the time to contribute to
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this industry, we’ll find an appropriate place to utilize your talents and leadership abilities.
7
Local Chapter activities
As a member of FRLA, you’ll also have access to a number of programs and activities through your nearest
local Chapter. You and your employees will hear presentations on the latest strategic industry data, you’ll
benefit from informational programs and from personal and professional development activities. You’ll
have an opportunity to participate in hospitality‐related community involvement and peer networking
events.
8
Access to research and education
In today’s turbulent economy, no business can afford to be run on instinct alone. No matter how hard you
work, changes in the economy, in consumer trends and in technology can impact your bottom line. Your
membership in FRLA gives you access to the latest research, to industry forecasts and to educational tools
that can help you and your employees compete more effectively in an ever‐changing marketplace. Through
the resources of the AH&LA Educational Institute (based in Orlando), the staff of NRA Solutions and the
alliances FRLA has with Florida’s top hospitality researchers and educators, we can answer almost any
question or find the information you need to sustain and grow your business operations.
9
Online resources
The official FRLA website is your portal to information and assistance. Whether you are looking for the
latest industry news, for a calendar of local events or for ways your business can join the “Green
Revolution”, you should start at your association’s first source of online information and assistance –
www.frla.org
10
The totally‐free “23‐Minute Webinar” series
We know how valuable your time has become, so we’re using technology to deliver critical business
intelligence to you and your staff in your own office – or at home! FRLA’s new “23‐Minute Webinar” series
offers timely and concise information on a range of hospitality‐specific topics in a convenient online
webinar format. Best of all, many of these webinars will be added to a new online library so that you can
view them any time, day or night, and as many times as you’d like ‐‐ all at no cost to you.