DMA Award for Public Policy and Advocacy
The DMA Award for Public Policy and Advocacy is to be presented annually at the Annual Meeting Awards Banquet on the recommendation of the DMA Legislative Committee to a DMA member who has provided exemplary volunteer service on the Federal, state or local governmental levels in the development of legislation, public policy initiatives, or other political efforts, which benefit DMA members, the DMA itself or the food service industry as a whole. Nominees can be any current member of DMA who you respect because of their personal and volunteer efforts, past or present, to accomplish positive governmental results for DMA, DMA members or the profession, or who have exerted zealous advocacy in the public policy arena.

The DMA Legislative Committee exists to assist the DMA Chief Executive Officer and staff in the development and implementation of comprehensive and effective government affairs strategies for the association on the Federal and state levels. The Committee is charged also to work closely with any external government affairs advisors who shall serve at the pleasure of the DMA CEO and Board.

The duties and functions of the DMA Legislative Committee are numerous and varied and are overseen by the DMA CEO and Board. The most significant duties and functions of the DMA Legislative Committee are as follows:

Developing comprehensive legislative strategies for the Association including determining which state or national legislative initiatives the Committee and Association should support or introduce, or seek to defeat, for the benefit of the membership and the Association as a whole;
Working with the DMA Chief Executive Officer and staff and government affairs advisors, on the effective and timely implementation of those strategies;
Developing, in conjunction with the DMA CEO and Board of Directors, the Association's positions on various legislative initiatives and undertaking such research as may be necessary to support such positions;
Creating such materials as may be needed to communicate the Association's positions on legislative matters to legislators and other policy makers;
Communicating information on a regular basis to the DMA membership about: a) legislative and regulatory issues that could potentially affect them; b) current DMA's priority issues and legislative strategies; and c) national and state regulatory requirements that are imposed on them and their operations;
Overseeing the fiscal management and operations of the DMA Political Action Committee (DMA-PAC);
Fundraising for the DMA Political Action Committee, including the development of programs and initiatives to raise awareness of the importance of the DMA-PAC as a critical legislative tool for the Association; and,
Recommending the disbursement of funds from the DMA-PAC in concert with current legislative strategies.

The DMA Legislative Committee reports directly to the DMA CEO. Membership of the DMA Legislative Committee, including the Chairperson, shall be appointed by the DMA CEO with ratification by the DMA Board. The Chairperson shall lead the Legislative Committee's deliberations and actions. The CEO serves as a member of the DMA Legislative Committee, and the Chairperson of the DMA Board shall serve ex officio.

2008 Members of the DMA Legislative Committee

Bernadette Jacobs (Oregon), CDM, CFPP, Chair
Wanda Dickson (Arkansas), CDM, CFPP
Doris Douglas (Tennessee), CDM, CFPP
Joe Filipkowski (New Jersey), CDM, CFPP
Yvonne Foyt (North Dakota), CDM, CFPP
Elizabeth Jesse (Kansas), CDM, CFPP
Debbie Padilla (Missouri), CDM, CFPP
Sue Rinkenberger (Illinois), CDM, CFPP
Barbara Thomsen (Iowa), CDM, CFPP

DMA Staff Liaisons:
Kate Dockins, Kim DeMoulin

For more information about government advocacy, please contact Kim DeMoulin, DMA Chapter Relations Coordinator, at 800.323.1908 or kdemoulin@dmaonline.org.