Mike Archer Honored With DiversityFirst Leadership Award

By: TGI Fridays | 0 Shares 143 Reads

T.G.I. Friday's® President and COO Honored

CARROLLTON, Texas, May 22 // PRNewswire // -- T.G.I. Friday's® restaurants today announced that Mike Archer, president and chief operating officer for T.G.I. Friday's USA, was recently honored with The Texas Diversity Council's DiversityFirst Leadership Award. This prestigious honor is awarded annually to individuals who demonstrate outstanding accomplishments in the promotion and advancement of diversity through inclusion and strong leadership.

"Mike's leadership embodies the company's mission to become the category leader," said Richard Snead, president and chief executive officer of Carlson Restaurants Worldwide, parent of T.G.I. Friday's restaurants. "He directs the Friday's team with strategic vision and is committed to building a culture that's inclusive and values diversity of thought and experience."

"Earning this award is evidence of Archer's level of commitment to effectively valuing and managing diversity to achieve excellence and making a positive difference in his company and community," said Dennis Kennedy, chief executive officer and founder of Texas Diversity Council. "Archer was evaluated on his accomplishments in the following areas of focus: workforce diversity, supplier diversity, multicultural outreach and community involvement."

A restaurant industry veteran with a reputation for operational excellence, Archer is responsible for implementing initiatives and strategies that impact service, food quality and overall guest experience within T.G.I. Friday's USA restaurants.

Dedicated to ensuring the development of others in the industry, Archer has been active with the Multicultural Foodservice and Hospitality Alliance and is a four-year member of the Women's Foodservice Forum (WFF), where he is a Board Member and serves on the organization's Executive Committee.

Under Archer's leadership, Friday's® has implemented a DO (director of operations) Designate program, designed to hire and develop minority and female external directors of operations. Friday's also includes diversity as part of the company's business scorecard and managers' performance appraisals.

In addition, Archer sponsors a mentoring program for high potential women and minorities in the T.G.I. Friday's organization, he championed Carlson Restaurants Worldwide's Executive Diversity Council and he created the Culture of Inclusion Award, which recognizes T.G.I. Friday's managers who create inclusive environments.

Carlson Restaurants Worldwide Inc., the parent company of TGI Friday's Inc., is a privately held company owned by Minneapolis-based Carlson, a world leader in the hospitality, travel and marketing industries. As of May 2007, Carlson Restaurants Worldwide owns, operates, franchises and licenses more than 1,000 restaurants in 56 countries including T.G.I. Friday's®, Friday's Front Row® Sports Grill and Friday's American Bar®. For more information, visit http://www.fridays.com/.
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SOURCE: T.G.I. Friday's

CONTACT: Derek Farley of DFPR, +1-704-926-6582, derek@dfpr.com, for
T.G.I. Friday's

Web site: http://www.fridays.com/