(Washington, DC) Past Chairman of the Board of the National Restaurant Association and National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation Trustee Emeritus Ted J. Balestreri, FMP, will be awarded the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor Award tomorrow in New York City, sponsored by the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO). Balestreri is the chairman and CEO of the Cannery Row Company/Sardine factory in Monterey, CA. This year's honorees will receive their awards at the annual gala ceremony in the Great Hall on Ellis Island in New York Harbor on Saturday, May 12, 2001.

"I thought this award was perfect for Ted," said Leon Panetta, former chief of staff to President Bill Clinton, who nominated Balestreri for the award. "The Ellis Island Medal of Honor celebrates the immigrant heritage of this nation and Ted used his Italian heritage and his commitment to this nation to enrich his community and country. Within their various areas of expertise, each recipient has managed to meet the challenges of a changing world and open the doors of opportunities for others. This award honors all those people who embody the American dream. It is Ted's true fulfillment of the American dream and his uncommon skill and spirit that earned him this honor."

Established in 1986 by NECO, Ellis Island Medals of Honor pay tribute to the ancestry groups that comprise America's unique cultural mosaic. Ellis Island Medal of Honor

recipients are selected each year through a national nomination process. Screening committees from NECO's member organizations select the final nominees, who are then considered by the board of directors.

"I am honored to have been recognized by this tremendous organization for efforts that are important to me," Balestreri said. "It truly is a humbling experience to be awarded with an Ellis Island Medal of Honor, a designation that has been bestowed upon so many of our nation's leaders. I want to thank NECO very much for granting me with this award, and my friend Leon Panetta for nominating me."

"We are proud of Ted Balestreri and his many contributions not only to the restaurant industry but also to this country," said Association President and Chief Executive Officer Steven C. Anderson. "Ted's vision, talent and hard work have strengthened the restaurant industry and elevated it to new heights. He has helped make this industry the cornerstone of this country's economy and communities."

"Ted has contributed significantly to expanding career opportunities in the restaurant industry for all Americans of diverse backgrounds. He is a true source of inspiration to

me as we continue to showcase the incredible career paths this industry has to offer," said A. Reed Hayes, president and chief operating officer of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.

This award has been bestowed on some of our nation's most influential leaders, including six former presidents: Bill Clinton, George Bush, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford and Richard Nixon. Balestreri also joins Coretta Scott King, Muhammad Ali, Rosa Parks and General Norman Schwarzkopf as honorees of this award.

Ellis Island Medals of Honor recipients must be American citizens who meet one or more of the following criteria: exemplify the ideal of living a life dedicated to the American way while preserving the values of a particular heritage group; expand efforts to support, defend or highlight the values associated with American life, preserving and enhancing the values of a particular ethnic group; contribute extraordinary service to a particular heritage group enabling the growth and preservation of that group's participation in the diversity of American life; attain the achievement in reinforcing the bonds between a heritage group and its land of origin; or contribute distinguished service to humanity in any field, profession or occupation.

This year's Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipients include extraordinary leaders in business, politics, medicine, arts, sports, military, labor and education.

The National Restaurant Association, founded in 1919, is the leading business association for the restaurant industry, which is comprised of 844,000 restaurant and foodservice outlets and a work force of 11.3 million employees. Along with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation, the Association works to represent, educate and promote the rapidly growing industry. For more information, visit our Web site at www.restaurant.org.

The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fulfilling the educational mission of the National Restaurant Association. Founded in 1987, the Foundation strengthens and supports the industry by providing high quality educational and awareness programs designed to professionalize the workforce, particularly in the area of food safety.

Kristin Nolt
202-331-5964
National Restaurant Association