The Connecticut Restaurant & Lodging Show today announced that   Richard Rosenthal, Owner and Chief Executive Officer of the Max Restaurant Group, and Terry Bickhardt, President & COO, Operations & Marketing of Waterford Hotel Group, Inc. have been named Co-Chairs of the 2007 Connecticut Restaurant and Lodging Show. The show will be held on October 15-16 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford.

In their roles as Co-Chairs, Rosenthal and Bickhardt will focus on positioning the show as a leading industry event in the Northeast and will act as spokesmen for the event. Also in conjunction with the Show, Rosenthal and Bickhardt will be special guests at the Connecticut Restaurant Association's annual Salute to Excellence Awards & Recognition Dinner, on October 15, 2007.

Said Simon Flynn, Chief Executive Officer of the Connecticut Restaurant Association and the Connecticut Lodging Association: “It is an honor to have Richard and Terry as Co-Chairs of the 2007 Connecticut Restaurant and Lodging Show. They are both esteemed members of our industry and will help us to establish the Show as a premier event throughout Connecticut”.

Said Richard Rosenthal: "I encourage anyone who is passionate about the hospitality industry to join us for this event. Attendees will have an opportunity to expand their knowledge of the latest industry trends, view new, cutting-edge equipment, learn about issues facing our industry today, and network with restaurant and lodging professionals.” 

Added Bickhardt: “I am proud to be part of a show that will attract thousands of hospitality experts to the Connecticut Convention Center.  This trade show has been created to better service the needs of the Connecticut hospitality industry and we want to be known as the premier show in the Northeast”.

Rosenthal, a Connecticut native, got his first taste of the hospitality industry while working part time at a restaurant as a student. After college, he moved to New York City where he worked as a chef and perfected his skills in restaurant management. In the mid-80’s, he returned to Hartford and opened his first restaurant, Max on Main (now Max Downtown) which featured the innovative menu and stylish décor for which he has become known.  Today, Rosenthal owns six restaurants in the Hartford area, including a new location in Glastonbury, CT. He also owns Max’s Tavern in Springfield, MA.

Terry Bickhardt is responsible for all of the activities associated with the on-going operations of both the Waterford Hotel Group and Waterford Venue Services portfolios. As President and COO of Waterford Hotel Group, Inc., Terry Bickhardt is responsible for the operation, sales and marketing of 26 hotel properties nationwide, as well as the Connecticut Convention Center.  Terry has lent numerous years of experience and his hospitality and tourism expertise to a number of associations to further assist in giving Connecticut worldwide recognition as a destination.