E-MEETING: The Restaurant Industry After COVID-19

Gwyneth Borden, Founder of Ground Floor Experiences, LLC, a consultancy focused on restaurants, strategic advice, and thought leadership, will provide an overview of the restaurant industry during COVID-19 and a glimpse of how this industry will look after the pandemic.

She is also Chair of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) and Commissioner, San Francisco Parking Authority, providing policy oversight of San Francisco Muni, taxis, and parking. Prior to her SFMTA service, she served six years of service as a Planning Commissioner for the City and County of San Francisco.

Gwyneth supports the Bay Area Hospitality Coalition, a volunteer-led organization that was created in response to COVID-19 to share resources for employees, employers, and supporters and advocate to ensure the industry's survival. Previously, she served as the Executive Director of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association (GGRA), which represents one of San Francisco’s leading industries, accounting for more than 64,000 jobs generating more than $4.5 billion in taxable sales in San Francisco alone. Prior to the GGRA, Gwyneth spent 10 years at IBM as the Manager of Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Affairs for several states in the Western U.S.

Prior to IBM, Gwyneth was the director of government relations for the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. Before joining the Chamber, Gwyneth was a legislative aide to then-Supervisor Gavin Newsom. Other positions she has held include project manager, GCA Strategies, Inc., project assistant, Rockefeller Brothers Fund's Project on World Security, and staff assistant, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer's office.

She is involved in a number of civic and philanthropic organizations and has received numerous awards for her leadership, with recognition from elected leaders as well as organizations such as Professional Business Women of California, Black Women Organized for Political Action, YMCA of San Francisco, and The San Francisco Business Times. Gwyneth has also served on host committees for major local events, including Super Bowl 50 and the World Cup Rugby 7s. Gwyneth currently serves on the boards of SFFILM and Women Chefs & Restaurateurs, and Wells Fargo’s Community Advisory Board.

This is a regular membership meeting of The Rotary Club of San Francisco, open to all Rotarians, visiting Rotarians, prospective members, and guests. The meeting is free, but you must register by 11 AM on Tuesday, September 8, 2020. Connection information will be provided only to those who register by the above deadline. For technical support, please contact Secretary Dora Dye before 10:30 AM on September 8, 2020.

Meeting Schedule:

12:00 Noon: Log in or dial in

12:15 PM: Meeting begins

1:30 PM: Meeting adjourns