Congratulations EVENTS DC on being named the 2026 Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year!

This award is presented to an associate member who best exemplifies commitment to and support of RAMW. This award recipient is determined by the Executive Committee of RAMW.

Learn more about this year’s Finalists below.

As Acme Paper celebrates our 80th anniversary, we are proud to serve the DC Metro restaurant and hospitality community as a third generation, local family business. We support restaurateurs and hospitality operators with equipment, smallwares, foodservice packaging, cleaning supplies, custom branded products, sustainable solutions, and responsive service that helps their businesses run efficiently. Since 1946, Acme Paper has remained local, present, and involved with our clients and the greater community. Our team knows this region, understands the pace and pressure of hospitality, and shows up every day for our customers, vendor partners, and the industry organizations that help restaurants grow and thrive.

Coca-Cola Consolidated is proud to champion the vibrant hospitality industry of the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area. Through our steadfast partnership with the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW), we empower the local culinary community that serves as the heartbeat of our region. We are more than just your local bottler; we are a dedicated partner to the vibrant RAMW hospitality community. Serving over 15,000 businesses across the D.C. Metropolitan area, we take pride in fueling the restaurants and hotels that make our region a world-class culinary destination.

Events DC proudly supports the restaurant and hospitality community by attracting top-tier sports, entertainment, meetings and conventions to Washington, DC. Our visitors discover that the nation's capital is more than just monuments and museums; it features vibrant neighborhoods with fantastic restaurants and bar, exceptional hotels and dynamic local businesses. By enhancing the tourism and hospitality sectors, Events DC not only keeps our restaurants and hotels thriving, but also highlights our nightlife and cultural scene, which's creates lasting economic impact for District residents.

Grossman Young & Hammond (GYH) is a trusted resource for the restaurant community, particularly members of RAMW, during heightened immigration enforcement. The firm provides rapid response webinars on employer rights, I-9 compliance, audit preparedness, and risk mitigation, as well as guidance on recruiting and retaining foreign talent through practical visa strategies and workforce planning. GYH offers free consultations for RAMW members and prioritizes time-sensitive matters, supporting restaurants with compliance, enforcement responses, and evolving policy guidance. Through education, strategic counsel, and accessible legal support, GYH helps hospitality employers remain compliant, retain critical talent, and operate confidently in a complex regulatory environment.

Preferred Insurance is proud to support the DC restaurant community as RAMW’s endorsed insurance partner. We specialize exclusively in restaurants and work with over 800 across the DMV, from neighborhood staples to Michelin-starred concepts. Beyond insurance, we provide hands-on risk management, claims advocacy, and real-world guidance to help operators navigate challenges and stay focused on what they do best. We’re deeply involved in the industry through industry non-profits, RAMW events, education, partnerships, and we’re committed to helping restaurants not just protect what they’ve built, but continue to grow and thrive.