MRA Educational Support Foundation:
Enhancing Skills and Knowledge

Certification
The Michigan Restaurant Association's Educational Support Foundation offers certification in a number of areas critical to the successful operation of foodservice establishments. MRA's ESF has trained instructors who are available to certify in the areas of Foodservice Sanitation, Foodservice Management Professionals (FMP), and Responsible Alcohol Service.

Sanitation Seminars/Certification
Highly publicized incidents of foodborne illness have threatened consumer confidence in our industry. Reassuring customers of the cleanliness and safety of foodservice operations is critical to ongoing positive public relations. An effective preventative management tool is certification of foodservice employees. The MRA ESF's Foodservice Sanitation Certification Seminars outlines for students a working knowledge of foodservice principles. Individuals successfully completing this course will receive the official State of Michigan Department of Public Health certificate.

Alcohol Service Training
In today's climate, one bad decision or unfortunate situation can bring about a loss in liquor licensing. We all have an interest in responsible alcohol consumption. In an effort to better protect and enhance responsible business operations, MRA's ESF offers educational training for licensed liquor establishment employees. Employers who choose to train their employees will benefit in several ways after training their staff. Most insurance companies provide up to a 10 percent credit on liquor liability insurance coverage to establishments with certified servers.

Foodservice Management Professional Certification
Management staff has earned the right to be called a leader! Many industry leaders have discovered the benefits of being a designated Foodservice Management Professional (FMP). The MRA ESF offers FMP Certification Exams at least twice yearly. Participants must meet strict requirements regarding education and/or experience to take the exam.

Training Material
The ESF of the MRA is a valuable resource for many different needs of the foodservice industry. In an effort to educate our members, we maintain a wide selection of educational video tapes to better support efficient business operations.