Restaurateur and entrepreneur Cameron Mitchell, president and founder of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, was elected by fellow trustees to become the 15th Chairman of the Board of The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at the college’s annual meeting on Saturday, October 25, 2008. A 1986 CIA graduate, Mr. Mitchell is the first alumnus to become Chairman of the Board of the college.

Mitchell’s restaurant career ladder has taken him from a dishwasher in a steakhouse in his hometown of Columbus, OH to President of his own successful, multi-concept restaurant company.  Cameron Mitchell Restaurants began with one restaurant in Columbus in 1993 and grew to a 33-unit company with locations in nine states before the sale of his 19-unit Mitchell’s Fish Market and 3-unit Cameron’s Steakhouse chains to Ruth Chris Steak House for $92 million early in 2008. Mr. Mitchell now operates 14 restaurants under seven dining concepts in four states – Ohio, Michigan, Florida, and Arizona, plus a catering company in his hometown of Columbus.

Mitchell has been honored as Ohio Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young, Small Businessperson of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration, a “Concept of Tomorrow Visionary” by Restaurant Hospitality magazine, and a Silver Plate Winner by IFMA in 2007, among other accolades.

Mr. Mitchell has sponsored several scholarships at the CIA, and in 2004, he provided the college with its largest gift ever from a graduate. He has been a member of the board since 1999.

Cameron Mitchell succeeds William C. Anton as CIA chairman.

The Culinary Institute of America announced the appointment of three new trustees at the same meeting: Elizabeth Blau, Lorna Donatone, and Robert Muh. Ms. Blau is founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Blau & Associates, a Las Vegas, NV-based consulting firm. Ms. Donatone is president of Sodexho School Services. Mr. Muh is CEO of Sutter Securities Incorporated of San Francisco, CA.