Chairman of the Board
Warren Erhart
President & CEO, White Spot Hospitality
Warren Erhart was elected Chairman of the Board of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA) at the association’s Annual Meeting on March 7, 2011.
Warren is the President and CEO of Vancouver-based White Spot Hospitality, which consists of two iconic West Coast brands: the White Spot casual dining chain, and the Triple O’s quick-service chain, featuring the famous Triple O burger.
White Spot has deep roots in British Columbia. The first location opened more than 80 years ago, and since then the White Spot brand has evolved to meet changing consumer tastes while staying true to its original promise of fresh, quality ingredients and a passion for service. Today, White Spot has 64 locations in British Columbia and Alberta, while Triple O’s has 55 locations in British Columbia, Alberta and Hong Kong.
White Spot Hospitality employs 4,000 people across the two brands and serves 16 million guests each year. The company was recognized this year as one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies – one the country’s most prestigious business awards – and is also a past winner of a restaurant industry Pinnacle Award for Company of the Year in Western Canada.
A graduate of the Hotel and Restaurant Management program at Vancouver Island University, Warren has devoted his entire career to the restaurant industry, starting with a part-time job at McDonald’s when he was in high school, and then working his way through the ranks at the Keg. He joined White Spot in 1990 as division general manager and four years later became president.
Warren was inducted into B.C.’s Restaurant Hall of Fame in 2010 and presented with the Distinguished Alumni Award from Vancouver Island University that same year.
A strong believer in giving back, Warren is dedicated to making White Spot the best place it can be for his staff and guests. White Spot is proud to give back to the community and supports many different children’s charities, including Variety, a children’s charity for children with special needs, Zajac Ranch and KidSport.
An avid hockey fan and former goalie, Warren volunteered during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver as head of team hosts for the men’s and women’s hockey teams, and was head of logistics for the 2006 World Juniors and 2007 Memorial Cup.
Since joining CRFA’s Board of Directors in 2002, Warren has served as treasurer, as well as chairman of finance and government affairs committees.
Warren and his wife Marie have four children and seven grandchildren.
March 7, 2011