The United States Bartenders’ Guild announced that the three newest members to the organization’s National Board of Directors have begun their terms.

The first meeting inclusive of the new members took place January 7. The new board members are a three-decade hospitality industry veteran, a Clevelander with a passion for developing young bartending talent, and a chapter vice president and member of her local board of directors.

About the new board members:

Las Vegas-based Raul Faria began his career in the back of the house at the age of 14 and has worked in hospitality for the better part of three decades. He began bartending in 2000 and has worked in virtually every segment from nightlife to fine dining to dive bar to craft. Faria moved to the supplier side in 2014 to start educating and engaging the industry on the brands he represents. Faria has been an active member of the USBG since 2012 and served as Vice President and President of the Las Vegas chapter as well as serving on the Southwest Regional Council, the National Council of Chapters and chairing the Health & Wellness Committee.

Joseph Fredrickson calls Cleveland home. He gives back to his community by serving on the Board for the Downtown Cleveland Residents. Fredrickson’s passion inside the hospitality industry is to be a positive influence to talented young industry professionals, teaching them habits that lead towards sustainable healthy lifestyles. Prior to joining the National Board, Joseph served two terms as the chair of the National Council of Chapters.

Salt Lake City’s Tracy Gomez says when she was hired at her first restaurant industry job over 15 years ago, she was warned by a coworker: “careful, you get sucked in.” Her coworker was right. A job Tracy needed to support herself while in school turned out to be the beginning of a career she loves. She has served as a chapter Vice President and as a member of the local Board of Directors. In 2017 she joined the National Council of Chapters as a representative of the Southwest region and served on that body first as co-Vice Chair and then as Regional Chair, until summer 2020.

How they were chosen:

Each USBG Board of Directors applicant, advanced from a range of local communities and with a proven track record of national volunteer experience and success in collaborative leadership positions, is thoroughly vetted through a series of evaluations and interviews. “As we work to grow the USBG and advance professional bartending, it’s absolutely crucial that the organization have people with strong understanding of the needs of hospitality workers and diverse skill sets and experiences,” USBG Executive Director Aaron Gregory Smith said in a news release. “Tracy, Raul, and Joey represent some of the best the USBG has to offer.”