Des Moines, IA- Oct 11 – On Monday October 8th, Senator Michael Breitbach of Iowa’s 28^thDistrict was awarded the 2018 Legislator of the Year Award by the Iowa Restaurant Association. Breitbach was presented the award at a ceremony in Des Moines by the Incoming Chairman of the National Restaurant Association Board of Directors Joe Essa of Wolfgang Puck Worldwide and the Current Chairman of the Iowa Restaurant Association Board of Directors Darin Beck of Barmuda Companies. “When Iowa’s restaurant and insurance industries collaborated to bring about changes to Iowa’s liquor liability insurance laws, the choice for a floor manager and issue champion in the Iowa Senate was self-evident,” said Jessica Dunker, president and CEO for the Iowa Restaurant Association. “Senator Breitbach has both an insurance and a hospitality background. He was not only familiar with the definition of DRAM Shop insurance but was just as frustrated by the lack of options available to Iowa business owners as many hospitality business owners.” Breitbach who lives in Strawberry Point grew up in the hospitality business. His parents owned “The Hub” a tavern in Colesburg which they both ran and lived above. Breitbach still believes locally owned restaurants and taverns are “the hub” of many Iowa small towns.  For more than 30 years, Breitbach has been an insurance agent.  He became a partner in Smith Insurance LLC in 1992. As Vice Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee and member of the subcommittee which moved the Association’s proposed DRAM legislation, as well as the Senate Floor leader, Breitbach passionately argued for the need of restaurant and tavern owners to have access to affordable insurance and be held to reasonable standards for liability. The final DRAM legislation hit all tenants of Breitbach’s personal commitment to bring common sense back to the government by updating outdated regulations, reducing unnecessary costs to business owners and increasing personal responsibility. A video showcasing Breitbach can be found at www.restaurantiowa.com. Iowa Restaurant Association The Iowa Restaurant Association is an advocacy organization supporting Iowa’s restaurant and bar industry with educational and promotional programs across the state. Media Contact: Josephine Jensen, Public Relations Specialist jjensen@restaurantiowa.com 319-464-0766