Three Texan restaurateurs will receive prestigious recognition from their peers at an annual awards ceremony by the Texas Restaurant Association.

The event is the Texas Restaurant Awards at the Lone Star Bash, which takes place Sunday, July 11 in San Antonio at the Brisco Western Art Museum, and the three recipients are:

• Charlie Geren, owner of Railhead Smokehouse in Fort Worth
• Mark Davis Bailey, owner of the Original Pancake House DFW in Dallas
• Creed Ford III (posthumously) of Ford Restaurant Group in Austin

The Lone Star Bash is part of a weekend of events around TRA Marketplace, the largest trade show and educational conference in the Southwestern United States.

The three recipients will be inducted into the TRA Hall of Honor, which is the most prestigious recognition the association can bestow.

Applicants must have been active TRA members for at least 15 years and demonstrate superior business ethics and leadership within the industry. Applicants must also have helped build the image of the Texas restaurant industry as a whole.

Charlie geren is a barbecue chef, breeder and representative for the State of Texas. He and his family reside in Tarrant County, where he is chairman of the Railhead Smokehouse, a Fort Worth staple.

He was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2000 and is currently chairman of the Local Calendars and Consent Committee. He is also a director of Texas Christian University and vice president of the Southwestern Exposition & Livestock Show.

Mark Davis Bailey, owner of the Original Pancake House-DFW, first got a taste of dining while working in the student cafeteria at Texas Tech University, eventually becoming the student director of the largest unit on campus. Original Pancake House DFW currently has eight locations, with a staff bragging about Mark’s generosity and leadership. He has served as Chairman of the Greater Dallas Chapter and the State Board of the Texas Restaurant Association and continues to be Emeritus.

Creed Ford III was a restaurateur with a long history of leadership and mentoring in the industry. Prior to his untimely death in 2018, he was Co-Managing Director of Fired Up, Inc. and President of Ford Restaurant Group. Over the course of his 43-year career, Ford has been involved in numerous restaurant concepts, either as an owner, as an operator or as an investor. He is a past president of the Texas Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (now the Texas Restaurant Foundation) and has served on the board of directors of Nolan Ryan Beef Company, TC4 Restaurant Company and Little Woodrow’s Inc. His son, Creed Ford IV, also a accomplished restaurateur, will accept the award on his behalf.

“This year’s three recipients are an example of leadership and hospitality,” said Dr. Emily Williams Knight, President and CEO of TRA. “It is a tremendous honor for the Texas Restaurant Association to recognize these distinguished leaders for their contributions to their communities, their families and the industry at large. Please join me in recognizing their efforts and impact.”

Other awards presented at the event include the Texas Restaurateur of the Year and the Rising Star Award. Winners are chosen by a mix of employees, board members, sponsors and TRA members, and will be announced during the Lone Star Bash. The finalists were announced in June and can be viewed at TXRestaurant.org/TRAFinalists. This is the sixth year for the bash; tickets cost $ 195 and can be purchased at TXRestaurant.org/LSB.