The Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association (MRLA) in Lansing has awarded David Dittenber, founder and CEO of Downtown Restaurant Investments (DRI), with the Distinguished Service Award (DSA), the highest honor awarded by the MRLA at the annual Chairman’s Dinner.
The award recognizes outstanding individuals who have provided exceptional and continuing leadership, vision and commitment to the Michigan hospitality industry. Honorees are selected by a committee comprised of previous honorees.
“As the 2026 DSA recipient, Dave Dittenber exemplifies the transformational power of hospitality-driven community investment,” says Justin Winslow, president and CEO of MRLA. “His entrepreneurial spirit, innovative approach to technology integration, and unwavering commitment to revitalizing Bay City have made him a catalyst for regional economic development and a visionary leader whose impact extends far beyond the walls of his restaurants.”
Dittenber’s hospitality career began at age 12, washing dishes in a bakery. After graduating from Aquinas College in 1997 with a double major in biology and chemistry, he purchased Bay City’s former City Hall building at 22 years old and opened his first restaurant, Old City Hall. This venture became the catalyst not only for Dittenber’s career but for the Great Lakes Bay Region’s downtown revival.
Following a decade in the pharmaceutical industry where he sharpened his business acumen, Dittenber returned to hospitality in 2011, earning his MBA in finance while simultaneously developing American Kitchen, which opened in 2012. He opened Tavern 101 in 2015, and Molasses BBQ in Midland in 2019. His restaurants sparked 10s of millions of dollars in private investment in the Great Lakes Bay Region, creating housing opportunities and bringing historic buildings back to life.
As an early adopter of artificial intelligence in the hospitality industry, Dittenber founded BYOD Inc. in 2020, leveraging technology to enhance operations without sacrificing the human element. His innovation earned him the Distinguished Entrepreneur of the Year Award by Central Michigan University’s Research Corporation in 2017.
Dittenber’s commitment to industry leadership extends from the local to national level. He served as chairman of the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association Board of Directors in 2019 and has been an active board member since 2011. He joined the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation board in 2021 and was appointed to the National Restaurant Association board in 2025.
