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Carol Wight found her way into the restaurant business through a past relationship 鈥� but it was the connections she made with employees and the hospitality culture that inspired her to make it a career.

鈥淚 loved the service aspect of it 鈥� to know that somebody could be having a very grumpy day and walk into your restaurant and you can turn that around,鈥� said Wight, who co-owned and operated three Las Cruces restaurants in the 鈥�80s and 鈥�90s.

For the last 25 years, Wight has been a voice for other restaurateurs, serving as CEO of the New Mexico Restaurant Association 鈥� a tenure that will conclude at the end of the year. The association on Wednesday announced Wight鈥檚 plans to retire.

The announcement comes nearly three months after Wight turned 65, a milestone she said contributed to the decision.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just time,鈥� she said, adding that traveling plans and more frequent visits to her grandchildren are in her future.

Chris Zalesiak, chair of the NMRA鈥檚 board of directors, praised Wight鈥檚 leadership in a statement, calling her impact on the state鈥檚 restaurant industry 鈥渋mmeasurable.鈥�

鈥淐arol didn鈥檛 just lead this industry 鈥� she carried it,鈥� Zalesiak said. 鈥淗er advocacy, her relationships and her ability to cut through noise and get to the heart of what operators need have shaped policy and protected thousands of businesses across New Mexico.鈥�

Wight鈥檚 time as CEO was marked by challenges, including economic fluctuations, regulatory obstacles, workforce and staffing struggles, and the COVID鈥�19 pandemic 鈥� the last of which many of the state鈥檚 restaurants did not recover from.

While Wight considers the pandemic the most difficult period she encountered as CEO, she said the role鈥檚 deepest rewards also came during that time.

鈥淚 would sometimes just sit on the phone with folks and cry because there was nothing we could do,鈥� Wight said. 鈥淏ut they appreciated the fact that I was there.鈥�

Some of Wight鈥檚 major contributions to the association and restaurant industry include expanding the statewide reach of the NMRA, helping restaurants stay compliant with regulations, educating restaurant operators, strengthening workforce development efforts and supporting hospitality programs and events.

One of Wight鈥檚 most recent accomplishments came in 2025, when she brought back ABQ Restaurant Week after the pandemic put a pause on the citywide celebration of the Duke City鈥檚 dining scene. The comeback was evident during this year鈥檚 ABQ Restaurant Week in April, which drew record participation, the association said.

Wight鈥檚 policy work and involvement with the New Mexico Legislature were also a staple of her tenure. The association said Wight鈥檚 鈥渁bility to translate the realities of restaurant operations into clear, actionable policy conversations鈥� shaped statewide discussions around wages, licensing fees and workforce pipelines.

A formal search for NMRA鈥檚 next CEO is underway. Wight will remain in the role during the transition until her last day on Dec. 31.

For Wight, the role was 鈥渢he honor of my professional life.鈥�

鈥淚 came into this role as a restaurateur who understood how hard this business is 鈥� and how deeply it matters to our communities,鈥� she said. 鈥淓very day, my goal was simple: make it easier for restaurants to keep their doors open and their teams employed. I鈥檓 proud of what we鈥檝e built together, and I know NMRA is positioned for a strong future.鈥�

Kylie Garcia covers retail and real estate for the Journal. You can reach her at kgarcia@abqjournal.com.