We’re holding all food & beverage workers close this holiday season. A few important reminders:

Southern Smoke’s offices will be closed from December 24, 2025, to January 4, 2026 to give our team a chance to reset before the new year. We look forward to connecting on Monday, January 5, 2026.

Emergency Relief Fund: Applications will be paused from December 17, 2025, to January 4, 2026. If you have an ongoing case, you can continue working with your case manager. If you are seeking financial assistance due to a crisis, please check back and apply when applications reopen on January 5.

Behind You Mental Health Program: Applications remain open, and services will be available in January. The earlier you apply, the quicker we can determine eligibility, and you can be ready for when services commence.

Texas Hill Country Floods: Applications closed on 12/16.

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About Southern Smoke
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People + Partners
Our Impact
Programs
Overview
Emergency Relief
Behind You
How to Help
Overview
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About
About Southern Smoke
News + Views
People + Partners
Our Impact
Programs
Overview
Emergency Relief
Behind You
How to Help
Overview
Donate
Shop
Events
All Events
Southern Smoke Festival
Southern Smoke Decanted
EN
EN ES ZH KO VI AR
GET HELP Emergency Relief Mental Health Services
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Petter Pettersen

Immediate Past President

Petter Aa. Pettersen, a native Norwegian turned Texan, is a graduate from the University of Oslo with a Master of Law. During his 17+ year career with AIG, he relocated from Oslo, Norway to Houston in 2011. Upon putting boots on the ground in Houston he quickly fell in love with and felt welcomed by its vast and diverse culinary community, having worked and managed events in the hospitality industry for several years in Norway while in law school. Petter now considers a Central Texas ranch home, with his wife and two rescue dogs, where they own and operate a registered Ultrablack and Brangus Cattle genetics operation focused on improving beef carcass traits. Petter currently holds a global executive role with AIG, focused on developing innovative risk solutions within the specialty insurance industry.

Petter is an avid outdoorsman, a food & wine lover, and also holds board positions with a number of private companies. He served as VP of Southern Smoke from 2019-2020 and Board President from 2020 throughout 2023.