Nothing makes a large scholarship check look better than a photo op with a football star! In a unique twist for this year’s celebrations, we were thrilled to surprise our 2023 Live Más Scholarship winners at wide receiver Davante Adams’ Youth Football Training Camp in Las Vegas(Adams and Taco Bell have an active partnership).
Each year, the Taco Bell Foundation generously awards scholarships toward higher education to ambitious youth and Taco Bell team members all over the country. This year, the Foundation awarded $2.5 million to Taco Bell‘s own alone. We’re proud to have awarded $100,000 to our employees in addition to the consumer scholarships.
Congratulations to these DRG Restaurant winners!
$10,000
Amadeo Guerra, Menifee
Anthony Mele, Las Vegas
Arnold Mendoza, Santa Clarita
Austin Tollenaar, Wildomar
Daisy Garcia Soto, Long Beach
Kristen Juarez, Los Angeles
Maria Palafox Gonzalez, La Palma
Melody Silva Gutierrez, Jurupa Valley
Yohanese Yilma, Las Vegas
$5,000
Evan Mertz, Henderson, Las Vegas
Francisco Romero, Indio
More About Live Más Scholarships
The application phase typically begins in November. Deadline for submissions is January 2024. For more information about the Live Más Scholarships for Restaurant Employees, click here. This could be YOU!
At DRG, we’ve devoted this year to a race to the top. But equally important is how we get there. We can’t be No. 1 without our people. And high performers need a little recharge before the next victory lap!
Each year we welcome a new group of top performing leaders into DRG’s esteemed Champions’ Club and reward them with a special retreat away from the restaurant scene. Here’s who made the list for 2023. We lured these champions off the beaten track and into paradise for a few days in May!
Champions’ Club Trip to San José del Cabo
DRG CAN’T STOP, WON’T STOP: ONE TEAM. ONE DREAM. ONE DRG!
Meet the lovely Sarita Singh, an RGM who’s devoted her entire career to Taco Bell. And boy is it showing! Sarita is a two-time Golden Bell winner who also recently helped her Pittsburg, CA Taco Bell achieve Signature Restaurant status. Now, she’s the latest manager to be named Taco Bell’s GM of the Year, the top performing GM for the brand’s entire system! We’re beyond proud to see her in the spotlight!
For Sarita Singh, being named GM of the Year was a really proud moment.
Sarita says this is her life.“This” refers to her role at Taco Bell, regular night shifts and beloved chosen family away from home. She’s been with Taco Bell for 26 years and calls Store 30937 her“first house” because of how much time she spends in the workplace where she is loved and supported by her team and other restaurant leaders.
“I love my job.” – Sarita Singh, RGM
Surprise, Surprise!
For Sarita, this latest accolade was a total surprise. She didn’t find out she was GM of the Year until she was already in Hawaii, enjoying her much-deserved“top GM” spot on the annual Golden Bell reward trip.
“Even my kids didn’t tell me!” she says(Sarita’s son and daughter were made aware of the forthcoming announcement).“It was really amazing. It was a proud moment.”
Sarita brought her daughter as her“plus one” on the trip. She was in for yet another surprise when she showed up to the airport and found out her son had booked a plane ticket to join them! You see, both children have seen Sarita work really hard over the years, especially as their father’s employment had highs and lows, and were involved in paying tribute to her(her son is featured in the video that was played during the presentation in Hawaii).
For Sarita, an escape to Hawaii was amazing on so many levels. Other than when DRG whisked her away to Cabo last year for another reward trip, she’s not had a vacation away from Taco Bell in her two-plus decades of service.
“I’m really grateful for DRG,” she continues.“And my kids were more happy than me!”
Sarita couldn’t believe the event setup in Hawaii.“Wow, that was for us!” she says, recalling how she felt in the moment, as she was excitedly taking photos of the tables and decor.
Sarita, at DRG, we think you’re worth all that fuss and more! Congratulations on this incredible achievement. We appreciate how you lead and inspire others around you!
¡La Cumbre de Liderazgo de DRG 2023 se inspiró en el famoso deporte de carreras! ¡Fue una adaptación natural ya que tenemos los mejores equipos y ganamos juntos!
Nuestros líderes de restaurantes mencionados anteriormente se reunieron en Las Vegas para la cumbre con el fin de conectarse, compartir las mejores prácticas y aprender nuevas estrategias sobre cómo podemos ser la mejor y más grande franquicia este año. Fueron unos días rápidos, divertidos e inolvidables. Uno de los aspectos más destacados incluyó la presentación de la nueva iniciativa DRG Women in Leadership (WIL) [en español: Mujeres de DRG en Liderazgo] de la compañía, formada para expandir la conexión dentro de la familia de DRG y brindar más oportunidades para las mujeres. Haga clic AQUÍ para obtener más información sobre DRG WIL.
Además, se otorgó un reconocimiento en el escenario a los empleados con mejor desempeño de 2022 y se les incluyó en el Club de Campeones. Consulte la lista de ganadores en el blog AQUÍ.
Momentos Destacados en Video de la Cumbre de Liderazgo
CANTINATACO BELL 925 Blossom Hill Rd San Jose, CA Inauguración: 7/1/2023
TACO BELL 1305 W Avenue K Lancaster, CA Inauguración: 7/8/2023
TACO BELL 16502 US Highway 40 Independence, MO Inauguración: 7/15/2023
Gran inauguración del local Arby’s # 9073 690 S Hwy 160, Pahrump, NV
Campaña Marca La Diferencia
La campaña Spring Make A Difference de la Fundación Arby’s se llevó a cabo del 27 de marzo al 23 de abril. El total de fondos recaudados por DRG Meats durante la primavera de 2023 fue de $ 37.011. Quedamos en tercer lugar en el grupo de grandes franquiciados (más de 10 restaurantes) después de cuatro rondas de dura competencia. Esto fue respaldado, en parte, por Bryan y el equipo en #7183 en Alaska, el único local de DRG en el principal 10 % de ventas para recaudación de fondos en todos los locales de Arby’s (franquicias y corporativos).
Becas Live Más
¡La Fundación Taco Bell otorgó $10 millones de dólares en Becas Vive Más a casi 1.000 jóvenes en todo el país! De este monto, $2.5 millones se destinaron directamente a los miembros del equipo de Taco Bell. Revise algunas de nuestras propias celebraciones de Live Más. Sorprendimos a los beneficiarios en el campo de entrenamiento de Devante Adams. El próximo plazo para solicitar una beca Live Más es en otoño. Manténgase atento a los detalles de la solicitud. ¡Este podría ser usted el próximo año!
¡Redondeo!
¡Reconocimiento a los 5 PRIMEROS restaurantes de DRG que obtuvieron las donaciones totales de redondeo más altas durante la experiencia E4!
Mercado
Area Coach
Gerente General
Restaurante
Redondeo $s
Promedio diario
SSB
Monica Lopex
Mark Lower
031869-N. Highway 395
$2556.50
$73
ACB
Jesus Garcia
Gloria Felix
039846-Riverside – Arlington
$2357.33
$67
ACB
Martha Medina
Juan Garcia
039795-Pico Canyon
$2189.33
$63
GGB
Dolores Gonzeles
Mindy Augustus
030941-Deer Valley Rd
$2156.81
$62
SSB
Cesar Loya
Shereen Katsura
031897-E. Horizon X Coll
$1968.63
$56
GGB
Alicia Perez
Juana Adame
030933-Farmers Ln
$1925.05
$55
SSB
Ali Orduno
Jesus Salazar Morales
031915-W. Friars X Decatur
$1848.06
$53
RCB
Brittany Walterman
Sandra Arellano
034391-State Line Rd
$1817.68
$52
SSB
Monica Lopez
Ricardo Pacheco
031866-Highway 50, E.
$1784.08
$51
Como recordatorio, nuestra meta es promediar $25 por día en donaciones. Puede lograrlo fácilmente pidiéndole a cada cliente redondear en la caja registradora y educando a los clientes sobre cómo se usa el dinero. El dinero se destina a organizaciones sin fines de lucro que sirven a los jóvenes y becas Live Más que ayudan a los jóvenes de nuestras comunidades a avanzar en su educación.
¡Felicitaciones a los Restaurantes Golden Bell & Signature de 2023!
¡Nuestros ganadores de Golden Bell acaban de regresar del exclusivo viaje de reconocimiento de Golden Bell en Hawái, donde pudieron celebrar su éxito en el paraíso! Mientras estuvieron allí, la gerente general Sarita Singh fue sorprendida con el premio de Gerente General del Año por ser la gerente general con mejor desempeño en todo el sistema de Taco Bell. ¡Estamos muy orgullosos de nuestros gerentes generales que obtuvieron la mejor posición y de Sarita por vivir la cultura de Taco Bell mientras ayuda a su comunidad y empleados de formas impactantes!
Gerente General Sarita Singh
Reconocimiento
Ascensos de GC y GG
Kansas & Missouri
Destini Blair #34382, AM
Reanna Brown #35243, GM
Tyler Carnell, #36454, GM
Chantal Childress, #36390, AM
Steven Clark, #34406, AM
Logan Cochran, #40118, GM
Trevor Eads, #37174, AM
Misty Fossett, #37673, AM
Dantwone Hanks, #34384, AM
Wyatt Keener, #36251, AM
Gavin Lange, #36456, AM
Willie Matthews, #35245, GM
Stacy Repp, #36390, AM
Samantha Roberts, #40324, AM
Ashley Woods, #34394, AM
Nevada
Olga Arroyo, #31880, GM
Neil Baker, #31867, AM
Ashley Barbee, #37135, AM
Nicole Beever, #31866, AM
Vanessa Cabanillas, DRG Meats #6402, AM
Eddie Castaneda, #31891, AM
Sandra Castro, #31919, GM
Brandie Corona, DRG Meats #6402, AM
Austen Eisel, DRG Meats #6568, AM
Crystal Gordon, #31882, AM
Jennifer Houman, #31878, AM
Guillermina Hernandez, #34019, GM
Logan Huff, DRG Meats #7780, AM
Breshonna Jarrett, #31893, AM
Hailey Johnny-Callens, #31908, AM
Ricardo Lumbreras, #32295, GM
Robyn Marsh, DRG Meats #6668, AM
Susana Martinez, #31886, GM
Juanita Martinez, DRG Meats #9073, AM
Peggy Maynard, #31892, AM
Harley McKinney, #31911, AM
Erika Munoz, DRG Meats #5277, GM
Karen Pizana, #31877, AM
Nicole Propernick, DRG Meats #6568, GM
Michelle Rodriguez, DRG Meats # 6821, GM
Cedar Sarten, DRG Meats #9003, AM
Chris Valdez, DRG Meats # 8862, GM
Daniel Weakley, #31863, GM
Qycian Welch, #31862, AM
No. California
Kelly Campos, #30933, AM
Edith Jimenez, #30786, AM
Ishneet Kaur, #30792, GM
Roberto Leon, #30746, GM
Karla Soriano, #30775, AM
So. California
Deona Bryant, #39813, GM
Isela Castro, #39841, GM
Rose Diaz, #39850, AM
Gelbert Leon, #39831, GM
Jazmine Lucero, #39793, GM
Arnold Mendoza, #39786, AM
Martha Rodriguez, #39835, AM
Alyssa Thuilliez, #39847, AM
Martin Villegas, #39821, GM
¡Su Liderazgo Dando Pasos! Tom Douglas, Ganador del Premio Mejores 100 Directores de Operaciones
El director de restaurante y exdirector de operaciones de DRG, Tom Douglas, se ubicó entre los 100 principales de la premiación de directores de operaciones del año 2023 de OnCon. OnCon es una comunidad de altos ejecutivos y en su cumbre anual otorgan premios para reconocer a los altos ejecutivos votados por sus iguales. Tom ha hecho importantes contribuciones a través del liderazgo intelectual y ha tenido un impacto positivo en nuestra organización. ¡Gracias por su gran liderazgo!
Workday permitirá a nuestra organización optimizar y gestionar las operaciones de recursos humanos desde un solo sistema. Con esta integración vienen muchos beneficios:
Será más conveniente verificar sus beneficios, solicitar tiempo libre y cambiar su información personal.
Podrá realizar todas las tareas de su lugar de trabajo en una ubicación central desde su dispositivo móvil o computadora portátil.
Workday nos permitirá tener prácticas consistentes y estándar, ¡para que pueda trabajar de manera más eficiente!
Striving to be the best never gets old around here. We’re delighted to announce this year’s premier Taco Bells and good as gold general managers(aka Golden Bell winners). Congratulations to the following DRG restaurants and leaders for their well deserved recognition throughout the Taco Bell system and the DRG family.
Signature Restaurants
CALIFORNIA
Store 30740, Santa Cruz, CA GM: Luis Romero AC: Mike Scheidegger
Store 30752, Benecia, CA GM: Sara Trejo AC: Angelica Chavez
Store 30754, Pacifica, CA GM: Janet Amador AC: James Aman
Store 30757, Hayward, CA GM: Stephanie Howard AC: Diana Flores
Store 30764, Freedom, CA GM: Teresa Marin AC: Mike Scheidegger
Store 30766, Livermore, CA GM: Zafia Begum AC: Griselda Godinez
Store 30774, San Leandro, CA GM: Maria Briseno Bernal AC: Diana Flores
Store 30784, San Leandro, CA GM: Denia Pena Paez AC: Diana Flores
Store 30785, South San Francisco, CA GM: Yessica Nieto AC: Chris Castellanos
Store 30787, Redwood City, CA GM: Araceli Madrigal AC: Chris Castellanos
Store 30788, Foster City, CA GM: Soledad Nestoso AC: Chris Castellanos
Store 30795, Hayward, CA GM: Concepcion Avina Lopez AC: Diana Flores
Store 30796, San Carlos, CA GM: Bryan Hermoza AC: Chris Castellanos
Store 30807, Danville, CA GM: Mir Alam AC: Yiovani Rodriguez
Store 30808, Alamo, CA GM: Zulaikha Ali AC: Yiovani Rodriguez
Store 30810, Tracy, CA GM: Guadalupe Martinez AC: Griselda Godinez
Store 30937, Pittsburg, CA GM: Sarita Singh AC: Dolores Gonzales
Store 32289, San Leandro, CA GM: Erick Ortiz AC: Diana Flores
Store 37320, Danville, CA GM: Pedro Favela AC: James Aman
Store 39790, Sylmar, CA GM: Olga L Mata Romero AC: Maria Villicano
Store 39791, San Fernando, CA GM: Francisco Pina Romero AC: Maria Villicano
Store 39799, San Fernando, CA GM: Gloria Valencia AC: Martha Medina
Store 39810, Lancaster, CA GM: Juanita Zermeno AC: Teresa Jimenez
KANSAS
Store 34404, Overland Park, KS GM: Jennifer Guthrie AC: Albert Green
MISSOURI
Store 35243, Independence, MO GM: None AC: Layla Awo
NEVADA
Store 31896, North Las Vegas, NV GM: Alejandra Bonilla Mendoza AC: Connie Bejar
Store 31915, Las Vegas, NV GM: Jesus Salazar Morales AC: Ali Orduno
Store 32366, Las Vegas, NV GM: Darren Espy AC: Debbie King
Store 34080, Las Vegas, NV GM: Christina Oconnor AC: Ali Orduno
Store 34350, Las Vegas, NV GM: Allison Warner AC: Mark Peck
2023 Signature and Golden Bell Metrics
Signature Restaurants are restaurants that deliver best-in-class service, people and unrivaled culture, and have the fundamentals in place to serve delicious Taco Bell faves from open to close!
To become a Signature Restaurant, strive to be a five-star restaurant all year long with a clear focus on people, customers, fundamentals and sales.Most importantly, strive to be a five-star restaurant all year long:
By meeting the above requirements, the top 100 general managers and area coaches have a chance at Golden Bell status and a spot for the annual reward trip(most often in Hawaii!) based on:
Average star standing for the year, rounded to the nearest half star;
Less than two integrity letters;
Highest number of five-star periods;
Best of the best ACs must have at least one restaurant in top 200 and an overall grade“A” for area span; and
The top 25 ACs are determined based on the highest number of“A” periods.
2022 Golden Bell Winners
Bryan Hermoza, General Manager Store 030796, San Carlos, CA Area Coach: Chris Castellanos
Gloria Valencia, General Manager Store 039799, San Fernando, CA Area Coach: Martha Medina
Janet Amador, General Manager Store 030754, Pacifica, CA Area Coach: James Aman
Luis Romero, General Manager Store 030740, Santa Cruz, CA Area Coach: Mike Scheidegger
Maria Briseno Bernal, General Manager Store 030774, San Leandro, CA Area Coach: Diana Flores
Sarita Singh, General Manager Store 030937, Pittsburg, CA Area Coach: Dolores Gonzales
Teresa Marin, General Manager Store 030764, Freedom, CA Area Coach: Mike Scheidegger
Zulaikha Ali, General Manager Store 030808, Alamo, CA Area Coach: Yiovani Rodriguez
The 2023 DRG Leadership Summit was inspired by a world-class car race! It was a natural fit since we have the best teams and we win together!
Our above restaurant leaders gathered in Las Vegas for the Summit to connect, share best practices and learn new strategies on how we can be the best and biggest franchise this year. It was a fast, fun, and unforgettable few days. One of the highlights included introducing the company’s new DRG Women in Leadership (WIL) Initiative, formed to expand the connection within the DRG Family and provide more opportunities for women. Click HERE to learn more about DRG WIL.
Also, top performers from 2022 were recognized on stage and inducted into Champions’ Club. View the list of winners on the blog HERE.
TACO BELL CANTINA 925 Blossom Hill Rd San Jose, CA Opening: 7/1/2023
TACO BELL 1305 W Avenue K Lancaster, CA Opening: 7/8/2023
TACO BELL 16502 US Highway 40 Independence, MO Opening: 7/15/2023
Arby’s Grand Opening Store # 9073 690 S Hwy 160, Pahrump, NV
Make a Difference Campaign
The Arby’s Foundation, Spring Make A Difference Campaign, took place March 27-April 23. DRG Meats raised a total of $37,011. We finished in 3rd place in the large franchisee bracket (10+ restaurants) after four rounds of tough competition. This was aided in part by Bryan and team at #7183 in Alaska, the only DRG store in the top 10% of fundraising sales in all of Arby’s stores (franchise and corporate).
Live Más Scholarships
The Taco Bell Foundation awarded $10 million in Live Más Scholarships to nearly 1,000 young people nationwide! Of this, $2.5 million went directly to Taco Bell Team Members. Check out some of our own Live Más celebrations. We surprised recipients at the Devante Adams training camp. The next timeframe to apply for a Live Más Scholarship is in the fall. Stay tuned for application details. This could be you next year!
Round Up!
Shout out to the TOP 5 DRG Restaurants that earned the highest Round Up total donations during the E4 experience!
Market
Area Coach
General Manager
Restaurant
Round-up $s
Daily Avg
SSB
Monica Lopex
Mark Lower
031869-N. Highway 395
$2556.50
$73
ACB
Jesus Garcia
Gloria Felix
039846-Riverside – Arlington
$2357.33
$67
ACB
Martha Medina
Juan Garcia
039795-Pico Canyon
$2189.33
$63
GGB
Dolores Gonzeles
Mindy Augustus
030941-Deer Valley Rd
$2156.81
$62
SSB
Cesar Loya
Shereen Katsura
031897-E. Horizon X Coll
$1968.63
$56
GGB
Alicia Perez
Juana Adame
030933-Farmers Ln
$1925.05
$55
SSB
Ali Orduno
Jesus Salazar Morales
031915-W. Friars X Decatur
$1848.06
$53
RCB
Brittany Walterman
Sandra Arellano
034391-State Line Rd
$1817.68
$52
SSB
Monica Lopez
Ricardo Pacheco
031866-Highway 50, E.
$1784.08
$51
As a reminder, our goal is to average $25/day in donations. You can easily reach that by asking every customer to round up at the register and educating customers on how the money is used. The money goes towards youth-serving nonprofit organizations and Live Más Scholarships that help the youth in our communities advance their education.
Congratulations to the 2023 Golden Bell & Signature Restaurants!
Our Golden Bell winners just returned from the exclusive Golden Bell Recognition Trip in Hawaii where they got to celebrate their success in paradise! While there, General Manager Sarita Singh was surprised with the GM of the Year award for being the top performing GM across the entire Taco Bell system! We are so proud of our General Managers who earned the best of the best status and of Sarita for living out the Taco Bell culture while helping her community and employees in impactful ways!
General Manager Sarita Singh
Recognition
AM & GM Promotions
Kansas & Missouri
Destini Blair #34382, AM
Reanna Brown #35243, GM
Tyler Carnell, #36454, GM
Chantal Childress, #36390, AM
Steven Clark, #34406, AM
Logan Cochran, #40118, GM
Trevor Eads, #37174, AM
Misty Fossett, #37673, AM
Dantwone Hanks, #34384, AM
Wyatt Keener, #36251, AM
Gavin Lange, #36456, AM
Willie Matthews, #35245, GM
Stacy Repp, #36390, AM
Samantha Roberts, #40324, AM
Ashley Woods, #34394, AM
Nevada
Olga Arroyo, #31880, GM
Neil Baker, #31867, AM
Ashley Barbee, #37135, AM
Nicole Beever, #31866, AM
Vanessa Cabanillas, DRG Meats #6402, AM
Eddie Castaneda, #31891, AM
Sandra Castro, #31919, GM
Brandie Corona, DRG Meats #6402, AM
Austen Eisel, DRG Meats #6568, AM
Crystal Gordon, #31882, AM
Jennifer Houman, #31878, AM
Guillermina Hernandez, #34019, GM
Logan Huff, DRG Meats #7780, AM
Breshonna Jarrett, #31893, AM
Hailey Johnny-Callens, #31908, AM
Ricardo Lumbreras, #32295, GM
Robyn Marsh, DRG Meats #6668, AM
Susana Martinez, #31886, GM
Juanita Martinez, DRG Meats #9073, AM
Peggy Maynard, #31892, AM
Harley McKinney, #31911, AM
Erika Munoz, DRG Meats #5277, GM
Karen Pizana, #31877, AM
Nicole Propernick, DRG Meats #6568, GM
Michelle Rodriguez, DRG Meats # 6821, GM
Cedar Sarten, DRG Meats #9003, AM
Chris Valdez, DRG Meats # 8862, GM
Daniel Weakley, #31863, GM
Qycian Welch, #31862, AM
No. California
Kelly Campos, #30933, AM
Edith Jimenez, #30786, AM
Ishneet Kaur, #30792, GM
Roberto Leon, #30746, GM
Karla Soriano, #30775, AM
So. California
Deona Bryant, #39813, GM
Isela Castro, #39841, GM
Rose Diaz, #39850, AM
Gelbert Leon, #39831, GM
Jazmine Lucero, #39793, GM
Arnold Mendoza, #39786, AM
Martha Rodriguez, #39835, AM
Alyssa Thuilliez, #39847, AM
Martin Villegas, #39821, GM
Your Leadership Making Moves! Tom Douglas, winner of the Top 100 COO Award
DRG Chief Restaurant Officer and former Chief Operations Officer Tom Douglas placed in the top 100 for the 2023 OnCon COO of the year. OnCon is a community of top executives and at their annual summit they give awards to recognize top executives as voted on by peers. Tom has made strong contributions through thought leadership and has positively impacted our organization. Thank you for your great leadership!
The listing for all award winners can be found on the buttons on this page: 2023 COO Winners
Workday will be live June 14!
Workday will allow our organization to streamline and manage HR operations from a single system. With this integration, comes many benefits:
It will be more convenient to check your benefits, request time off, and change your personal information.
You will be able to perform all your workplace tasks in one central location from your mobile device or laptop.
Workday will allow us to have consistent and standard practices, so you can work more efficiently!
DRG enjoyed a recent pit stop in Las Vegas for the company’s annual Leadership Summit, where we fueled up on the desire to continue racing toward the top in franchisee leadership and innovation.
Continuously improving the Taco Bell experience(hint:cantina).
Join a Winning Team
At DRG, there’s no shortage of drive. We won’t stop until we’re No. 1! Want to join our crew? Try and catch us during the next stop — we won’t break for long!
At DRG, we have the best people and culture. We’re committed to recognizing and rewarding leaders that make DRG a great place to work. At the end of May, we’ll whisk a big excited group off to San José del Cabo, Mexico, for the Champions’ Club reward trip.
We recently announced our top performers on stage at the annual DRG Leadership Summit, where they were surprised with a plaque and a seat in the 2023 Champions’ Club.
Check out who’s going to Cabo to enjoy an all-expenses paid vacation and celebrate in paradise!
2023 Champions’ Club Trip Attendees
Ashley Hernandez,GM, Restaurant #35231, Kansas City
Bina Patel, Cantina GM, Restaurant #31685, No. California
Bryan Hermoza,GM, Restaurant #30796, No. California
Corinne Canavan,GM, Restaurant #7781, DRG Meats Las Vegas
David Salazar Morales, GM, Restaurant #31915, Las Vegas
Dion McKinnon,Area Coach, Reno
Geno Woolard,Director of Operations, Las Vegas
Griffen Long, GM, Restaurant #30762, No. California
Isaiah Ritchie, Director of Operations, So. California
James Aman, Sr. Cantina Specialist, No. California
Jenny Lemke, GM, Restaurant #37673, Kansas City
Jesus“David” Salazar Morales,GM, Restaurant #31915, Las Vegas
Jesus Vargas,Area Coach, So. California
Junior Bolanos, HR Business Partner, So. California
It was a fast, fun, and unforgettable 2023 DRG Leadership Summit! DRG Restaurant leaders from each market around the country made a pit stop in Las Vegas April 2-4 to connect, share best practices, and learn what it takes to race to to the top this year.
The 2023 Summit unveiled best practices and key ways to excel in these categories, as well as exciting new initiatives, particularly, the company’s newWomen In Leadership(WIL) initiative, formed to change the perception of women’s roles throughout DRG. Inspired by the upcoming World Class Car Race events being held in the same city, we were“race ready” to celebrate a year filled with major victories.
Congratulations to our 2022 list of top performers!
2022 AREA COACH OF THE YEAR
Steve Mizer, DRG Meats Alaska
2022 DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Geno Woolard, Las Vegas
GEORGE PSAROS – HELPING HANDS AWARD
Junior Bolonas, HR Business Partner, So. California
RESTAURANT SUPPORT SERVICES – MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Karlo Kosca, Financial Analyst, RSC Las Vegas
HOW WE LEAD …
Isaiah Ritchie, Director of Operations, So. California
James Aman, Sr. Cantina Specialist, No. California
UNSUNG HEROES
Khrystyn Ortiz, Payroll Manager, RSC Las Vegas
Laury Ketcham, Manager of Ops Services, RSC
AREA COACHES OF THE YEAR
Chris Castellanos, No. California
Dion McKinnon, Las Vegas
Jesus Vargas, So. California
Layla Awo, Kansas City
Victoria Eckert, DRG Meats Las Vegas
GENERAL MANAGERS OF THE YEAR
Ashley Hernandez, Kansas City
Bryan Hermoza, No. California
Corinne Canavan, DRG Meats Las Vegas
Jesus “David” Salazar Morales, Las Vegas
Renee Martinez, So. California
MTM OF THE YEAR
Zafia Begum, No. California
CANTINA GM OF THE YEAR
Bina Patel, No. California
GENERAL MANAGER HONORABLE MENTIONS
Pearly Eveland, So. California
Marcos Leos, DRG Meats Alaska
Griffen Long, No. California
Jenny Lemke, Kansas City
Monica Lopez, Las Vegas
Core Value Winners
WE ARE INNOVATORS – Embrace Change & Challenge the Status Quo
Mike Racklin, Field Maintenance Coach, No. California
Shane Grant, Director of Operations, So. California
Kelly Harden, Office Admin and Marketing Manager, DRG Meats
WE DO THE RIGHT THING – Take Personal Accountability & Lead with Integrity
Dolores Gonzales, Area Coach, No. California
Ariana Gomez, Area Coach, Las Vegas
Katrina Davis, HR Business Partner, Kansas City
WE HAVE FUN – Positive Energy is Contagious
Laurent Moulin, Field Training Coach, No. California
Carlos Portillo, Sr. Area Coach, No. California
Hayley O’Connor, Field Training Coach, Kansas City
WE ARE AUTHENTIC – Be Yourself & Show You Care
Katherine Hemminger, Area Coach, Las Vegas
Griselda Godinez, Area Coach, No. California
Crystal Velasco, Financial Analyst, RSC Las Vegas
WE WIN TOGETHER – As ONE DRG
Tamika Norah, Area Coach, Kansas City
Renae Rizzo, Accounts Payable Manager, RSC Las Vegas
Tanya Szabo, Area Coach, Reno
We’re proud to announce a new companywide initiative to empower more DRG women to sit at the head table, an idea that came directly from the President and CEO, SG Ellison. While our company has successfully cultivated plenty of female restaurant managers and area coaches, historically, DRG’s executive team has remained all male. And we admit, it’s noticeable!
At DRG, we’re committed to giving more opportunities to women that they wouldn’t otherwise have.
Our new Women in Leadership(WIL) Initiative aims to impact everyone — not just women — to change the perception of women’s roles throughout DRG. According to Communications & Media Manager Sierra Burk, who has been tapped to co-lead the initiative, SG wants to see the executive team look diverse within the next couple of years.
DRG plans to double in size by 2028. To successfully lead a company of that size, we cannot excel without diversity. We need female leaders at the top, too.
As the only female currently highlighted on our team page, Sierra is personally invested in this cause. Often times, she’s found herself being the only woman in the room and on business trips. She wished there had been another female to connect with in those instances.
“I want to make it so when a promotion does open up, our women are top of mind and feel confident and competent enough to chase after that next stage of their careers,” Sierra says.
For months, Sierra has been working closely with WIL Initiative co-lead Katrina Davis, DRG’s Kansas City HR Business Partner, to define the goals of this program. Together the two have researched and vetted several women-focused programs and organizations. Women’s Foodservice Forum(WFF) is the perfect fit!
“Their‘bread and butter’ is lifting up women in the restaurant industry,” Sierra says.
So What Now?
We recognized the first group of WIL honorees at our recent Leadership Summit with a special pinning ceremony and private luncheon with some of Taco Bells’ leading ladies: Kelly McCullough(Global Chief People Officer), Julie Davis (Global Chief Legal Officer) and Liz Matthews(Global Chief Food Innovation Officer). It was a great kickoff!
Annually, DRG will invite a new class of female stars to join the WIL group, which will include a mix of office and restaurant leaders(area coach or coordinator level and up). WIL members will become privy to some special professional development perks including:
