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It’s time for one of our favorite reveals, this year’s Live Más Scholarship winners at DRG! Eleven ambitious individuals from within our company have been selected as recipients of Taco Bell Foundation’s supremely famous scholarship for restaurant employees, each securing $5,000 to $25,000 toward higher education pursuits.

DRG recipients have won a combined total of $120,000 in 2024 scholarship funds from the Foundation!

Here at DRG, we consider it an honor to be a part of anyone’s journey toward personal and professional fulfillment. With Live Más Scholarships and our tuition assistance program, we help make dreams possible!

Check out our winners and their diverse interests! A special “shout out” to sports lover Gracie Salazar, who was selected by the Foundation to be part of the non-profit’s national recipient reveal. Gracie, you go, girl!

 

Congratulations 2024 Live Más Scholars!

$25,000

Gracie Salazar, 039796
Passion: Sports
View Gracie’s Video

Melody Silva Gutierrez, 039842
Passion: Health and Fitness
View Silva’s Video

$10,000

Aidan Edmonds, 034411
Passion: Technology
View Aidan’s Video

Anthony Mele, 031891
Passion: Medicine
View Anthony’s Video

Carlos Harris, 041597
Passion: Science
View Carlos’s Video

Yohanese Yilma, 031894
Passion: Medicine
View Yohanese’s Video

$7,500

Edosasere Amayo, 035242
Passion: Medicine
View Edosasere’s Video

Arnold Mendoza, 039786
Passion: Medicine
View Arnold’s Video

$5,000

Diego Lopez, 031879
Passion: Creative Arts
View Diego’s Video

Evan Mertz, 031916
Passion: Business and Entrepreneurship
View Evan’s Video

Kimberly Rosas, 041595
Passion: Creative Arts
View Kimberly’s Video

 

The saying goes, “never stop learning, because life never stops teaching.” That’s certainly the case for Elmer Soto, Restaurant General Manager (RGM) for DRG’s Rancho San Diego Taco Bell location.

Elmer has been with the brand for 15 years and says, “every day you learn something new, and I’m still not done!”

Starting as a Shift Lead, Elmer worked his way up the career ladder to Assistant Manager and eventually the RGM role, where he excels today.

“I love what I do.” – Elmer Soto, RGM

Variety is the Secret Sauce

Variety of work is what’s kept Elmer around so long, he says. He enjoys working with everyone from those starting their first jobs to veterans who have been with the company 20-plus years. With the younger set, he says, “I’m always teaching them something.”

And with tenured team members, he says, “they’re teaching me something.”

Elmer admits that not every day on the job is perfect, but his team always celebrate their wins and help each other out on the rough days. That positive energy exchange is what keeps Elmer going. “Working with the people that I have is a treat every day,” he says.

“It’s limitless: where you can go with DRG.” – Elmer Soto, RGM

What’s one item on Elmer’s bucket list? Going back to school to earn his college degree. And thanks to DRG’s tuition assistance program, that dream can become a reality! 

“I know that if I wanted to go back, that [DRG is] there to help me get those goals,” he shares. “It’s comforting to know that at my age, I can still get it done.”

Continuing our great race to the top, the 2024 DRG Leadership Summit was another hype-filled gathering of restaurant leaders from all of our markets. Inspired by the excitement of the upcoming Summer Olympics and the endurance of incredible athletes (watch the momentum build!), we called on employees to elevate their game in 2024!

DRG GOAL ACHIEVED: Highest-grossing Taco Bell in the world!

We’ve lit the torch for 2024, now let’s kick into high gear and make things happen!

Summit Highlights

Our 2024 Leadership Summit took place at Green Valley Ranch in Las Vegas, NV. Over 160 Area Coaches, Directors, Managers and Office Staff descended upon the resort to celebrate company growth, DRG’s evolving culture and numerous other successes of the past year.

Opening Ceremony highlights included:

 

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2023 AWARD WINNERS:

GENERAL MANAGERS OF THE YEAR

Kayla Rodriguez, Kansas City
Elsy Perez, Nevada
Pedro Favela, No. California
Nick Mastrokostas, DRG Meats
Danny Mergil, So. California

CANTINA GENERAL MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Darren Espy, Nevada

AREA COACH OF THE YEAR

Sam Chima, No. California

DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR

Isaiah Ritchie, So. California

MARKET TRAINING MANAGER OF THE YEAR

Jamie McCourtney, Nevada

FIELD SUPPORT PERSON OF THE YEAR

Jon Castro, Las Vegas (RSC)

SUPPORT CENTER PERSON OF THE YEAR

Garret Walti, Las Vegas (RSC)

GEORGE PSAROS – HELPING HANDS AWARD

Katherine Drake, Nevada

TOP PERFORMERS

SR AREA COACH

Mike Scheidegger, No. California

AREA COACHES

Chad Johnson, So. California
Dolores Gonzales, No. California
Jesus Garcia, So. California
Maria Villicano, So. California

GENERAL MANAGERS

Shereen Kasura, Nevada
Angel Rodriguez Diaz, So. California
Bryan Hermoza, No. California
Jennifer Guthrie, Kansas City
Jazmine Lucero, So. California

SUPPORT CENTER

Ramon Montoya, Las Vegas (RSC)

CORE VALUE WINNERS

LIVING OUT OUR VALUES AWARD

Gursimran Ghumman, No. California

WE DO THE RIGHT THING AWARD – Take Personal Accountability & Lead with Integrity

Alma Morales, So. California
Criselle Quiambao, Las Vegas (RSC)
Griselda Godinez, No. California

WE ARE AUTHENTIC AWARD – Be Yourself & Show You Care

Albert Green, Kansas City
Ron Rowe, Nevada
Sonia Hanson, Las Vegas (RSC)

WE ARE INNOVATORS AWARD – Embrace Change & Challenge the Status Quo

Laura Fuentes, DRG Meats
Shelly Camuso, Las Vegas (RSC)
Torey Wallace, Kansas City

WE HAVE FUN AWARD– Positive Energy is Contagious

Alexys Andaya, So. California
Crystal Velasco, Las Vegas (RSC)
Ravi Khilnani, Las Vegas (RSC)

WE WIN TOGETHER AWARD – As ONE DRG

Shane Grant, So. California
Teresa Jimenez, So. California
Yiovani Rodrigues, No. California

 

 

 

 

 

This month’s focus on women’s history closely coincides with the upcoming April 3rd anniversary of our Women in Leadership initiative, a companywide effort to propel more women to the top of our business. It’s been an exciting first year!

“We didn’t know how it was going to pan out,” initiative co-lead and Communications & Media Manager Sierra Burk shares honestly. “We knew leadership wanted to develop and recognize our women more — but the challenge was showing that this isn’t just a ‘nice to have,’ but that it’s a really meaningful program and a catalyst in our people development efforts.”

Sierra Burk is one of DRG’s most passionate advocates for creating a more inclusive culture.

DRG launched the Women’s Leadership Network (WLN) (formerly known as Women in Leadership or WIL) on April 3, 2023, pinning its first cohort of 20 women at last year’s Leadership Summit.

Along with deserved recognition and cool swag, WLN members also received career opportunities like easier access to networking, mentoring and development tools.

The greatest benefit — to DRG as a whole and those touched personally — is that women reported feeling more valued and empowered, according to Sierra.

“More women came forward and said they wanted to move up,” she says. “I think we’ve really got ladies that are just hungry for more.”

Culture Shifting

Prior to the 2023 launch of the WLN, Sierra says there really wasn’t an outlet for DRG women to share, connect or be heard.

“Women were just kind of running with it, trying to roll with the punches,” she says. “This past year, women really felt that we cared — that they were heard and understood.” 

It’s no secret that DRG executives have historically been all men. In fact, until the WLN was introduced, Sierra was the only female featured on our leadership page. With the recent hires of Debra Wendorf, Senior VP of Human Resources, and Kara Ramirez, VP of Operations – Royal City Bell, we’re working hard to change that. We’re also celebrating rising stars like Area Coach Alma Morales and General Manager and Certified Training Manager Corinne Canavan for their achievements.

“I think our company’s really good at being a leader of change.” – Sierra Burk, Communications & Media Manager

2023 Highlights

Year one of the WLN was the building phase and revealed important learnings, according to Sierra.

“A lot of it was about putting all the pieces together,” she says. “Those pieces work. Now, how can we create even more connection?”

In October, DRG held an interactive Women’s Leadership Virtual Conference that drew together DRG leaders men and women from all five markets. It was a hit! “The Leadership Team was like, ‘Wow this is really cool,’” Sierra says. “We made huge strides for the program this day, capturing the interest of employees and continuing to prove how valuable it is.”

Plans for 2024

“This year we get to dig a little deeper,” Sierra says. To her, it’s about deepening relationships and connection, and harnessing the passion of these women. 

Approaching the Network’s first anniversary, Sierra and the newly formed Women’s Leadership Council (which includes 2024 women’s initiative co-lead Hayley O’Connor, DRG’s Field Training Leader; last year’s co-lead Katrina Davis, DRG’s Kansas City HR Business Partner; and five others) hosted a recruitment period and formalized the application process. The result? This year’s cohort doubled the size of last year’s! Forty women comprise our 2024 cohort.

About DRG’s Women’s Leadership Network (WLN)

The WLN is open to DRG area coaches and above, and office personnel. The 2024 application period is now closed but those interested in being considered for 2025 are encouraged to apply during the annual February application period (previous cohorts may also reapply).

 

WLN members play an integral role in changing workplace culture for the better while also growing their own potential. Program perks include:

Congratulations to our 2024 WLN inductees! We look forward to another history-making year!

As Women’s History Month continues, we want to highlight another woman leader in DRG and give insight into what it’s like holding a leadership position as a woman in the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) industry. The majority of the crew-level population across the nation are women, yet that number drastically declines as you reach the executive level. QSR Magazine states that, according to a study done by The National Restaurant Association, only 38% of QSR executives identify as female.

Not only is it important to provide resources that facilitate professional growth for women, it is equally, if not more, important to tell their stories. Erika’s story embodies the experiences of countless women in the QSR industry. Maintaining conversation around women leaders amplifies representation and paves the way for new possibilities.

It all started with a chalupa. Erika Bernal was getting a bite to eat while visiting a family member at work when she was encouraged to join the team at DRG’s Taco Bell restaurant. What was Erika’s response? “Sure, why not?” 

Five years into the job, this Restaurant General Manager (RGM) has grown her family AND her career. “I love it,” she gushes.

Erika was a stay–at–home mom of two when she joined Taco Bell in 2019. In that role, “I was very, very busy 24 hours a day,” she shares. Since then, Erika has had three more children, which means flexibility is key to her success at work and at home. “Flexibility means a lot,” she says.

“I love the customers. I love what I do.” – Erika Bernal, RGM

As an RGM, “you have to be on top of everything,” Erika asserts. Fortunately, she has a great team to help make each day day a little smoother. “We’re all family,” she says. And like most families, there’s a lot of growth.

 

Never Stop Learning

“We learn every day from everyone,” Erika shares.

In fact, Erika stresses the importance of turning to tenured Taco Bell team members, some who worked on the team for 15 to 20 years, to learn from their experiences. “We learn, we grow. It’s exciting,” she says.

In addition to learning from those around you, Erika’s advice to current and future team members: be positive. Fortunately, with fun co-workers and some pretty great job perks, that should be an easy request to fill. 

“They have a lot of opportunities,” Erika says. Like DRG’s tuition assistance program, which helps employees go back to school in pursuit of their education goals.

“We have a lot of fun.” – Erika Bernal, RGM

Erika loves being an RGM, but she’d love to one day earn a spot at our Champions’ Club reward trip for top performing leaders. We can’t wait to see you there!

DRG is thrilled to announce the opening of our new Taco Bell location at 15498 State Avenue in Basehor, KS, marking a significant expansion for our company in the heart of the state!

“Our local leadership and team are excited to bring Taco Bell to the residents of Basehor. We appreciate Mayor Drennon, council members and school personnel who have all taken time to welcome us to the community,” says Christie Glaeser, Director of Operations for DRG’s South Kansas and Missouri market. “We look forward to serving guests with sincere hospitality, a clean environment, and quality food.”

Restaurant General Manager (RGM) Darius Green shares that the State Avenue team is very diverse, and this newest Taco Bell location is near a major highway for excellent visibility. 

Darius joined Taco Bell as a team member and worked his way up to the RGM role (see DRG’s career path). As driven as he is, it’s no surprise that Darius’ favorite part of the job is development. “I love to watch people grow,” he shares.

In the market for  growth opportunities and a fun working environment? We’re looking for Assistant General Managers! Apply online here. 

In March we celebrate Women’s History Month. As a team made of 54% women, DRG has committed to programs, events, and discourse that prioritize the personal and professional development of women. Our company could not operate at the level it does without the strong women on our team who largely contribute to our success. This month we will highlight just a few of the women in our organization that positively impact our teams every day.

Meet Area Coach (AC) Alma Morales, who oversees our San Diego County locations. She’s grown into a strong leader for the DRG team and continues to go above and beyond in everything she does. 

To be a Golden Bell winner is already a high honor. And still, Alma is part of an even smaller group of top-performing Taco Bell managers. She’s not only won the Golden Bell award two times, but one year, she received it for two restaurants simultaneously!

“It’s really hard to achieve Golden Bell,” she says. “But achieving Golden Bell for both of your stores at the same time, it’s a very proud moment that I have in my Taco Bell career.”

“You can achieve whatever you want.” -Alma Morales, Area Coach

Alma’s career spans 18 years (and counting). She started as an Assistant General Manager (AGM) and as her career with Taco Bell took off, she became Restaurant General Manager (RGM) and next, a Multi-Unit Manager overseeing two Taco Bells. Today, as an AC she manages seven locations!

 

Work + Family

Regardless of her growing level of responsibility, Alma still prioritizes her three children, her “pride and joy.”

“My secret is enjoying quality time with my family,” she says. Even if the quantity of time she has with her family can be limited, she adds, it’s the quality of the time she spends with them that helps her balance it all.

For Alma, winning a Golden Bell reward trip to Hawaii is even more special when you can bring a plus one. She shares that this provides a chance for family to share in celebrating your professional growth.

“It’s the family [that] get to see what you’re doing and why you’re sacrificing yourself,” she says. “When you come to work and you have those long days, or those hard days … it all pays off.”

Grow Big (or Go Home)

“At no point [have I] felt that I have limits,” Alma says of DRG. “ They always encourage you to go for it — go get it — and motivate you.”

With DRG, Alma sees innovation and even more opportunity. 

She also appreciates DRG’s tremendous support system  and genuine care for team members. She references our Employee Assistance Program — the DRG Cares Fund — and scholarships.

“They are so big about scholarships,” she says. “They believe in the future that we have.”

DRG wants a great future for its people.

“Taco Bell is about believing in people, growing people, teaching people and developing people,” she says. So, what’s next for Alma? She’s not entirely sure but with Taco Bell and DRG, the sky’s the limit! Want to work with great people like Alma who inspire and motivate? Find your job today.

 

 

 

One of our newest Taco Bells, on East Vista Way, opened at the end of 2023 and is off to a sizzling start. For Laura Pitiquen, who is new to DRG, the updated location (new drive-thru menu board, digital menus, updated furniture) is a nice change of scenery — she’s used to managing older Taco Bells.

Laura is East Vista’s Restaurant General Manager (RGM). She joined DRG during an acquisition. She says she was scared about a transition in ownership, but noticed similarities in culture immediately between DRG and her previous employer.

“We all want the same thing: We care about the customers.” 

The last Taco Bell Laura opened was six years ago. East Vista brings her career total to four. Today, her biggest challenge is having an all-new team. Training and correcting team members continue to be daily priorities.

But, Laura appears to be in the right place. “I love working with people … training, interacting with people,” she shares. Her goal is to propel East Vista to top 10, she says “make this store one of the best.” Sounds good to us!

Stop by today:

910 East Vista Way
Vista, CA

General Manager Darren Espy is truly in the prime of his career. Most recently, he: 

Now he gets to join the nation’s top 100 Taco Bell Managers and Area Coaches on a trip to Hawaii. Taco ‘bout some awesome news! 

Darren is a Manager Supreme, overseeing one of the busiest Taco Bells in the world. Whether playing host to a pack of hungry tourists or serving up Taco Bell faves at weddings and special events (like DRG’s race day watch party), the Vegas Cantina is a popular hotspot. 

At the time of our interview, Darren and his team were gearing up for Super Bowl Sunday on the Strip!

The Gold Standard

So what’s the big deal about this latest accolade?

Golden Bell metrics are based on the number of customer complaints, CORE audits, and star ratings.

“We came out on top,” Darren shares proudly. “It’s truly exciting to achieve that goal.” But, “one and done” is not his plan here — Darren’s already planning what’s needed to keep the Cantina’s spot on top.

“What do I do to maintain that standard?” he’s been asking himself.

But this is a guy who’s spent his entire career in Quick Service Restaurants (20 years with KFC!). If anyone can figure out a recipe for success, it’s Darren.

Darren’s motto: Work smarter, not harder. 

His other nuggets of wisdom: 

STAYING IN THE PRESENT

For now, Darren appreciates the uniqueness of his job as manager of a Taco Bell Cantina in Las Vegas.

“When you’ve been in the business this long, you can get bored,” he says. But according to Darren, the Cantina setting is so different — especially in Sin City — that it keeps things new and exciting.

“It’s fun to come to work,” he says. “I enjoy what I do.” Read more about why here.

“If I can retire doing what I’m doing, I will.” – Darren Espy, RGM

In the meantime, he’s got a trip to look forward to! This isn’t Darren’s first chance to see Hawaii — he once graciously gifted his parents a trip that he’d won while being a top performer at KFC. But finally it’s his turn!

 

In 2021, Corinne Canavan traveled to Las Vegas, NV from Detroit, MI on vacation. Nothing unusual.

“I realized that I love the weather and also, I noticed that the service industry was kind of struggling,” she recalls. “To me, that looked like an opportunity with my background.”

She simply applied online for a job with DRG and was hired — on her birthday — over Zoom. The rest, as they say, is history.

Opportunity After Opportunity

Corinne’s story with Arby’s actually starts farther back, though. She first started working for the brand during high school, long before joining the DRG family. She began as a cashier and found herself steadily working her way up to management, taking on “every position Arby’s has to offer.” And doing it well! She was among our top performers to go to Cabo last fall!

“I was an assistant six months before taking over my first location,” she says. Today, Corinne has managed seven restaurants so far and certified three. She says she likes the fast-paced environment. Her home base is our Durango Arby’s in North Las Vegas.

According to Corinne, DRG offers endless opportunity and “opens up the spectrum of where my career could go.”

“I need things to be new and exciting,” she continues. “DRG is really good at keeping it that way.”

Corinne says no matter where the career path takes her, she sees options at DRG: open a new restaurant, move up, check out another path within DRG. That’s what she’d share with prospects — DRG is a place where personal and professional development is happening all the time. And we have great benefits!

“I just, I see so many different opportunities,” she says.

Mentorship Matters

Today, Corinne holds two important roles for us — Certified Training Manager (CTM) for DRG Meats and manager of her Arby’s location.

“My team at 7781 … they get the job done for me,” she gushes. “My assistant is definitely my better half. Every single person on my management team … plays an individualized role in running the store. And they all do such a great job.”

“I’ve never, ever worked with a more inclusive group of people.”

In her day to day, sometimes Corinne is the mentor and sometimes she’s the student, she admits. She sees value in learning from diverse people from so many different walks of life.

Much as she enjoyed her all-expenses paid trip to Mexico as a newly inducted DRG Champions’ Club member (and Arby’s General Manager of the Year), it’s what she said in an earlier interview that shows her commitment to making an impact: “My favorite thing is training and development … I think it’s my job to bring someone else here next year,” she said about developing others to compete for a spot on our beloved reward trip. 

“I love the constant flow of mentorship … it’s always going in and going out, whether I’m the mentor or the student.” – Corrine Canavan, Training Manager

But you can’t earn a spot if you’re not a part of the team. Apply now! “It’s a very easy, fast-paced, fun job to have,” Corinne would tell you with enthusiasm!