Many people know Sharla Hennek as our Chief People Officer (CPO) here at Border Foods. But what some may not know, is that while Sharla currently resides at our company headquarters, she began her journey like so many others, as a part of the Taco Bell restaurant scene! Sharla’s journey from hardworking college student to hardworking CPO is a fairy tale built by resilience and a can-do spirit.
Sharla grew up in a small town in northern Minnesota called Babbitt, but a move to the St. Cloud area after her sophomore year in high school was the first of many changes that would push her outside her comfort zone. Sharla describes going from a school of 27 students to 385.
“It was an incredibly difficult transition,” she shares.
Sharla had already begun working at a quick service restaurant to make money in high school, but when a Taco Bell opened nearby, she felt called to try something new.
“I thought I had hit the jackpot,” she explains of the salary boost the new job afforded her.
A Date with Destiny
Some may say the job was fated, as it paired Sharla with a mentor who would prove integral in her education, and subsequently, her career journey.
When she became an Assistant General Manager (AGM) after high school, it was Sharla’s manager who made her aware of the many benefits Taco Bell offers – specifically, the tuition reimbursement program.
“It was a way to achieve more. And to be more,” Sharla says of her view on college. “To have an impact in the world, to know that you can support yourself.”
Sharla didn’t come from a lot of money – her family was unable to help pay for school. But she wasn’t afraid of hard work, and that made all the difference. And so began Sharla’s undergraduate journey at St. Cloud State, one she began at the same time as her mother, in fact!
The [tuition reimbursement] program was the only reason I was able to stay in college.
Sharla Hennek, Chief People Officer
Finding Support
Sharla couldn’t afford to go to college full-time, so she balanced working full-time at Taco Bell while attending school part-time. “My boss was so amazing,” she shares. “Super supportive.”
She met with her manager every semester to plan her schedule. Sharla credits him with helping her recognize that she could handle both school and work. Sometimes that meant opening the restaurant, going to class and returning for a closing shift in the evening.
It took Sharla six years to graduate with her bachelor’s degree, but it was time well spent. “It was everything,” she says of the opportunities her education created. “It was a way forward.”
To be able to get a diploma in something that could set up a career path was amazing.
Sharla Hennek, Chief People Officer
Sharla walked out of college with only $5,000 in student loans, which she was able to pay off in a year’s time.
Stepping into a Future in Leadership
As luck would have it, the same boss who mentored Sharla through her college years, stepped away to pursue a new opportunity, leaving the Restaurant General Manager (RGM) role up for grabs. It was a job that Sharla was destined to take over.
“It just took off from there,” Sharla says.
An introvert by nature, Sharla’s the first to share that she never imagined herself in a leadership role back in her college days. She admits that working with people is both exhausting and exhilarating.
“Every leader I’ve ever had has taught me something,” she says. And Sharla strives to do the same for the people in her orbit. “We all have that obligation to make it a little better than it was before.”
She views it as her duty to help team members realize what their dreams can be, even if those dreams eventually take them away from Border Foods and Taco Bell. “It’s okay if we’re just a stopping place,” she says.
Financing Big Dreams
Sharla is a walking example of what’s possible when you make the most of every opportunity. Going to college is more expensive than ever, but we support dreamers and the quest for lifelong learning.
At Border Foods, AGM and RGM roles require a high school diploma, which is part of the reason we offer a GED program. It’s our way of trying to give people a path to follow.
Our tuition reimbursement program is for shift leaders and above pursuing two- or four-year degrees. Participants need to fund their start, but once they turn in their report cards, they can be reimbursed for good grades.
“What easier way to get an education and have something in your back pocket for future use?” Sharla queries.
School can be completed as quickly or as slowly as necessary. There is an annual limit to what we can fund for tax purposes, so part-time school is often the best way forward.
It’s free money just for your hard work.
Sharla Hennek, Chief People Officer
“Go and do well, and the money is there for the taking,” Sharla urges. “And you can walk out of college without having crippling amounts of student loan debt.”
Sharla’s story shows that education and opportunity can go hand in hand. Ready to start your own success story? Apply today and see where your journey can take you!
