A TACO BELL FRANCHISEE
The bonus potential is very substantial, and the benefits and insurance are incredible, she says.
The insurance policy came to the rescue when her husband needed a lung removed as a result of a strange form of cancer. “Border was there to help us through that. The company cares.”
Looking to start your career? Apply today!
Border Foods likes to acknowledge a job well done; recognition is given to individuals and teams who go the extra mile. The Heart of Border Foods accolade is the pinnacle of awards — the highest form of recognition with in our company. It’s like a lifetime achievement award for Border Foods team members. Here, we announce this year’s winners. Congratulations!
Darlene Dant (32993 Marshall)
Becky Wenger (Territory Training Manager)
Vanessa Green (19622 Edinburgh)
Max Corrigan (Marketing & Analytics Manager)
Barb Bunney (27881 North Street)
LaVonne Whittemore (2892 Anoka)
Jenni Bang (Executive Assistant to Leadership)
Jeff Engler
Lee Engler
Aaron Engler
We are so excited to officially announce the 2020 Border Foods and Carol Williams Scholarship recipients!
The scholarships were created in tandem as a way to help Border Foods team members reach higher education goals. The Carol Williams Scholarship carries extra special meaning as it celebrates the memory, passion and dedication of our late VP of Operations, Carol Williams. (watch a quick clip about the scholarship).
This year, we awarded 10 team members with a collective $42,000! While we weren’t in-person due to COVID restrictions, we were able to connect on surprise Zoom calls with every recipient. Be sure to watch their reactions in this year’s video below.
We’re so proud of our new scholarship winners, and we look forward to watching you pursue your dreams with our support.
2020 Carol Williams Scholarship Recipients; $5,500 each:
2020 Border Foods Scholarship Recipients; $3,000 each:
For the last few years, we have embarked on a journey to grow our business from 80 to more than 200 restaurants. Today, we’re excited to share that the strategy we seeded years ago has evolved into what we are today – a leading Taco Bell franchisee with a meaningful purpose: To Make Lives Better.
As founders of this company, we’ve acted as CEO and Chairman together for years. And while we love being in the business, we know it’s time for yet another new Border Foods chapter.
We’re ready to welcome new thinking, a more collaborative approach to leadership, and more accountability across teams. We’re also eager to spend more time in acquisitions, a part of the business that we both feel passionate about. To that end, please join us in congratulating Aaron Engler in his new role as President and CFO of Border Foods.
Aaron has been part of the Border Foods family since he was 15, finding summer work in the restaurants and aiding the Facilities Department. Throughout his college years, Aaron worked with the Technology Department, learning the intricacies of the back of house, POS and office systems. After a few years as Director of Marketing at our sister company, Delaget, Aaron rejoined Border as Director of Corporate Initiatives, leading special projects across teams. Just last year he became Chief Financial and Administrative Officer where under his leadership, the Finance Department successfully implemented NetSuite, a new Enterprise Resource Plan across the company.
In his role as President, Aaron will lead the Leadership Team, where together they’ll manage operations, development, finance and technology. Aaron will report directly to the Board of Directors as we move into a Strategic Advisory role. This scalable approach to leadership allows us to build a bridge across departments, continue to move away from a siloed leadership approach, and make room for new ideas and strategies.
It’s time for the next generation of leadership to begin shaping the Border Foods future.
Congratulations, Aaron! We look forward to watching you grow in this role.
In 1979, Border Foods founders Jeff and Lee Engler opened their first Mexican restaurant called Los Primos. Little did they know, 40 years later, they’d be at the helm of one of the largest Taco Bell franchisees in the nation. At Border Foods, tenure means everything to us. And we think 40 years in the industry is something to celebrate! So, on Oct. 25, we surprised Jeff and Lee with a party at the Border Foods headquarters.
When it comes to working at Border Foods, one thing’s for sure: We’re about more than just making tacos (although let’s admit it, our tacos are pretty dang tasty). This month marked the inaugural unveiling of the Border Foods and Carol Williams Scholarship recipients — an event that took our scholars by complete surprise as Border leaders traveled to a few locations to deliver checks and celebrate with friends and family.
The scholarships were created in tandem as a way to help Border Foods team members reach higher education goals. The Carol Williams Scholarship carries extra special meaning as it celebrates the memory, passion and dedication of Carol — the founder of our family culture — who passed away last year (watch a quick clip about the scholarship).
“We’re so grateful to see this scholarship come to fruition,” said Krysta Corrigan, Carol’s daughter, about the Carol Williams Scholarship. “My mom had a huge heart for her employees. She would be honored and so thankful to know that she had an opportunity to impact their lives outside of Border Foods.”
Scholarship applications opened in the spring with a few requirements to apply. Recipients needed to be actively pursuing secondary education and have been employed for at least six months, averaging an 18-hour work week (as of the application deadline). After we received applications, we worked with International Scholarship and Tuition Services (a third-party vendor) to help us make recipient decisions.
“When we sat down to develop this scholarship, we did it with one goal in mind: to provide a resource for you to further your education,” Lee Engler, CEO, said in a family letter to scholars. “With a mission to Make Lives Better, we truly feel like this gift will do just that.”
Congratulations to these Carol Williams scholars, each receiving $5,500:
Congratulations to these Border Foods scholars, each receiving $3,000:
I know that I need an education in order to better myself and better my family,” said scholar Tommy Holloway. “Thank you for believing in me.”
Building a great team takes trust, and developing that trust takes time and loyalty. At Border Foods, we attribute so much of our business success to our teams’ commitment. Our Border Foods 2018 Recognition Rally embodied all the great things we look for in excellent hospitality and pristine restaurants. And we’re not just serving tacos. We’re providing an experience for team members that feels more like coming home. Below, find the year’s accomplishments:
As a family of nearly 5,000 team members today, the Of the Year Awards honor just a few who stand out above the rest. These important team members understand people development, have a solid history of internal promotions and show they can master metrics. 2018 of the year awards recipients included:
This award was built to honor the traits we valued in Carol Williams and inspire all team members to live and breathe the culture of Border Foods. We recognize team members who exemplify the attitude, dedication and family culture that Carol embodied. The core principles that make up the heart of this award include, development, achievement and culture. Every Heart of Border Foods recipient personifies a family driven culture in all aspects of work, grows team members both personally and professionally, executes long and short-term goals and exceeds business metrics. Congratulations to our Heart of Border Foods winners!
Congratulations to all our team members who received recognition for 2018 accomplishments. Bring on 2019!
As most of you know, Carol Williams was an integral part of our business since inception. When she began working with Taco Bell 30 years ago, we knew there was something special about Carol. Sure, she could make a taco, manage a restaurant, oversee an area. But she could also help a team member fulfill a dream, capture goals and put them into action, listen when it mattered most, and so much more. Her innate ability to lead propelled her through the Border Foods career path, moving her from team member to sole leader of our Taco Bell business as the Vice President of Operations.
Over the last 20-some years, Carol both shaped our company culture and encouraged team members to follow in her footsteps along the way. To that end, it’s with great pride that we formed the Heart of Border Foods Award, inspired by Carol Williams.
The award was built to honor the traits we valued in Carol and inspire all Border Foods team members. Leadership happens throughout the inner workings of our business, not just in a corner office. It transpires behind the counter, in front of the customer, in the back of the house. It shows up in your conference calls, your team huddles, your area and region meetings. Congratulations to the three 2018 recipients – Sharla Hennek, Pam Hare and Aurora Tapia. We’re honored to celebrate this inaugural group, and look forward to the impact our culture will continue to have in coming weeks, months and years ahead.
