We celebrated our “sweet 16” in Sioux Falls, SD as we opened our 16th Taco Bell in the state and 252nd restaurant in the Upper Midwest! Our newest location at 8340 W. 41st Street. opened August 26.
“In 2015, we acquired our first Taco Bell restaurant in Sioux Falls,” says Border Foods President and CEO Aaron Engler. “Now, 10 years later, we’re beyond excited to be opening and can’t wait to welcome local taco fans with the bold flavors and fast, friendly service they’ve come to love.”
To celebrate the new Sioux Falls location opening, the first 50 guess received a free No. 1
combo meal. Did we mention we’re hiring?
Order a meal and get a job when you apply to join our team! Positions available at the Sioux Falls location range from cashiers and cooks to Shift Leads and restaurant management. As a family-owned franchisee with a people-first culture, we pride ourselves on setting team members up for long-term career success. Good food, great jobs — can’t lose!
This month, we break ground on the 100th Taco Bell restaurant in Minnesota, which will be located in Ramsey, MN.
“I’m excited to be a part of this monumental event,” says Chief Operations Officer (COO) Vince Bosscher. “I was here for our 200th store, I was here when we added a store in our tenth state … now, to celebrate 100 restaurants in our hometown state of Minnesota — where it all began — is amazing!”
This summer, be a part of
Border Foods’ history!
Vince shares that much of the satisfaction with this restaurant project comes from the fact that in adding a new location, our company gets to invest in more jobs and more people in the state “that has been so good to Border Foods.”
The Ramsey Taco Bell is scheduled to open this fall.
Minnesota Road Trip Anyone?
In honor of this latest company milestone, we’ve pulled together a fun way to get Taco Bell fans and their families involved! Hop in the car for a little summer road trip around the state to collect stamps from various Taco Bells throughout Minnesota.* Twenty stamps on your passport earns you a free commemorative t-shirt!
Get all the details on the summer passport challenge here. Note: You must download and print our “passport” to participate.
Ready to road trip? Let’s get going!
*Border Foods’ passport challenge excludes the Marshall, MN Taco Bell.
If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to open a brand new Taco Bell restaurant, “Excited, nervous, a little tired,” is how Restaurant General Manager (RGM) Trey Moody summed up his feelings about the grand opening of Border Foods’ much anticipated Taco Bell in Williston, ND.
Supported by Border, Trey moved his wife and 4-year-old daughter from Bismarck, ND to Williston to pursue this career opportunity. It’s safe to say they’ve been welcomed with open arms. “Williston’s been waiting for a Taco Bell for 20-plus years,” Trey shares.
If you have Taco Bell gear on, you’re a celebrity in Williston.
Deb Fraser, Region Coach
Planning for Success
The Williston Taco Bell is currently surrounded by a fair amount of development, but Region Coach (RC) Deb Fraser wasn’t going to let a little roadwork get in the way of our Day One sales goals. She worked with the city to redirect traffic, ensure visible sign placement and open roads just for the occasion!
The result? We’re thrilled to share that Williston broke our opening day sales goal! The previous record was set by our Taco Bell Defy opening in June 2022!
In addition to directing traffic, we also brought in teams from North Dakota, Michigan and western Minnesota to help support sales on opening day. “Best of the best tacos serving this great town,” Deb says.
Williston has been so supportive of our new Taco Bell. – Deb Fraser, Region Coach
Deb Fraser, Region Coach
Warm Welcome
Not only has the city of Williston been waiting years for a Taco Bell, we’ve been waiting years to open one! This combined excitement made for a thrilling grand opening for everyone involved. “This town has been buzzing,” Deb says. “It’s been super fun.”
This has been a long time coming for our community.
Brockelle Otte, President & CEO of Williston Area Chamber of Commerce.
And boy did this town turn out for tacos! Guests were lined up as early as 8 a.m. with some proudly showing off Taco Bell-themed tattoos!
Also in attendance was the President & CEO of the Williston Area Chamber of Commerce, Brockelle Otte. “There is a lot of excitement and hype for Taco Bell today,” she shares.
Opening a new Taco Bell restaurant is about more than just bringing tacos to town. “It’s a great sign of economic growth,” says Brockelle. “It’s really signifying that Williston is on the ‘up and up’ and I’m excited to see it.”
This month we bid beloved Region Coach Pam Hare farewell as she transitions from leading Border Foods’ Region 1 — which covers western South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming and Nebraska — to a sure-to-be fulfilling retirement with her husband Greg.
“I’m so proud to have played a part in the growth of Border Foods,” Pam says. When she joined us 14 years ago, we had just under 90 locations. Since then, Pam and her team have been involved in many acquisitions! She likes to say we “Border-rized” certain markets like Sioux Falls, SD; the Upper Peninsula of Michigan; the Quad Cities; North Dakota; Billings, MT; and Nebraska.
Being a leader at Taco Bell completely changed my life.
Pam Hare, Region Coach
Pam will be remembered for many things around here, not the least of which is for her positive energy and embodying our core value of treating people like family. She’s been described as “the mother” of her region, always leading with heart and taking care of her people. In fact, she was one of our very first Heart of Border Foods award recipients.
In her most recent role, Pam oversaw 23 restaurants in four states that employed roughly 800 team members. She swears she’s loved every minute of it!
“I honestly can’t think of a time where Pam wasn’t energized to be here,” says CEO and President Aaron Engler. “No matter the task, she shows up with joy, purpose and a genuine love for the work — leading, growing and building something with her team.”
A Brief Career Overview
Pam’s earliest passion was actually live animals, not tacos. Growing up, her dad worked for a veterinarian in their town. She remembers joining him on middle-of-the-night house calls to deliver baby farm animals and perform emergency surgeries.
“I was intrigued by all he could do to help or save animals,” she says, reflecting. Despite having dreamt of following in her father’s footsteps up until about age 14, she instead went on to work for her brother’s drive-in restaurant for the next eight years.
At 21, Pam decided to relocate to Rapid City, SD, and quickly realized she needed a job. After applying for an open position, she was contacted by the local Taco Bell franchisee.
“I had never even heard of Taco Bell,” Pam admits. But a 44-year career with our famous brand would take off from there, with her first position as a Shift Lead.
“I was given the opportunity to lead people with Taco Bell,” she shares. “Working side by side with great leaders who mentored me brought out my love for leading people and helping others be successful.”
Pam became a part of the Border Foods family in December 2011 when we acquired the Rapid City market.
“Pam’s ability to lead with compassion, care and consistency has shaped one of the most financially successful regions in our company for years. And it’s no accident,” Aaron says. “She treats her team like family, and they show up for her because of it.”
A Bright Light
People are paramount to the success of our company. And Pam has always taken that seriously. According to her, her leadership style is centered around believing in others, giving them room to grow and letting them shine.
“I encourage others to take the chance and be successful,” she shares. “What I do matters to me and I want it to matter to others. If I can help someone by having a conversation about my path to success, and give them the nudge to go for what they want, that’s great!”
She lights up every room she walks into with her warmth, her smile and her presence.
Aaron Engler, CEO & President
“Knowing you made an impact, no matter how small or large, is very gratifying,” she says of her time here.
Relishing Retirement?
Pam says people are what she’ll miss the most about this busy work life. “I will always value all the great relationships with my team, my guests, and my co-workers that I have made throughout my career.”
But she also has some great things to look forward to! Pam’s list so far for relishing retirement includes:
coffee on the patio in the morning sunshine;
no itinerary for the day;
quality time with her husband, family and friends (and cats); and
bucket list travel!
As for this last item, it turns out we have plenty of stops on the map! “It will be amazing to have so many people that I can visit on a personal level in 10 states,” Pam says, reflecting on how travel and her work family will continue to collide.
Until then, we wish Pam well in this next chapter. Congratulations on a celebrated career with Taco Bell and our company!
Each year, the Taco Bell Foundation awards millions of dollars in the form of community grants. These grants are distributed among youth-serving organizations in areas where Taco Bell does business. Specifically, funds are dedicated to expanding youth access to academic mentorship, career exploration, financial literacy and more.
We believe that empowering young people is one of the most meaningful ways we can invest in the future.
Lisa Lane Cardin, Executive Director of the Taco Bell Foundation
Border’s Big Impact
This was a record-breaking year for the Taco Bell Foundation, and we were excited to be part of it. Border Foods awarded over $3 million of the $28 million total raised!
These funds were made possible thanks to the generous contributions of guests, Taco Bell team members and franchisee owners. But just how does it all come together?
A Little ata Time
We spoke with a couple of Border team members to learn more about the fundraising process. They shared that “rounding up” — the practice of asking guests when checking out if they’d like to round up their total to the next dollar (with the extra funds going straight to the Taco Bell Foundation) — is responsible for a huge portion of the money that’s raised each year.
Aaron Engler, our CEO & President, explained that we’ll see the impact of the funds that were raised right here in our communities. Rather than going to one centralized location, the money that each Taco Bell franchisee generates goes to local organizations of their choosing in the areas that surround their restaurants.
Giving back to the communities we operate in has always been important
Mollie Sommer, Community Engagement Specialist
Uplifting Youth
We spoke with Max Thao, Program Director at the Boys & Girls Clubs East Side, which is one of the many local organizations that will benefit from a Taco Bell Foundation community grant. He shared that that the money they receive will be dedicated to improving the organization’s college and career readiness programming, helping prepare participants for the real world outside of high school and beyond.
In addition to local Boys & Girls Clubs, we were thrilled to present checks to a number of nearby Junior Achievement organizations, the YMCA of Rapid City, SD and more.
A huge thank you to everyone who helped make this generosity possible!
Please note: In order to make a larger impact in some markets, Border’s giving was combined with funds raised by fellow franchisee owners in surrounding areas.
When you’ve been in business for nearly 40 years, you get to celebrate a bunch of awesome milestones along the way. Today, we‘re thrilled to share that we’ve grown to 250 Taco Bells in 10 states!
No. 250 opened July 23 in Davenport, IA. Nicknamed “Kimmy” because of its location on Kimberly Road, those intimately involved in the Quad Cities market know this particular restaurant opening marks a company first. Border Foods entered the Quad Cities in 2019 with the purchase of 13 Taco Bells in the area, but this is the first time we’ve built and opened a brand new location there!
In speaking with Director of Operations Kasey Baeza, it becomes obvious that it all came down to patience on this one. According to her, this opening has been made possible by the company’s dedication to stabilizing operations in the region. Up to this point, we’ve been running existing restaurants in the Quad Cities. But thanks to the investments made in finding the right people, strengthening the bench and maintaining the facilities in place, we built up enough stability to open our own store!
Kasey says it’s hard to put the significance of this milestone into words when you think about the rich history of the company. When she joined us just six years ago, there were only 184 locations.
“It’s been really incredible being a part of this legacy,” Kasey says with a nod to Co-founders Jeff and Lee Engler.
Davenport’s historic grand opening included live music, a ribbon cutting, refreshments, a raffle for commemorative Border Foods t-shirts, and other giveaways. CEO and President Aaron Engler provided remarks, along with several local officials.
Forging Ahead
Border Foods continues to look at expansion, according to Aaron. Growing up in the family business, he remembers those early years “when Lee had a one-room office in the basement of an office building … just him and his assistant.”
Aaron started working for our Maple Grove Taco Bell at age 15. “I don’t even know how many restaurants we had at the time, but there’s no way I’d have told you we’d be doing a ribbon cutting for our 250th restaurant!”
Aaron continues, “Each restaurant proves we can scale without sacrificing our culture or the Border way. The 250th restaurant is the start to the next 250!”
Opening our 250th location, it’s pretty incredible … success and growth has been built on truly doing the right thing.
Kasey Baeza, Director of Operations
“We want to continue to grow the Border family in every state that we operate in,” says Chief Operations Officer (COO) Vince Bosscher, who’s been with the company for seven years and remembers the 200th restaurant opening. “The more stores that we open means the more people we get to hire … which means the more lives we get to impact with career paths and leadership development. ‘Making lives better’ is something we love to do and we’re going to do it with tacos!”
“For me, I’m just very proud of the Region 4 team, very proud of Jen,” says Kasey. “It’s been a journey … to get to a place where the company can really consider building a store there. [We] couldn’t do it without building a really stable foundation of people.”
Wanted: New Hires
According to Region Coach Jen Copeland, the hiring never stops! Though Davenport opened with a solid restaurant team under the helm of Restaurant General Manager (RGM) Brandon Wagner (a former “RGM of the Year”), we still have openings! Grab a taco and snag a job with a company who cares. Check out available positions here.
If you allow people to be your foundation, they’ll continue to raise you up.
What event involves Taco Bell, edible medals and 31+ miles? If you answered, the Taco Bell 50K event, you’d be correct! On May 31, 50 participants ran 31+ miles through the Twin Cities metro with seven stops at Border Foods’ Taco Bell restaurants along the way!
Described as “nacho average marathon,” the course took participants on a loop through the Twin Cities, beginning at our Taco Bell in Bloomington, MN and ending in St. Paul. Stops along the run included Taco Bells in Richfield, Edina and Minneapolis.
This quirky ultra is all about combining fitness, food and fun!
Julie Knopp is the runner behind the Twin Cities version of this race, and says her goal was for the day to be “as weird and magical as possible.” In keeping with that mission, unconventional race packets included Taco Bell-themed stickers and race bibs, hot sauce packets, and temporary “Run Más” tattoos. How far-reaching is this Taco Bell-themed race lore? One runner flew in from Alaska just for this event!
Huge shoutout to the small but mighty volunteer team that made the first ever Twin Cities Taco Bell 50K possible! There was a makeshift aid station between two of the stops, where a person dressed in a taco costume could be seen handing out water, Gatorade and fruit.
Speaking of food, one might wonder how a person can run over 31 miles while taking taco breaks. The key to completing a Taco Bell 50K run successfully was to eat light food between stops, like Cinnamon Twists and Cheesy Roll Ups — nothing too heavy on the stomach. There are two food items participants were required to eat before completing the race: one Burrito and a Crunchwrap. Once participants crossed the finish line, racers were awarded with taco-flavored cookie medals.
While this is the first time this run has been hosted in Minnesota, there is one in Denver, CO that has been running (pun intended!) for some time. Will they be crazy enough to do it again in 2026? Stay tuned!
We recently caught up with Area Coach(AC) Brenda Gillispie beachside on our Best of the Best(BOTB) reward trip in Cancún, Mexico.“It’s so exciting to be here,” Brenda shares. She describes the experience perfectly: bringing people to the best place ever to enjoy themselves. The milestone was particularly sweet for this self-described“daddy’s girl,” who brought her dad on the trip as her“plus one.”“It’s absolutely amazing,” she says.
This BOTB newbie is the perfect candidate for a vacation in paradise.“I love traveling, I love adventurous stuff,” Brenda shares.“I love doing new things.”
Finding Her Place
Brenda isn’t new to Border Foods. She’s been with us for five years, and knows what it takes to make it to the top.“It took a few years and a lot of hard work, and a lot of teamwork,” she says of her career climb.“[But it] was worth it.”
Brenda joined us as a Shift Lead from another quick service franchisee after hearing her sister gush about her job with us.“She told me all about Border and how amazing they are for their people,” Brenda recalls.
This is it. This is my place.” – Brenda Gillispie, Area Coach
Brenda Gillispie, Area Coach
The connection was immediate. Our culture of recognition and family is what really stood out to her. Now, well into her career journey, she says,“I feel like I’m a part of something that’s so big and beautiful. I love that.”
Hard Work Pays Off
While her feeling of being in the right place was immediate, reaping the rewards took a little longer to come to fruition for Brenda. She admits the road to Best of the Best was a“battle,” in her words.
“I’m not one to get knocked down so quickly. I know these things take time and I was just willing to put in the work,” she says.
Everything you want in life, you have to work hard for.
Brenda Gillispie, Area Coach
Inspiring leadership and teamwork helped Brenda stay committed for the long haul. Her favorite part of the AC role is connecting with people.“I feel so inspired by the people that are around me,” she shares.“We’re always there for each other no matter what.”
Looking Ahead
Brenda’s five–year plan includes mulling over a Region Coach position, although she says she always takes stock of her role after every promotion before considering her next move.“I love continuing to improve myself and others,” she says.
There’s just so much to offer at Border.
Brenda Gillispie, Area Coach
No matter the title, one thing’s for sure: Brenda plans to stick around with us for the long haul.“I love Border. I’ll die here and I’m okay with that,” she says with a laugh.
If you’re looking for a career with this kind of longevity, consider joining us!
Meet Heather Aos, Area Coach(AC) of Border Foods’ Area 31, which comprises all of our Taco Bell restaurants in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula(UP). This gal knows a little something about elevating a career with us — her words, not ours!
Heather joined Border Foods eight years ago with our large acquisition of UP and central Michigan Taco Bells. Today, she’s a recent Golden Bell winner, an eight-time recipient of a spot on our annual Best of the Best(BOTB) reward trip to Mexico, and an oh-so-worthy subject of a Core Value spotlight for embodying daily excellence in her work.
[Border Foods] does unbelievable things for you.
– Heather Aos, Area Coach
We caught up with Heather in Cabo to hear more about how she got here and her most meaningful advice for others seeking to follow a similar path.
The History of Heather
“I started back in high school, so I was 15 and basically, I needed a job,” Heather shares. Her main motivation at the time was earning enough money to buy the car she wanted. Her first Taco Bell job was working for her best friend’s mom, a person she revered but lost unexpectedly to illness. By the time Heather graduated from high school, she was already a Shift Manager.
Heather continued to climb the career ladderwith natural inclination and drive. She was promoted to Assistant General Manager(AGM) about four years before we acquired her location. She’s only been away from the Taco Bell brand for six months during her entire career!
Within that first year, they developed me to be an Area Coach … I got the whole UP and that was kind of my dream career!
–Heather Aos, Area Coach
Heather takes us back to the time of the Michigan acquisition. She says she remembers thinking the things she was hearing from our leadership about competitive pay and other perks were too good to be true. But she soon realized what she was hearing was real — higher pay, bonus potential and recognition in the form of an all-expenses paid trip to Mexico, these are all a part of making lives better.
“It seems unreal sometimes,” she admits.“These trips are just the tip of the iceberg.”
Heather Knows Best
So how can you, achieve career growth like Heather and earn a reward trip? Well first, you can’t win if you don’t join! Check out our current job openings.
“We work really really hard all year round,” Heather says.“You have to be‘on it’ from the start of the year to the end of the year.”
Heather emphasizes consistency and remaining high performing all year.“You can’t let something slip to get to this trip,” she adds.
Heather touches on the importance of developing the bench:“Try to keep everyone who you have in the store. Make great hires. And then have the‘pedal to the metal’ everyday.”
Heather appears to be living her best work life right now. She oozes of praise for Border Foods and reflects on having the good fortune of working with eight different teams in the course of her career. She doesn’t show any signs of slowing down!
And, this could be YOU! The time to elevate your career to the next level is now. Buckle up!
We caught up with dedicated Service and Food Champion Brenda Foley in Cancún, Mexico, where she was enjoying some well-deserved beachside relaxation — on us! Brenda, a 30-year veteran with our company, won time away from her Taco Bell family in Stillwater, MN, as one of this year’s Heart of Border Foods(HOBF) recipients.
“Brenda cares a lot about people,” HR Business Partner Richelle Johnson shares in the award reveal video.“People who work with her, she’s kind of like a mom to all of those kids in Stillwater.”
The Heart of Border Foods Award is about taking care of others, family and teamwork.
On Becoming Our Beloved Brenda
Brenda takes us back to her beginning with Border Foods. She shares that her career here started when she was babysitting for a restaurant manager who thought she should come work for her at Taco Bell. Starting as a Service Champion, Brenda recalls working the restaurant lobby for her first five years alongside another revered Border Foods veteran, Sr. Safety & Risk Manager Juli Sargent.
She was a young, single mom at the time. For Brenda, Taco Bell proved to be a great fit(her words, not ours). The champion role offered flexibility for young parents — and later, the very same flexibility was available as she navigated personal health issues.
She’s had several great mentors along the way — and the same has definitely been said about her! Over her three decades with us, Brenda has been offered other internal positions and promotions, some of which she’s turned down. She says she was always certain she didn’t want to get“stuck in an office.”
According to her, it’s rare to work for a company like Border Foods.“They don’t push,” she explains.“They make sure that you’re ready and that, if it’s not a‘right fit’ for you, it’s not a right fit.”
It IS like a family … they think about you.
Brenda Foley, Service & Food Champion
Being supported and mentored throughout the years has helped Brenda to develop into the loved leader she is today. It’s also certainly given her the kind of fulfillment that keeps her beaming light shining so bright for her team and all the restaurant regulars. People come in to the Stillwater Taco Bell just to see her!
Thinking about the Big 3-0
Thirty years with one company is a supreme commitment. What does Brenda think about the milestone?
She recalls a time early on when she met someone who’d been with Border Foods for five years.“I was like,‘Oh my gosh, I can’t believe that you’ve been there for five years!’” she recounts.“And here I am, my 30 years!”
When asked what’s next for her, Brenda responds,“Just to be who I am still and keep continuing to mentor.“
At Border Foods, we’re proud to be the kind of employer that allows its team members to be their authentic selves.
“I hope I have a lot of good years left to stay[here],” Brenda adds.
Congratulations on your 30-year service anniversary, Brenda! You’ve been a delight to many, and we’re so fortunate to have positive people like you that the next generation can look up to.
