This is Barb Bunney, RGM at our East North Street Taco Bell in Rapid City, SD. She’s in her seventh year of service with us and says she’s does a little bit of everything: a little service; a little food; a little office management, training and teaching.
“I have had the opportunity to be at all [of] the stores in Rapid City, managing or setting them up from when they’re brand new,” Barb shares. North Street is where she’s worked the longest.
Barb joined Border Foods as an external hire, transferring into the quick service restaurant (QSR) world from the grocery business. In her former position, she traveled extensively which got to be too much with a family.
“You know when you’re gone 200 some days out of the year and not home, it’s just very frustrating,” she shares.
She’s found a healthier balance at Border Foods. Today, Barb manages her own restaurant and while she says she helps out at other locations sometimes, it’s not weeks at a time.
“I love coming to work every day.” – Barb Bunney, RGM
“I love seeing my team, I love interacting,” she says. “I love to grow, I love to promote … I love to train and work with people, and help people the best I can.”
A ‘Lil Winning Streak
To say Barb has had a great couple of years professionally would be an understatement. She’s just returned from her second reward trip in two years! Under Barb’s leadership, her Rapid City Taco Bell was one of 47 of our restaurants to reach best-in-class signature status this year. She was also named one of Taco Bell’s top 100 GMs in the country, also known as a Golden Bell winner.
“We met every single metric in the best way we could,” she says. “We were not expecting it at all, we were just going to work doing our job, doing the best we can.”
Next thing Barb knew, she was on a plane to Hawaii for an amazing trip. And last year, as a regional “GM of the Year” for Border Foods, she and her husband went to Cancun! She also received the company’s Heart of Border Foods award, the highest form of recognition internally.
Catching a Break
There was an unexpected hiccup in paradise. Barb unfortunately tripped on her last day in Hawaii and is recovering from a broken wrist. How’s it going? It’s been all hands on deck at work. According to her, Border Foods is the kind of company that will “push for you” and stand up for you. She cites her injury as an example.
“I can’t work with food but they made sure I can do something and stay busy,” she explains. “I hope I am making a difference for them, one handed.”
“It’s an amazing company to work for,” Barb says. “The people are so genuine and so caring.”
At Border Foods, it always comes back to our core values. Barb says teamwork and family are her top two.
“They mesh together — if you’re family, there’s teamwork,” Barb says of company culture. We agree! We like to think we’re making lives better and with people like Barb on the team, we feel pretty confident we are. Join the fun!
