At Border Foods, we take pride in employing and supporting the next generation. Meet Holden – A college student, aspiring engineer, and recipient of the Carol Williams Scholarship.“It kind of came as a little bit of a surprise,” remarked Holden, who is studying Mechanical Engineering at North Dakota State University.
The Carol Williams Scholarship is awarded to Border Foods employees to aid in their higher education expenses.“It was really nice and helped out paying for school,” Holden shared about his $5,000 scholarship.
Next year will be Holden’s final year of his undergraduate degree. Holden isn’t sure exactly where his degree will take him in the future, but he is hoping that his degree will help him do what he loves – be outside and work with cars.
Border Foods’ flexible schedule allows Holden to juggle work, school, and life. Exploring his hobbies, working, and being a student.“Border Foods allows me time to do the things I love and also stay very flexible with my school.”
Ariana(“Ari”), an incoming freshman at St. Thomas University, is a Shift Manager at the Blaine, MN Taco Bell. She has been working at Border for three years.“I really like my coworkers and the environment we have, especially our core values. It really brings us all together.”
Ari plans to study international business or marketing at St. Thomas, and she credits her time at Border for sparking her interest in business.“I am a shift manager, and I’ve kind of been running the store here and there, so I think that really helped me get my perspective on the business side,” she shared.
Ari’s dream job?“Working remote but being able to travel all around the world.” We cannot wait to see what the future has in store for this awesome young woman.
We congratulate both Holden and Ari on their excellent work with us thus far, and wish them the best of luck this school year!
We have some pretty fantastic summertime traditions at Border Foods. In tandem with annual Family Fun Days throughout our markets, this is the time of year when we catch a handful of deserving scholarship winners by surprise with much-desired scholarship checks.
“For us, it’s all about making lives better,” says President Aaron Engler.“When we make our people a priority, of course the guests benefit, too. We love surprising people with scholarships, knowing that we’re making a difference in their lives within Border and beyond!”
It can’t be easy juggling work and school, but we see it done time and time again by many of our team members. That’s why we’re proud to offer two scholarship opportunities in the Border Foods Scholarship and the Carol Williams Scholarship, named in honor of our late VP of Operations who passed away in 2018 but left an indelible mark on our company and culture.
“The scholarship initially grew out of a need to make something meaningful and purposeful out of her loss,” says Carol’s daughter, Krysta Williams, of the namesake scholarship.“She cared so much more about people than about things … she really gave her life and legacy to Border Foods. She grew up there, becoming a woman, wife and mom, and growing up with many colleagues that became the closest of friends. She was so grateful for the opportunity she got as a young woman that forever changed her life, so it was only fitting to pass that on as a way to remember her.”
“If you put people at the center and try to do the right thing, you will be doing what you’re meant to do.”-Krysta Williams, daughter of the late Carol Williams
Border Foods is pleased to carry on Carol’s legacy time and time again. As Krysta says so eloquently, regardless of how long a student may work for our company(at least six months), we have an incredible opportunity to have“profound impact” on team members’ lives — while keeping Carol’s spirit alive.
Congratulations to our 2023 Carol Williams and Border Foods scholarship winners!
$5,500 Carol Williams Scholarship Winners
Jaydlyn Skinner, Shift Lead, Bettendorf, IA
Quinn James, Team Trainer, Buffalo, MN
Yakelyn Morales, Shift Lead, Maple Grove, MN
$3,000 Border foods Scholarship Winners
Afton Barr, Team Member, Wyoming, WY
Ava Knuteson, Team Trainer, Hudson, WI
Chloe Andrews, Shift Lead, Wyoming, MI
Joshua Jesus Mendoza, Team Member, Minneapolis, MN
Olivia Brainard, Team Member, Holland, MI
About Border Foods’ Scholarships
The Border Foods and Carol Williams scholarships were introduced together in 2019. Team members pursuing higher education may be eligible to apply! Applicants must have been employed with Border Foods for at least six months(averaging an 18-hour work week) as of the application deadline and be actively pursuing secondary education. Any money awarded is to be used for tuition and other school costs. And guess what? Recipients can stack Border Foods scholarship wins with Taco Bell Foundation’s Live Más Scholarship, which ranges from a generous $5,000 to $25,000!
The below is attributed to Taco Bell Corp. and was first shared internally on MyTacoBell:
In 2022, a unique fundraising event was held at the FRANMAC Conference, where the naming of our new POS computer system was auctioned off. Border Foods was the auction winner and set in motion the collaboration with their leadership team in the process of selecting a name. The main motivator for choosing a name was to honor Carol Williams, a long-time operator with Border Foods, who passed away in 2018. Carol was a fierce leader and was an immense contributor to Border Foods’ success. Border Foods wants her to be honored for the amazing changes she brought not only to her franchise but also to those around her, “Border Foods has a great opportunity to honor Carol and ensure her legacy lives on – a lasting reminder of who she was and all that she did for our team.”
The initial communication within the organization helped the teams brainstorm ideas and allowed many to share memories of Carol and her legacy. There were so many creative names that were constructed and each one of them represented Carol’s warm personality. She was a people-first person, optimistic, reliable, a mentor, and fearless. The experience of the process selection was unique and a first for those involved, it will surely be remembered by the committee.
Through the passionate hard work contributed to selecting the perfect name to represent Carol’s legacy, it is with great pleasure that we announce Annspire as the new name of our POS computer system. Carol’s middle name is Ann and spire represents inspiration because she was an inspiration to everyone she touched. A special thanks to Kerry Endert for the dedication and guidance provided in this process selection experience. Carol’s legacy will continue at Taco Bell and in the lives of all that knew her.
Annspire POS will replace NextGen POS. It will also be used in POS training material, internal franchise-facing communication, RSCS catalog, and Service Desk support references. The name will also be mentioned in service announcements and upgrade notifications, etc.
Carol was truly an inspiration for those around her and her legacy will always be remembered, “The name for the new POS System will give everyone at Taco Bell a glimpse of Carol and the culture she created.”
After reviewing performance metrics for 2022, we recently surprised a whole crowd of unsuspecting managers, coaches and support staff at Border Foods’ recognition rallies with news that they’ve landed spots at our annual “Best of the Best” getaway!
Winners get an all-expenses paid trip to Mexico for themselves and a guest of choice. This year, we’re taking top performers to Secrets Moxché in Playa del Carmen in March!
Hey, check this place out:
Congratulations to our 2023 “Best of the Best” winners:
GENERAL MANAGERS
Alicia Clement, Albertville Alyse Eckert, Hudson Alyssa Harrison, Wyoming Blvd Andrea Ramirez, Fridley Barb Bunney, North Street Brandon Rosillo, Fairmont Brittany Caldwell, Monmouth Calista Korbel, Buffalo Carsten Meyer, Lakeville North Casey Bertrand, Rawlins Cesar Figueroa, Nathan Lane Chad Zinda, Little Falls Daniel Mulhair, Spearfish Debora Sanchez, Hillcrest Denise Vogt, Edinburgh Donald Mendoza, Brooklyn Center (Heart of Border Foods) Edgar Muneton, Eden Prairie Edna de Leon, Edina Erika Vanotterloo, S Washington Gerardo Dominguez, Lake Street Heather Schwartz, Willmar Heidi Stottler, Monticello Isaac Aguilar, Maple Grove Pkwy Ismael Guzman, Bloomington Jackie Lamoureux, Marinette (Circle of Excellence) Jake Woltjer, Zeeland Jason Mcneil, Northland Jennifer Peloquin, Ulysses Jose Jimenez, Woodbury (GM of the Year!) Josh Cushman, Marshall Kent Farris, St Cloud (Circle of Excellence) Kevin Stimeling, Henderson Street Kristy Shoemaker, Paw Paw Laura Swenson, Perryville Lindsay Wuhrman, Marinette Mary St Clair, Maple Grove Nicole Terry, Golden Valley Nicole Zinther, Menominee Nid Lee, Vadnais Heights Noah Westrahall, Ionia Paula Volenski, Allegan Purnell Morales-Barnes, Cottage Grove Ryan Spindler, Alexandria Sandy Avila, Richfield Shawn Mcaleese, Hastings, MN Shelly Aguilar, Hopkins Stacey Hale, Deforest Timothy “TJ” Wegler, Osseo Vera Calle Sanchez, Stinson Will White, Lowell
REGION COACHES
Craig Curit, Region 5 Grant Schofield, Region 3 Jarret Persons, Region 10 Kasey Baeza, Region 4 Ken Lund, Region 8 (RC of the Year!) Louann Hansen, Region 6 Pam Hare, Region 1 Steve Daggett, Region 2
AREA COACHES
Alfredo Briones, Area 10 Amanda Hobbs, Area 9 Brian Ennen, Area 3 Connie Horan, Area 40 Dawn Vanmaanen, Area 27 Deb Fraser, Area 32 Felix Garcia, Area 15 Frank Tuka, Area 23 Heather Aos, Area 31 (Circle of Excellence) Jenn Coleman, Area 5 Juli Froehlig, Area 45 Melvin Mora, Area 11 Miguel Avila, Area 18 (AC of the Year!) Nathan Besler, Area 33 Nic Gerry, Area 13 Octivia Erickson, Area 2 Tina Brown, Area 39 Zack Shumaker, Area 14 (Heart of Border Foods)
SUPPORT STAFF
Brittney Lundeen, Accounts Payable Specialist Ed Heskett, Loss Prevention Manager (Heart of Border Foods) Joel Wohlers, Staff Accountant Maricela Alatorre, Benefits Specialist
There are a lot of emotions wrapped up in the forthcoming retirement of company great Jeff Williams, Chief Operations Officer (COO), who has devoted the better part of his career to Border Foods.
Jeff joined the company in 1996 soon after his wife, the late Carol Williams, accepted a position. Actually, she’s the one that set up his interview with co-Founder Lee Engler (Jeff and Carol were already married).
And when Carol passed away in 2018, Jeff took on the very unique role of assuming the leadership position of his beloved spouse, carrying on her legacy and simultaneously building upon his own. So in a way, Jeff’s retirement marks the close of an important era in Border Foods’ history.
The Early Years
Jeff takes us back to the ’90s when he first joined Border Foods as a District Manager (the equivalent of today’s Area Coach).
“We went through such a metamorphosis over time,” he says of that period. The company that Jeff and Lee Engler bought from Taco Bell, he says, wasn’t properly staffed — he estimates at least half of the 62 restaurants didn’t have managers. Many closed. Because of this, the early days were just about survival and getting the right people in place.
And yet even from the start, he says, the importance of family culture was apparent. It’s shared in that first interview and permeates throughout orientation. Here, this isn’t forced culture; it’s part of the very fabric of Border Foods.
“We value our people,” Jeff says matter-of-factly.
Jeff was mostly in the field throughout the early years. Once he moved up to a corporate position, of which there were only a handful at the time, he met Jeff and Lee for breakfast on a weekly basis. It’s one of his favorite memories.
“I loved working with Jeff and Lee so closely,” he says, sharing that the Englers’ generosity and level of involvement as entrepreneurs is not commonplace in the field.
Jeff was holding the title of Senior Vice President when he agreed to take over Carol’s position in 2018 and eventually, moved into the COO position.
Quiet Accomplishments
Now, Jeff doesn’t seem to be one who can tout his own accomplishments. He quickly deflects; this humility brings us back to a focus on team and company excellence. He’s extremely proud of Border Foods’ impact on peoples’ lives.
“I think a few years back, I coined the phrase ‘making lives better,’” he says. “To quantify our vision, purpose … this is how we have the opportunity to change peoples’ lives.”
He shares an example of an employee who had a whiteboard in her office where she displayed handwritten goals. One was to “get promoted to buy a bigger house” for her family. Jeff feels good about working where dreams like these are entirely possible!
“I believe people need to believe in something bigger than them,” he says. “… part of who we are is that we want to be the best.”
“Our family culture is the foundation, but what drives us is excellence.” – Jeff Williams, retiring COO
That excellence really paid off in 2018 when the Engler brothers received the highest honor in the Taco Bell world, the Glen Bell Award (named after the brand’s founder). Moved by company accomplishments more than his own, Jeff says that that was a great day for him, and a very emotional one.
Defining His Legacy
“Running an organization like this has kind of been a dream come true,” he shares. “… I hope the legacy is that the company is even more successful moving forward.”
Jeff hopes to see Border Foods continue to offer exceptional job opportunities and mindfully do the right things. Of him and his colleagues, he says “we are all so incredibly lucky to have stumbled into this environment.”
So what’s next? Jeff admits he’s feeling a little nervous about this next chapter.
“You do something for so long,” he says. “Now you have to become something else.” As COO of a family-focused company, it will come as no shock that Jeff plans to spend more time with grandkids. He also plans to get back into volunteering. Meanwhile, we’ve got BIG shoes to fill! But Jeff’s legacy will be irreplaceable.
Border Foods is pleased to announce this year’s recipients of the Border Foods and Carol Williams scholarships. Introduced together in 2019, these scholarships were created as a way to help our team members reach higher education goals.
The Carol Williams Scholarship holds special meaning as it carries on the legacy of former Border Foods VP of Operations Carol Williams, who is credited for founding the company’s deeply rooted family culture. Carol passed away in 2018.
“Carol was a person who had tremendous belief in people,” according to Carol’s husband, Border Foods’ Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams.
The following bright, determined individuals were proudly awarded $5,500 in Carol’s honor:
Lauren Servais — Nicollet, MN
Manuel Ramirez-Lopez — Hudson, WI
Jaydlyn Skinner — Bettendorf, IA
Benson Richards — Bettendorf, IA
Niles Hite — McFarland, WI
Grant Gillen — Monmouth, IL
Uda Kimba — Rock Island, IL
Equally deserving and dedicated, Border Foods Scholarship winners each receive $3,000 and this year’s recipients are:
Serafin Patino — Northfield, MN
Harmony Goodman — Allegan, MI
Rose Pankiewicz — Allendale, MI
About Border Foods and Carol Williams Scholarships
Border Foods team members who are seeking higher education may be eligible to apply for the Border Foods and Carol Williams scholarships. Applicants must have been employed with the company for at least six months(averaging an 18-hour work week) as of the application deadline and be actively pursuing secondary education. Any money awarded to individuals should be used for tuition and other school costs. Recipients can stack Border Foods scholarship wins with Taco Bell Foundation’s Live Más Scholarship, which ranges from $5,000 to $25,000(check out our lucky 2022 Live Más winners).
At Border Foods, we take time to celebrate achievements annually with a rally. We strive to honor hard work, recognizing team members who step up to be leaders in our company and restaurants with outstanding performance. This year was particularly unique with Border Foods reaching a company milestone: 25 years in business! Our annual rally took place at the Radisson Blu in Bloomington, MN, and brought together more than 400 Border Foods team members, many of whom were flown in from other locations. We are so happy we could make this important celebration happen, despite the craziness of the past year.
AWARDS AND MILESTONES
Border Foods is bringing 87 team members on its “Best of the Best” trip to Mexico in October.
Last year, Stinson, MN had nearly $3.5 million in sales. This year, they had $4 million!
We had 11 restaurants with over $3 million in sales.
We are proud of the wealth of tenure here at Border. Thank you to Pamela Hare (40 years), Theresa Williams (35 years), Cynthia Curtis (30 years) and Jacqueline Plank (30 years) for your tremendous service to Border Foods.
AWARD WINNERS
Here at Border Foods, we like to honor employees who go above and beyond what is expected of them. These team members are the leaders and role models who make Border such a great place to work. They understand people development, have a solid history of internal promotions and show they can master metrics. A few of our 2022 award winners include:
AREA COACH OF THE YEAR
Alfredo Briones
REGION COACH OF THE YEAR
LouAnnHansen
CIRCLE OF EXCELLENCE
Donald Mendoza Dominic Pagan Felix Garcia
REGIONAL AGMS OF THE YEAR
Austyn Benbo Billy Sundahl Purnell Moralez Barnes Stacey Hale Mary St. Clair Jinny Fankhauser Leanne Sinkler Ethan Scribner
RGMs OF THE YEAR
Daniel Mulhair Vera Sanchez Brittany Siebenaler Karen Olson Melvin Mora Deb Wilber Justin Perry Kent Farris
RGM OF THE YEAR
Vera Sanchez
TEAM WORK AWARD
Jennifer Copeland
CUSTOMER MANIACS
Aiden Hughes Alicia Ortiz Alvin Stafford Amaya Houle Amy Witham Antonio Ruiz Astoria Jones Ava LeFevre Barb Espinoza Bradley Hahl Branden Larson Brandy Dahl Breanna Ridley Brennen Beaulieu Cameron Fields Carmen Townsend Cash Harder
Charles Walker Christine Hill Coleman Christopher Courtney Cayo Darius Boyd Dawn Roberts Derek Pfeiffer Eden Rose Marlow Eric Vanlangedon Erica Core Erica Williams Falicha Jackson Frank Miller Freddie Aguilar Garrett Kopka Gina Keeler
Gwen Morris Hailea Larue Haleigh Brooks Heather Godlevsky Isaac Benck Jamie Fogel Jeff Larson Jessi Adams Jessica Delaforet John Skelbred Jordan Brown Kelley Betancour Lamont Mason Marisela Gutierrez Michelle Jurgesek Nakia Burnett Niles Hite
Pamela Agbosu Penny Hansen Peter Weeks Ren Benson Renu Pandey Riley Matz Robert Robb Sabrina Hoysler Sara Moore Shawn Mekkes Shonte Carson Sydney Ames Tami Schrotenboer Torre Crouch Tracie Finholm Zach Barker Zachary Thomsen
HEART OF BORDER FOODS AWARD
This once in a lifetime award is the pinnacle of all Border Foods’ awards. The following individuals were this year’s recipients. Learn more about each of these special people here.
Darlene Dant (32993 Marshall)
Marshall Becky Wenger (Territory Training Manager)
Well, 2021 was a roller coaster of a year as we navigated the “new normal.” With new strains of COVID and the vaccines coming out, we’ve all been trying to do what’s best for ourselves and our family here at Border Foods. We had many leaders and role models step up and show outstanding performance throughout the year.
To show our appreciation, we’re taking these 87 “Best of the Best” team members and a guest of their choice on an all-expenses-paid vacation to:
Pete Ledum: Area 37 Felix Garcia: Area 15 Patrick Rahkonen: Area 38 Kelly Lawver: Area 19 Josh Miller: Area 21 Adam Wilson: Area 8 Heather Aos: Area 31 Frank Tuka: Area 22 Vince Wilhelm: Area 1 Jennifer Copeland: Area 20 Deb Fraser: Area 32 Tina Brown: Area 39 Alfredo Briones: Area 10 Jenn Coleman: Area 5
General managers
Heather Schwartz: Willmar Juli Froehlig: Buffalo Jose Jimenez: Woodbury Will White: Lowell Jackie Lamoureux: Marinette Gerardo Dominguez: Lake Street Ryan Spindler: Alexandria Kent Farris: St. Cloud Josh Cushman: Albion Deb Wilber: Fremont Alyssa Harrison: Wyoming Blvd Ismael Guzman: Bloomington Sandy Avila: Richfield Chad Zinda: Little Falls Mike Hafer: Caledonia Larry Irving: Minnetonka Edna Sanchez: Edina Mary St Clair: Maple Grove Alicia Clement: Albertville Lauryn Wilson: Division Mevin Mora: Maple Grove Pkwy Eric Ternand: Rogers Araceli Aguilar: Hopkins Marcus Amador: Jordan Dean Ruhf: Iron Mountain Vince Monreal: Deforest Daniel Mulhair: Spearfish Heidi Stottler: Monticello Alvaro Medina: Chanhassen Laura Swenson: Perryville Brad Halverson: Stillwater Vera Sanchez: Stinson Travis Comnick: Hinckley Nate Hamrick: Brainerd AJ Love-Hamlin: Court Street Melissa Naugle: Machesney Park Faith Parks: Ionia Bobbie Hansen: Pheasant Ridge Chelsea Weaver: Sprinkle Tony Beltran: River Nicole Terry: Golden Valley Karen Olson: Verona Darlene Dant: Marshall Brittany Caldwell: Monmouth Alisha Burke: Billings – Grand Ave Josh Nordberg: Billings – Central Jeremy Stepp: Nicollet Anne Kurich: 11th Street Kevin Stimeling: Henderson Street Nate Bowie: Lincoln Way Lori Sumner: Allendale Nate Martin: Chicago Ave Justin Perry: Sturgis Barb Bunney: North Street Brittany Siebenaler: Robert Street Angela Buffington: Crystal Daniele Oliver: Hwy 14
Support StafF:
Evan Hatton: Analyst Mary Haubrich: Accounts Payable Manager Juli Sargent: Risk Manager Becky Wenger: Heart of Border Foods Max Corrigan: Heart of Border Foods
Region Coaches :
Pam Hare Jarret Persons Steve Daggett Grant Schofield Kasey Baeza Craig Curit LouAnn Hansen Geison Cunha Ken Lund
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!
2020 was an unusual year for all of us, to say the least. But at Border Foods we are fortunate to have so many leaders and team members step up and show outstanding performance. We want to reward these sixty-six “Best of the Best” team members by taking them, and a guest of their choice, on an all expense paid vacation to Riviera Cancun Mexico. October 6th can’t come soon enough!
Area Coaches
Heather Aos: Area 31, MI Miguel Avila: Area 18, MN Alfredo Briones: Area 10, MN Jenn Coleman: Area 5, MN Geison Cunha: Area 26, MI Steve Daggett: Area 7, MN Tranquility Devereaux: Area 30, MI Deb Fraser: Area 32, MN Felix Garcia: Area 15, WY Kelly Lawver: Area 19, IL Pete Ledum: Area 37, MN Chris McElroy: Area 29, MI Josh Miller: Area 21, WI Joe Motzko: Area 8, MN CJ Schreifels: Area 4, MN Lindsey Tibbals: Area 36, MI
General Managers
Araceli Agiular: Hopkins, MN Marcus Amador: Jordan, MN Sandy Aviles: Richfield, MN Casey Bertrand: Rawlins, WY Tina Brown: Albertville, MN Tina Churchill: Cedar Springs, MI Dan Clark: Fergus Falls, MN Katie Cramer: Gull Road, MI Darlene Dant: Marshall, MI Kent Farris: St. Cloud, MN Fernando Flores: Lake Street, MN Juli Froehlig: Buffalo, MN Luann Fuerstenberg: Sun Prairie, WI Naomi Golden: Cloquet, MN Ismael Guzman: Bloomington, MN Nate Hamrick: Brainerd, MN Alyssa Harrison: Wyoming Blvd, WY Larry Irving: Minnetonka, MN Chelsea James: Sprinkle, MI Jose Jimenez: Woodbury, MN Julius Johnson: Cascade, MI Morgan Konecny: Albion, MI Jackie Lamoureux: Marinette, MI Greg McConkey: Allegan, MI Jason McNeil: Northland, MI Vince Monreal: De Forest, WI Daniel Mulhair: Spearfish, SD Karen Olson: Verona, WI Brooke Paradine: Woodland Mall, MI Faith Parks: Ionia, MI Carla Pelligrini: Escanaba, MI Todd Reid: Schofield, WI Dean Ruhf: Iron Mountain, MI Edna Sanchez: Edina, MN Vera Sanchez: Stinson, MN Heather Schwartz: Willmar, MN Mike Shanor: Plymouth Station, MN Jacob Skovgard: Sheridan, WY Ryan Spindler: Alexandria, MN Lori Sumner: N. Muskegon, MI Laura Swenson: Perryville, IL Nicole Terry: Golden Valley, MN Nick Wallace: Hastings, MI Will White: Lowell, MI Lauryn Wilson: Division, MN Nicole Zinther: Menominee, MI
SUPPORT STAFF
Corrine Kindred: HR Business Partner, WI Brittany Rodda: Recruiter, MI Angie Russo: Treasury Manager, MN Aurora Tapia: Territory Training Manager, MN Nathan Wenger: Construction Manager, MN
