A beautiful legacy lives on … Border Foods’ own Carol Williams, who passed away in 2018, continues to leave her wonderful mark in this world. 

In life, it seemed her impact was felt most “at home,” within our company’s restaurants and ranks. She is said to have played a big part in building our family culture, inspiring the creation of the Carol Williams Scholarship Program, the Heart of Border Foods Award and even an annual Dia de los Muertos tribute at our Woodbury location.

Now, our late friend, co-worker and leader is also part of the naming of Taco Bell’s new POS computer system entitled Annspire. Here, Carol’s middle name Ann is paired with “spire,” which represents “inspiration” because Carol proved to be an inspiration to all.

“She knew how to make every person feel uniquely seen for who they were.”

Take a look at the new Annspire video we created and produced for Taco Bell corporate to promote the new system and naming:

“She would walk into a restaurant and the entire restaurant would light up,” one person shares about Carol. Now, her spirit and “light” will continue to live on in Taco Bells across the country. What an honor it was for us to help name this new nationwide system!

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!

Looking to join in on the fun? Visit https://borderfoods.com/careers/ to take the next step toward your dreams.

 

 

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.”

It’s one of the BEST times of the year!

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.

In fact, it’s this embedded family culture that Jeff has watched evolve impressively during his tenure. Border Foods now hosts annual Family Fun Days appreciation events, rewards its top 20 percent with the annual Best of the Best trip, and remains committed to providing educational scholarships and more robust employee benefits offerings than its competitors.

“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).