When Corey Harris heard we had an Area Coach (AC) opening out in New England, where we bought 30-plus restaurants in 2022, it definitely piqued his interest. From the minute he was first hired 10 years ago, his goal was always to move up wherever he landed.
At the time of our New England acquisition, Corey had been serving as Restaurant General Manager (RGM) of our Arrowhead Towne Center Taco Bell in Glendale, AZ. He knew that many of Desert de Oro Foods’ (DDO) managers in the market were seasoned and for him, that meant advancement in Arizona didn’t look like a sure thing. Not much was tying him down there anyway.
“Out here, I could see the opportunity,” he says of New England. “I saw opportunity for growth.”
“I like the fact that I [can] have a positive impact and influence over the amount of people that I do.”
-Corey Harris, Taco Bell Area Coach
And that’s what propelled Corey eastward (and upward). March 2027 will mark two years since Corey transferred from DDO’s Arizona operations to New England to take on the AC role.
With restaurants in nine states, this is exactly the kind of opportunity we want people to go after!
Bell Beginnings
Ten years ago, Corey pestered management at the Taco Bell near his home for a job. He landed an interview and was hired instantly because of the confidence he exhibited. He joined our Bell Road and Loop 303 Taco Bell in Surprise, AZ as a team member.
“For a few years, I was trying to find a place where I wanted to move up, find some loyalty,” he recounts. “I hopped around for a while; worked for a lot of places I didn’t think were ethical.”
Meanwhile, Corey had some growing up to do. A self-proclaimed hothead at the time, he says he had to learn some important skills along the way, including basic people skills.
“It took a few years to understand that you can’t do anything without help from the people around you,” Corey says of his own learning curve.
“You can’t get the metrics without the people.”
– Corey Harris, Taco Bell Area Coach
After some time, Corey says he started to really appreciate how we value our people at DDO. He was lucky to have some great mentors along the way, including ACs Steve Calerro, Tyson Gilmore and Mendel Messer.
Making it Count
Skipping ahead to the here and now, Corey celebrates 10 years with our company and two years in his new region. He loves the climate change, but the move was definitely an adjustment, he says.
One of his first priorities had to be to build relationships and establish credibility among his new teams. The need for strong people skills had come full circle! After all, he estimates that he oversees around 120 to 150 people currently.
As Corey explains, once you join above restaurant leadership – like as an AC – your time with teams becomes more limited. “You have to make it really matter,” he says.
So he’s put a big focus on training his teams effectively on personal accountability, how to work with others and helping the whole team succeed (not just yourself).
He’s appreciated the opportunity to transfer to a new market for a company he respects. “I believe a lot of people at DDO have values I believe in: transparency, honesty and collaboration,” Corey shares. “It’s easy to feel empowered in what you do with aligned values.”
We appreciate you, Corey!