Author: christopher
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Walkin’ the Walk: Making Real Connections at DDO
Joaquim “Joaq” Harris accepted the role of Human Resources (HR) Generalist here only a year ago, yet he’s already determined to reframe how team members view the human resources function. “I think that people have this misconception about HR that, you know, we fire people, we’re the ‘gotcha police,’” Joaq says. “What I like to
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25 Years of Heart: Sandra Soza’s Journey
For Sandra Soza, Desert de Oro Foods (DDO) has never been just a job. It’s been the place where she learned English, built a career, raised her family and discovered just how far hard work can take her. Now, after 25 years with DDO, Sandra’s story stands as a powerful example of resilience and dedication.
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DDO Fuels the Future at Rosie’s House Music Academy
When our nonprofit partner Rosie’s House: A Music Academy for Children needed catering for a recent Teen Night, we were delighted to step up! Area Coach Rick Ontiveros, who oversees Desert de Oro Foods’ (DDO) Taco Bell Cantinas in Phoenix and Tempe, AZ, made it happen. “I think it’s important to work with the community
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Ryan Silva: Leading with Heart in San Antonio
For Ryan Silva, leadership isn’t about titles or tenure. It’s about showing up, putting in the work and earning trust, one shift at a time. Today, Ryan serves as a Restaurant General Manager (RGM) for Desert de Oro Foods (DDO) in San Antonio, TX, leading a high-volume KFC multi-brand location. It’s a role he stepped
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Kamila Merchand: Live Más Launches a Career in Nursing
When Kamila Merchand applied for Taco Bell Foundation’s Live Más Scholarship just before the deadline, she’d convinced herself that the funds were probably already spoken for. For her, the idea of winning felt so out of reach. But her manager at the time encouraged her to apply and then, something incredible happened. Kamila, a first
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Fresh Look, Strong Results: Celebrating Two Taco Bell Remodels in San Antonio
At Desert de Oro Foods (DDO), investing in restaurants means investing in both team members and guests. Two recently remodeled Taco Bell locations in San Antonio, TX are already making a strong impression with upgraded technology, refreshed spaces and energized teams ready to serve their communities! Our remodeled locations include the Taco Bell at 12050
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Bringing Big Ideas Back to DDO: Inside the 2026 Bar & Restaurant Expo
Professional development is more than learning new skills. It’s about finding inspiration, exploring what’s next in the industry and bringing fresh ideas back to the team. That’s exactly what happened when Desert de Oro Foods (DDO) leaders attended the 2026 Bar & Restaurant Expo in Las Vegas, NV. As part of our commitment to growth
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From Pizza Delivery to Management: Kurt Radke Found His Place at DDO
At this year’s Estrellas de Oro reward trip in Mexico, we caught up with Kurt Radke, Restaurant General Manager (RGM) for Pizza Hut in Peoria, AZ. Surrounded by fellow top performers from across Desert de Oro Foods (DDO), Kurt reflects on an unexpected career journey that started with a delivery driver position and turned into
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Finding More Than a Job: Lasondra Otero’s Journey
At Desert de Oro Foods (DDO), leadership starts with our people. For Restaurant General Manager (RGM)Lasondra Otero, that mindset has guided her journey from a part-time role to leading our Brockton, MA Taco Bell – a position she’s held for the last five years. Lasondra joined Taco Bell as a Service Champion in 2016, looking
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Gold Meets the Gulf: Estrellas de Oro Reward Trip
We’re back from our third annual Estrellas de Oro reward trip. It was another year of memory making in Mexico! For us, this is culture building at its finest – where we get to treat our stars of gold (“estrellas de oro”) from Taco Bell ,Pizza Hut, KFC and our restaurant support center to a