Category: People
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Val Martinez: Committed to Excellence
For Restaurant General Manager (RGM) Val Martinez, working at KFC is a family affair. Val and each of her 12 siblings (yes, really!) have all worked for the brand at one point or another! However, when it comes to the longest tenure of the bunch, Val takes the cake: she’s been with KFC for a
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RGM Trevon Wright is on the Right Track!
For Restaurant General Manager (RGM) Trevon Wright, the sky’s the limit! As RGM of our Taco Bell Cantina in Phoenix, AZ, Trevon’s Taco Bell journey began at just 16 years old in Dallas, TX. After relocating to Arizona in 2022, he joined the Desert de Oro Foods (DDO) family, earning his promotion to RGM in
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Belinda Believes in DDO: A Restaurant Training Leader with Heart
Belinda Medellin knows ball! She currently works as a Restaurant Training Leader (RTL) at Desert de Oro Foods (DDO) but she’s been with the KFC brand since 1981. In fact, she was hired by her sister, the late Wallie Jaso, whose leadership is the stuff of legend around here. “Wallie said, ‘Why don’t you just
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Troy VanWinkle Talks Mentorship & Motivation
When it comes to tacos, Area Coach (AC) Troy VanWinkle is a seasoned pro. Before joining Desert de Oro (DDO) almost five years ago, the father of three worked at another corporate taco chain for close to three decades! Troy has been an incredible addition to our team, and we couldn’t be more grateful for
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Josie Delgado-Perez Has Succeeded From the Start
Working at Desert de Oro (DDO) isn’t just a job for Josie Delgado-Perez — it’s a career and a commitment, and she credits it with bringing some really incredible people into her life. New Beginnings Josie began her quick service restaurant (QSR) journey as a KFC team member when she was just 16. She shares
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Leading with Attitude & Effort: Area Coach Lindsey Henry
There’s a special feeling you get when speaking with someone who’s been with Desert de Oro Foods (DDO) for a number of years. The dedication and loyalty is undeniable. That level of commitment is generated from a belief in the principles our mission statement fosters: to be the restaurants our guests desire and the company
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Bianca Sandoval on Simply Seeing What Happens
Bianca Sandoval’s stellar career with Desert de Oro Foods (DDO) began when she simply noticed a Taco Bell in her neighborhood. She didn’t know anything about DDO at the time, but decided to apply for a Restaurant General Manager (RGM) position and thought, let’s see what happens. Well, a career happened! Bianca officially joined the
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Chelsea Schwartz is a Dual Brand Champion
Chelsea Schwartz joined Desert de Oro Foods (DDO) at the height of the pandemic in July 2020. She was hired as an Assistant General Manager (AGM) boasting previous management experience from time with Burger King and McDonald’s. She quickly moved up here! Today, Chelsea is Regional Training Leader (RTO) of Region 6 in San Antonio,
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Working Hard, Playing Hard with Jeremy Hammer
Jeremy Hammer’s role as the Payson, AZ Pizza Hut’s Restaurant General Manager (RGM) is more than just a job, it’s a trip down memory lane. That’s because Jeremy grew up visiting Payson with his grandparents, and they stopped at the very same Pizza Hut many times. Jeremy even recalls playing the restaurant’s old Pac-Man game
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Meet Melinda “Mo” Kemp!
Melinda Kemp — also known as “Mo” — is the Accounting Specialist Lead at Desert de Oro Foods (DDO). The name “Mo” has a heartfelt, if not quirky, backstory. Melinda’s mom’s name is Joye and she was nicknamed “Jo.” In college, Melinda became “Molinda,” which was ultimately shortened to “Mo.” Sadly, Mo’s mother passed away