News - Desert De Oro Foods

09/30/26

Learning to Lead with Purpose: Yvette Ramirez Experiences theLEAP

For Yvette Ramirez, leadership is all about people. As an Area Coach (AC) with over 11 years at Taco Bell, Yvette has…

09/22/26

A Loyal Lesa: Reflections From Three Decades at DDO

In August 2025, we interviewed Payroll Director Lesa Hummel about her impressive 30 years with Desert de Oro Foods (DDO). Lesa is…

09/16/26

Avery & Dylan Edwards are Going Places!

Meet Avery and Dylan Edwards: siblings, Taco Bell team members (at the same location in San Antonio, TX) and Mormon missionaries. We…

09/08/26

Catching Up with Corey: Ten Years with DDO

When Corey Harris heard we had an Area Coach (AC) opening out in New England, where we bought 30-plus restaurants in 2022,…

09/02/26

Up Next for John Rose: DDO Signs Off on a Move, not a Farewell!

It didn’t take much convincing to get us to throw a sweet surprise sendoff for ice cream lover John Rose, who’s been…

08/21/26

Jesse Packer Rises to New Level of Leadership

After four years (and counting) with Desert de Oro Foods (DDO), training guru Jesse Packer takes on an upgraded role as Senior…

08/19/26

Thousand Oaks KFC/Taco Bell Team Surprises Guests with Goodies

A recent guest appreciation day at our multi-brand KFC/Taco Bell (KT) location on Thousand Oaks Drive in San Antonio, TX gave guests…

08/18/26

Priscilla Tarango & Team Give Back to Local Youth

When Reagan Elementary in San Angelo, TX reached out to local restaurants for meal donations for an end-of-year event, it was a…

08/04/26

2026 Operations: Halfway There, Full Speed Ahead!

We’re mid-summer – what a great time to find out what’s cookin’ around Desert de Oro Foods (DDO). We chased down Fred…

07/30/26

Built to Build: Celebrating 10 Years of Leadership with Chad Burge

Some careers are carefully mapped out, others evolve through a mix of curiosity and a willingness to take on challenges. For Chad…

06/24/26

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…

06/17/26

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…

06/12/26

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…

06/03/26

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…

05/29/26

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…

05/26/26

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…

05/04/26

Celebrating our Live Más Scholarship Winners!

At Desert de Oro Foods (DDO), we believe in investing in our people — both in their careers and in their dreams…

05/01/26

Celebrating our KFC Foundation Scholarship Winners

At Desert de Oro Foods (DDO), we build more than great restaurants, we’re committed to building brighter futures, too! This year, we’re…

04/15/26

Meet Fred Bendel, VP of Operations

Fred Bendel is VP of Operations by day and devoted husband by night. Of course, these haven’t always been Fred’s main “shifts.” …

04/06/26

A Major Promotion for Mike Ahaesy!

As of December 30, Mike Ahaesy is our new Senior Facilities Manager! The Dighton, MA resident has been with the Taco Bell…

03/20/26

Adrian Rodriguez: From Top Cook to Top Destination!

Pizza Hut team member Adrian Rodriguez has had quite a standout career year! No stranger to Pizza Hut’s annual pizza making competitions,…

03/13/26

Best of the Bell: DDO Celebrates Top Performing Restaurants & Leaders

Gold never looked so good! We’re proud to showcase our 2025 Golden Bell winners, which includes those Taco Bells that have also…

03/10/26

Meet MaElena, Modeling Perseverance, Leadership & Strength

“How far I’ve come, the little girl from Mexico,” MaElena Garcia says while acknowledging she needs celebrate herself more. Now a reputable…

02/16/26

Selene Quintana Leads with Purpose

Selene Quintana never planned on building a career in restaurants. At 16, she walked into a Taco Bell looking for a job…

02/03/26

Bill Williamson Sings Our Praises

If you ask Bill Williamson, he says he just kind of fell into restaurant management with us. He’d devoted his more than…

01/30/26

Tamlyn White Wins Pizza Hut Scholarship!

Restaurant General Manager (RGM) Tamlyn White is the definition of a go-getter. At just 22 years old, Tamlyn leads our Miller Road…

01/21/26

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,…

01/20/26

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…

01/14/26

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…

01/05/26

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…

12/23/25

Rockin’, Rollin’ and Giving Back: Alice Cooper’s Solid Rock Teen Centers

Sure, we serve up tacos, fried chicken and pizza — but our true passion lies in giving back to the communities our…

12/17/25

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…

12/15/25

Hitting the Right Note at Rosie’s House

Giving back is at the heart of everything we do here at Desert de Oro Foods (DDO) — so we’re excited to…

11/13/25

Meet Melinda “Mo” Kemp!

Melinda Kemp — also known as “Mo” — is the Accounting Specialist Lead at Desert de Oro Foods (DDO). The name “Mo”…

11/07/25

A Warm Welcome for Ymunie Webster

While Ymunie Webster is no stranger to Taco Bell, she’s still getting to know Desert de Oro Foods (DDO). The Food and…

10/29/25

Slingin’ Dough Like a Pro — Literally!

Just this month, our very own Adrian Rodriguez — a Cook at the Chino Valley, AZ Pizza Hut — put his pizza-making…

10/21/25

Rally Winners 2025!

Here at Desert de Oro Foods (DDO), we’re deeply committed to excellence in leadership development, managerial proficiency and operational excellence. At our…

10/13/25

Meet Jenn Nolan: Leading with Heart & Purpose at Taco Bell

When you meet Jenn Nolan, the Restaurant General Manager (RGM) of our North Dartmouth, MA Taco Bell, it’s impossible not to be…

10/09/25

Anthony Martinez Makes More than Just Pizza

Cooks at Pizza Hut are truly the foundation of the brand’s restaurants. Their responsibilities include not only making the best pizzas around,…

09/26/25

Written in the Stars: Candice White & DDO

Although she only started with us in January, Candice White has already made a big impact here at Desert de Oro Foods…

09/22/25

Freddie Lopez Finds Comfort at DDO

As a Cleaning Captain for Desert de Oro Foods’ (DDO) Taco Bell in Glendale, AZ, Freddie Lopez is well versed in hard…

09/17/25

Isis Beavers: Food Champion of the People

It’s safe to say nostalgia played a big role in prompting Isis Beavers to apply for a job at Desert de Oro…

09/12/25

Area Coach Angie Peterson Reflects on Success

Angie Peterson has a spice for life — in fact, the Spice Girls are her hype music of choice! As an Area…

08/26/25

Clean Sweep Contest Winners!

Desert de Oro Foods (DDO) is excited to announce the winners of this quarter’s DDO Clean Sweep Contest! This initiative was a…

08/21/25

Derek Petersen Dreams Big at DDO

From working as an Arby’s crew member in his teens to his current role as Desert de Oro Food’s (DDO) Manager of…

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