News - Page 8 of 10 - Desert De Oro Foods

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…

08/19/25

DDO Does Good: Community Grants

Each year, Desert de Oro (DDO)’s Taco Bell restaurants participate in a giving initiative organized by the Taco Bell Foundation’s Community Grants…

08/14/25

Cheers to Lesa’s 30 Years!

It’s safe to say that Lesa Hummel is well-versed in all things Desert de Oro Foods (DDO). That’s because she’s celebrating an…

08/12/25

Briana McNeil Makes DDO Better

For Briana McNeil, being a Taco Bell Restaurant General Manager (RGM) is so much more than just a job. Her team in…

07/16/25

Tamlyn White on Hard Work, Opportunity

Tamlyn White is Restaurant General Manager (RGM) at our Pizza Hut on Miller Road in Scottsdale, AZ. She’s been with Desert de…

07/11/25

Tanesha Aultman has a Passion for People

Tanesha Aultman, Area Coach (AC) for Desert de Oro Food’s (DDO) Taco Bell Area 38, leads with a fierce commitment to her team.…

07/08/25

Teachable Moments with Danna Guillermo

Danna Guillermo is a teacher at heart, which makes her a perfect fit for the Region 2 Trainer here! Danna boasts 18…

06/27/25

Honoring the Legacy of the Late Ed Ray

On May 24, in conjunction with Memorial Day weekend, we humbly honored our friend, mentor and former Area Coach (AC) the late,…

06/20/25

Here’s to You, Karol Mendiola!

We’re delighted to share this year’s recipient of the Wallie Jaso Growing People Award, Karol Mendiola! Karol is our Region 5 Training…

06/13/25

The Texas Spark: Meet Greg Jackson

There’s something special about Texas, and even more special about the people who call it home. At Desert de Oro Foods (DDO),…

06/11/25

Second Annual Estrellas de Oro Reward Trip Recap

Our inaugural Estrellas de Oro reward trip in 2024 was so nice, we decided to do it twice! At Desert de Oro…

05/22/25

DDO Replaces Iconic Location: It’s Out with the Old!

It can be hard to say “goodbye.” But in mid-April, we walked away from one of Taco Bell’s last standing mission-style restaurants…

05/13/25

Celebrating 2025 KFC Foundation Scholarship Winners at DDO

Congratulations to this year’s KFC Foundation Scholarship winners! Applicants have the opportunity to apply for up to $20,000 in scholarship funds to…

05/12/25

Yashica Oliver: The Heart Behind Mattina’s Ristorante

In Kingman, AZ, a unique collection of restaurants called The Fork in the Road, showcases Desert de Oro Foods’ (DDO) commitment to…

05/09/25

Six Scholarship Winners Soar to New Heights

Once a year we get this AWESOME opportunity to celebrate a group of thoughtful, ambitious students setting out to bring their passions…

04/18/25

Fourth Time’s a Charm for Bryce Carroll

If Area Coach (AC) Bryce Carroll looks familiar, it’s probably because he’s no stranger to being featured on our blog. Now he’s…

04/15/25

Fork in the Road Leaders Attend Bar & Restaurant Expo in Las Vegas!

The 2025 Bar & Restaurant Expo, held from March 24–26 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, brought together over 13,000 hospitality professionals…

04/11/25

Dulce Barros is One Sweet RGM!

There’s a connection, a sort of calm familiarity that takes over when meeting Dulcelene “Dulce” Barros, the Restaurant General Manager (RGM) at…

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Serving up a feast of great stories about career success, goodwill in our communities and more!