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 the opportunity to learn from his wealth of QSR knowledge. We sat down with Troy to hear a bit more about his background, experience and work philosophy.
From Corporation to Franchisee
“The reason I’m here at DDO is because of Mark Phillips, our VP of Operations,” Troy shares right off the bat. Troy and Mark actually worked together at the aforementioned corporate taco chain for 20 years. When Mark left to join DDO, the two kept in touch. Pretty soon, Troy moved over to DDO, too.
Although his new role here required him to shift from the corporate world to a franchisee one, Troy says the transition was seamless because he knew Mark. “Mark builds a very good culture,” he says. “Over the last four to five years, it’s been unbelievable what we’ve built in San Antonio.”
Righting the Ship
Rapid growth in San Antonio — Troy’s area — didn’t come easily. “Region 5 was struggling, to say the least,” he says. Now, under Troy’s leadership, it’s one of the top performing regions in our company. He attributes the market’s turnaround to hiring the right talent, top-tier training, and professional development — plus consistency and communication, of course.
“We have a stellar group of people in this market that made Region 5 what it is today.”
Troy VanWinkle, Taco Bell Area Coach
Troy himself is an extremely motivated guy. He describes himself as “a bulldog,” and attributes much of his success to his highly competitive nature. This characteristic of Troy’s is what makes him such a motivational leader, too. “You have to improve,” Troy says emphatically. “Week after week, month after month, year after year.”
Shaping the Team
Troy cites mentorship and lending professional guidance as two things he loves about being an AC. When someone on his team is facing a challenge, Troy enjoys working one-on-one with them, making problem solving a collaborative effort. His work philosophy is simple: keep things simple. For example, if a team member is overwhelmed, he encourages them to shift their focus to just doing the basics. He believes strongly that if they get their foundational skills down, the rest will come.
People Person
Given his strengths, it should come as no surprise that Troy’s favorite part about working at DDO is the people. “I know that’s a cliché answer!” he laughs.
“It’s been a wonderful five years … I would definitely retire here!”
Troy VanWinkle, Taco Bell Area Coach
And as for the future? Troy is satisfied with where he’s at. He still finds his work every day very fulfilling: “I still love it. I have the passion to do what we do every day.”
Troy, thank you so much for all you do at DDO. We’re so grateful for your leadership!