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Mentoring: A lost method for chain restaurant dividends?

October 5, 2010 by Jason Rummer — President, By the Slice Solutions

Is the process of mentoring team members a lost art in your company?  I hope not, because the positive investment of your time and energy in someone or a team can produce highly motivated leadership! That's leadership now for your company, and for the entire industry potentially in the future. Just look at the list (below) of Domino's-mentored individuals who have since become top-level restaurant executives.

From 1987 through 1992, there was a “class” or even what one might call a fraternity of then-young Domino’s regional field operations executives that were provided training and education as well as mentored on all forms of company matters. (I know, because I was a regional director for the company during that time.) Tools used then for mentoring and development included “Job Progress and Review” sessions, company management retreats, and frequent intense budgetary reviews. Some regional directors even received personal advice from then-corporate leadership at Domino’s. That leadership investment by those high-level vice presidents, a president, and even the CEO meant so much to these fellows’ future careers that they were able to go forward and now provide executive management to all forms of regional and national companies.

Current career results from the mentoring received by the 1987 to 1992 class of Regional Directors at Domino’s include the following executives:

• Hoyt Jones, once Domino’s regional director of the western U.S., now president of Jersey Mike’s Sandwiches Inc.
• Stuart Mathis, once Domino’s regional director of the southwestern and northeastern U.S., now the president of The UPS Stores Inc.
• David Scrivano, once Domino’s field operations vice president, now president of Little Caesars Pizza Inc.
• Jeffery T. Neely, once Domino’s regional director of the mountain states, now the president of Max & Erma’s Inc.
• Dave Black, once Domino’s regional director for the southeast U.S., now executive vice president of operations for Marco’s Pizza Inc.
• Kevin King, once Domino’s regional director of Australia, now senior vice president of operations for Papa Murphy’s International.

To mentor someone in the chain restaurant world is one of the most important tasks foodservice executives have. It is more than just “training your replacement” so you can move up the ladder; it is an investment in another person, who can become more than just a cog in the wheel.  With proper mentoring, that person can become a provider of motivation to those they manage as well, and seek out and find creative solutions to difficult problems before they arise. 

I am sure in your career, pizza executives, that you have many people to say “thank you” to for helping to shape and guide your future. I would personally like to publically thank the following: Tom Monaghan, Dave Black, Mike Orcutt, Chris McCormick, Dave Board, Joe McCord, Wade Oney, Joe Romano, Patrick Kelly and Nickep Romyananda.  Thank you, gentlemen, for the mentoring, guidance and general goodwill you have provided.

Mentoring works - make it work for you!

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