I started my career in the Restaurant Industry waitressing in local bar and grill in a small town in Ohio. Never, in my wildest dreams, did I see a career path in serving food! I applied for a waitressing job only after having horrible service in a restaurant and feeling like I could have done it better. This “part time” waitressing job quickly turned into bartending, then into management and allowed me to develop a love for all aspects of the industry. ​​From the small-town bar and grill, I jumped into a management position with The Chop House based in Knoxville, TN and then onto Thomas and King Applebee's where I quickly advanced into a General Management position. It was in my time at Applebee's that I became focused on bench strength, operations and training. While with Applebee's, I personally mentored a handful of hourly associates into key holders then into salaried managers. Due to my increased focus on development and systems, I was asked to test new structures and assist in the training of fellow managers on new training modules for associates.​ ​As I moved forward in my career and into multi-unit opportunities with emerging brands, I found myself becoming more and more passionate about operations, menu creation, marketing, top line growth, profit and solutions. When I realized that a career in foodservice sales allowed me to consult on all these levels and help more operators succeed, I knew I was finally on the path of my passions.​ ​After much deliberation, I landed at Sysco to finally bring all these things to one position. The opportunity to develop strong customer relationships, consult on operations and profit, assist with developing marketing strategies and helping customers find the solutions that their establishments needed to thrive became the reason I went to work every day. There is nothing in the world like having a skeptical operator say "thank you" when you have helped them fill a void in their business.​It is this passion and energy that I wish to bring to Tyson. I feel blessed to be a part of this amazing company where I truly can bring value to operators, myself and to my team. I look forward to a long and healthy career with Tyson where I can not only utilize my passions but also develop new goals and career opportunities with a leader of the industry.