Our business at Burgerville is about people: our employees, our guests, the people of our community. We invest in developing our people because we believe in the lasting and positive difference an individual can make when they are able to fully contribute.
Jerry Otto, the General Manager of the 122nd & Stark Burgerville, was recently named the recipient of the Zelma Hokenson Award for his advocacy and support of the deaf and hard of hearing in the city of Portland. This award was presented by the Columbia Regional Program.
Jerry has recruited into Burgerville employment many deaf and hard of hearing students. He has proven to be a strong advocate for these students, seeing them not as disabled but as the productive members of the work force that they are. He has, in training these young adults, given them more than mere technical expertise; he has empowered them by giving them the chance to prove themselves. Much of the success that these students have experienced in the workplace is due to Jerry’s generosity and his recognition that deaf and hard of hearing students have enormous contributions to make.
In affiliation with Portland Public Schools, Columbia Regional Program supports equalizing educational opportunities and access for students who require special services.
Tom Mears is chairman of The Holland, Inc. Under Mears’ leadership, The Holland, Inc. has grown from a small restaurant company to a premiere provider of the Pacific Northwest’s dining experience.
Mears is the driving force behind Burgerville’s mission-led philosophy of “serve with love,” which is the foundation of the company’s goals for conducting food and business operations in a sustainable manner. He was integral in the creation of the new Burgerville concept and expanded The Holland’s subsidiaries to include the Beaches and Noodlin’ restaurants.
Mears joined The Holland’s management program in 1966 and in 1967, he became the manager of the first Burgerville in Portland, OR. He spent the next 16 years at Burgerville in management and executive positions, before becoming president/chief executive officer in 1982. In January 2008, Mears became the Chairman of The Holland Inc. and turned over operation of Burgerville to Jeff Harvey as President/Chief Executive Officer.
He serves on a number of community boards including the Vancouver School District Foundation, the First Independent Bank, Community Choices 2010 and Identity Clark County.
Mears earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Washington in 1964. In 2002, Mears was inducted into the Oregon Restaurant Association Hall of Fame and was selected as the 2007 recipient of the national Trendsetter Award.
Jeff Harvey is president and CEO of Burgerville. Since 2004, Jeff has been gearing up the company to take bold steps to become a stronger player in the food industry and to become a significant influence in how business can be responsible and sustainable in all aspects, including people, profitability and community. Jeff has played an integral role in achieving double-digit sales growth in 2006 and 2007 and, with Tom, has developed a chief operating team and leadership team that have a proven track record in growing the company.
Prior to joining The Holland, Inc. in 2004, Harvey held senior executive-level positions with Energy Conversion Devices as Senior Vice President of Marketing and also served as the Director of Product Management for Chevron Texaco.
He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Oregon State University
Jack Graves created the role of chief cultural officer for The Holland, Inc. in 2004. His responsibilities include serving as a steward of the company’s mission and culture, as a liaison between The Holland’s vendor partners and internal teams and ensuring that the company’s initiatives such as providing affordable health care and its commitment to sustainability are met. Graves also serves as the historian for The Holland and ensures that the company’s vision is fully integrated throughout the organization.
Graves joined The Holland in 1976 as general manager of the Burgerville in Centralia, WA. Before creating the role of chief cultural officer, Graves held the position of vice president of Burgerville operations.
Prior to joining The Holland, Graves spent more than three years with Arby’s restaurant where he served as general manager.
A true visionary of the industry, Graves has spent more than 30 years in the Quick Service Restaurant industry. He has won several sales awards and is committed to the implementation of sustainable practices and affordable health care for all employees. Throughout his career Graves has spoken on various industry panels and at the Sustainable Business Forum in Portland.
Janice Williams is the Chief Talent Officer for Burgerville. Williams’ responsibilities include human resources and all company recruiting, training and development, including employee, new management, assistant and general management programs. She supervises the auditing, certification and management of training for the company and restaurants, and also maintains the company’s leadership development center.
Williams joined Burgerville in 1984 and has over 24 years experience in restaurant operations, training and development. She held the positions of Assistant Manager, General Manager and Director of Professional Development prior to her current position.
Since joining the company, Williams has become an integral part of the company’s executive team and is a driving force behind the company’s Center for Responsible Community Leadership. She was General Manager of the Year of the Fisher’s Landing Burgerville in Vancouver, WA in 1999 and a CHART panelist for employee training and retention in December of 2004.
As Burgerville’s Chief Financial Officer, Kyle Dean is responsible for managing the company’s financial data, financial planning and record-keeping, as well as financial reporting to upper management. Dean also develops innovative ways to partner with the company’s suppliers, economic development entities and the banking community. Internally, he is leading accountability initiatives that
will help people quantify their results and contributions to Burgerville’s financial structure.
Dean joined the company in February, 2006 as the financial controller where he supervised cash flow management within the company. Prior to his work with The Holland, Dean spent six years in the hospitality industry with Westin Hotels and Resorts and nearly 10 years with Columbia Helicopters, Inc., where he served as a senior accountant, business analyst and senior financial analyst.
As Chief Development Officer, Tara Wefers’ role includes leading expansion efforts and the development of strategic alliances for the company.
Wefers joined Burgerville in November 2004 as Vice President of Marketing and Communications. Wefers responsibilities included public relations, menu development, and brand integrity.
Prior to joining the company, Wefers served as Vice President of Client Services with Via Training. While at Via, Wefers was responsible for relationship management, revenue generation, and new business activities.
Wefers went to Via Training from the Children’s Museum 2nd Generation, a community gathering place for families, educators, businesses and artists, where she held the position of Director of Finance and Operations.
Wefers also owned her own consulting firm, Tara Wefers & Associates, a provider of productivity enhancement, project management, and staff development solutions. Before founding her own firm, Wefers held the position of President and CEO at Group 3 Consultants, a software training, systems integration and software development firm.
Wefers holds a BA degree in Marketing and Management from the University of Portland. In 1996, she was recognized by the Portland Business Journal as one of 40 Outstanding Businesspeople Under 40. She is actively involved in her local community and currently the co-chair of the Advisory Counsel to the Food and Farms Program at Ecotrust.
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