How long have you been with Portillo’s and what made you come work for us?
I’ve been with Portillo’s for 25 years! A former GM of mine brought me with them when KeyWester started hiring in 1996. I had worked with her at another restaurant and I guess you could say she recruited me to join her at KeyWester.
What do you love about Portillo’s?
What I love most about Portillo’s is the people. My co-workers have always felt like family to me, even back when I worked at KeyWester all those years ago. That has not changed. The Portillo’s team will always be like a second family to me.
What was your first position here and what position did you get promoted to?
My first position was as a server. Within about a year, I was moved into an Office Manager position, though I still continued serving at night and on the weekends. In 2005, I was asked to cover for someone temporarily in the Benefits Department while they went on leave of absence. That person decided to stay home with their family, so I was hired on as a Benefits Assistant and eventually worked up to a Sr. Benefits Specialist. I was most recently promoted to Compensation Analyst, which is a new and exciting experience for me.
What do you love about your position?
What I love most about the position is that it always presents new challenges for me. I have a thirst for knowledge (I literally just keep finding reasons to go back to school…) and this position never gets old. There is always something new and exciting for me to learn and it presents new opportunities for me to continue to develop and grow with the company.
What advice would you give to someone at Portillo’s looking to move up?
All I can say is continue to work hard, learn as much as you can, and live the Portillo’s values every day. The more you put into your job, the more rewarding it will be for you and for the company.
Where do see yourself growing in this company?
I would love to continue to learn more about different aspects of HR that I have not been able to experience yet. I believe that the more well-rounded I am, the more my development potential will continue to grow. The sky is the limit with Portillo’s!