WebstaurantStore’s Post

“When I started to think about where I had a good year or a bad year, won or lost, had success or failure, I was left asking the more fundamental question, where did I add value? I liked this angle because the outputs are not always in our control, but our personal inputs usually are. It is hard to imagine living with regret if we are confident that we have done our best to add value to the various circles we are involved in.”     Gene Clark, CEO, shares more on where he’s seen the Clark Associates family of companies add value to their coworkers, vendors, customers, and the community. Read his full 2024 letter below. https://lnkd.in/eXc-D4Yp 

We're excited to partner with Connecteam, an all-in-one employee management platform. With Connecteam, restaurant managers can easily handle operations, schedules, hours, knowledge sharing, and team connectivity, freeing up time for business growth. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gXtU5cVM

Congratulations to Molly Knox, Digital Content Analyst, on her 10-year work anniversary! Learn more about her time with us below.    ▪ What has motivated you to stay at the company for so many years?  The people and the culture. I’ve never felt as valued and cared about in any job as I do here amongst team members and management. The culture is also something I’m very thankful to be a part of as well, especially being able to work from home and the work/life balance that it brings. I love being able to go for a run the second I get done at my desk, and not have to deal with a commute home anymore like I did the first half of my career.  ▪ What roles and responsibilities have you held over the last 10 years?   I have held lots of roles and worn many hats over these 10 years. I first started as an intern after graduating college, then built up my skills as a Digital Content Specialist. Next, I became a department trainer, followed by holding more of a reviewer role where I assessed our team’s work for quality, and most recently moved into an analyst position where I help to define strategy and coordinate projects.  ▪ WebstaurantStore provides “Anniversary Days” to tenured employees. On your 10-year anniversary, you get an additional 10 days of PTO that must be used in a row! Any big plans for your Anniversary Days?   Yes! My family and I will be renting a beach house in Avalon, NJ for a week, and then I’ll be taking a “stay-cation” for another week back home in Hershey, PA. I’m really looking forward to having some quiet time during that 2nd week since I’m always on the go with 2 young daughters. 

Our Inbound Trucking Team is seeing the culmination of a project that’s been several months in the making. Team members involved in this project are Alex Spinos, Faith Akers, Joe Daniel, Macy Richey, Ross Woodson, and Shannon Murphy. In the past, they've encountered additional costs on import containers coming into our Nevada warehouses during the winter months. This is due to extreme winter weather affecting travel between CA and NV.  Through researching alternatives and discussions with carrier partner, CMA CGM, they discovered the Port of Nevada. They learned about an opportunity to become an import partner to upgrade this port and make it a viable option for import container deliveries. Since the rail system would provide a non-stop transportation solution into Nevada that is less affected by the weather than traditional trucking transportation, they knew they could significantly improve our overall supply chain by taking advantage of this opportunity. They also worked closely with ITS Logistics and IRG. Clark Associates became the inaugural shipper of the Port of Nevada, and team members attended a kickoff event to celebrate the success of the first shipments. We intend to continue utilizing the rail system on a trial basis this year, and potentially grow to move all our Nevada volume if the solution proves to hold true to the benefits identified. If successful, this opportunity will not only be more cost-effective and efficient for Clark, but also decrease our carbon footprint and allow us to become less impacted by heavy traffic, weather delays, and the new trucking regulations currently seen within the state of California.

Congratulations to Adam Weitzel-Leishman, Director of Operations - Southeast, on his 10-year work anniversary! Learn more about his time with us below.    ▪ What has motivated you to stay at the company for so many years?  Until now, I've never had the same position/title/responsibilities for longer than a few years at Clark. The problem-solving nature of these roles and the company's growth has meant that I have always felt intellectually challenged. The company's growth has provided me with many opportunities, including a couple of relocations – which I am extremely grateful for. I also work with a group of very talented people that I've been fortunate to learn from and build great relationships with over the years, including my own leadership. ▪ What advice would you give to new employees just starting at WebstaurantStore?  I love this question, and I have been asked it dozens of times by new employees in our distribution centers. I tell them to follow the three traits of Patrick Lencioni's "Ideal Team Player.” Be Humble, be Hungry and be Smart (emotionally intelligent). Being growth-oriented, listening to and adapting to feedback, and having the ability to work as a team with anyone is essential for success, regardless of the role or area you are in. ▪ What projects or initiatives have you been involved in that have been particularly meaningful to you?  There are so many to count that I wouldn't feel good about just naming a few. Web truly walks the walk when it comes to "Embracing an Entrepreneurial Spirit.” Since I started as a Forklift operator in Lancaster PA, we have been encouraged to provide feedback and suggestions that have affected much more than our individual roles/departments That sentiment hasn't changed in the years that I have spent here, and it's that engagement that drives us forward. 

Happy National Food Truck Day! Food trucks are a summer staple, and this video gives a behind-the-scenes look into what goes into running one. We sat down with four local food truck owners to get their tips and tricks for starting a successful food truck. The local businesses were Lancaster Burger Co, Dough Heads Waffles (owned and operated by Clark Associates employee Drew Cordell), Lickity Split, and Mara-Leo's. Their key takeaways: ▪ The most important element you’ll need to figure out is funding for your truck with a business plan for a loan and fundraising. ▪ You’ll need to apply for the appropriate licenses, starting by calling your local jurisdiction for directions. ▪ Choosing your truck is the next major hurdle, from transforming a pre-existing vehicle or starting from scratch. ▪ At the end of the day, the food truck community is there to support you instead of competing with you. They can be a valuable resource as you get started. Learn more in our full article here: https://lnkd.in/eauB4_yn

Meet the remainder of our Summer 2024 Interns! These interns are in various departments including Customer Solutions, Logistics, Order Optimization, Content, Warehouse Operations, and IT. We’re excited to see what they accomplish during their time with us.  

David Groff, Chief Operating Officer & President of WebstaurantStore, celebrated his 20th anniversary with the company in May. He has been with the company since the very beginning, as 2024 is the company’s 20th anniversary as well, so he has seen WebstaurantStore evolve from its inception to what it is today. Learn more about him and his thoughts on leadership below. 

Meet our Summer 2024 Development Interns! Clark Associates has a record 161 interns, and 66 of those are specifically working in WebstaurantStore’s Development teams. With the majority of these interns being remote, we’re proud to have them coming from 34 schools across the country. Join us in welcoming these interns to WebstaurantStore!