Brinker International Awards Top Chili's And Maggiano's General
Managers With Highest Company Honor
DALLAS, Dec. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Excelling in all
facets of business operations, giving back to the community and
making guests and team members feel special are instilled
attributes of the highest performing managers from Brinker
International, Inc., (NYSE: EAT) parent company of Chili's® Grill
& Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy®. Brinker is proud to name
Charles Legan, Managing Partner of
Chili's in Manteca, Calif.; and
Michael Marsico, General Manager of
Maggiano's in Indianapolis, Ind.,
as the company-wide general managers of the year. Additionally,
Kelly Tynan, Area Director
overseeing several Chili's locations in the Denver market, was announced as the company's
first Above Restaurant Leader of the Year award recipient.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121211/DA27227)
Now in its seventh year, the Brinker General Manager (GM) of the
Year award – a nationwide, cross-brand recognition as part of the
company's 5-Star Challenge program – is designed to reward top
operators for achieving success in criteria such as guest and team
member engagement scores, sales and profitability and community
involvement. Results are tracked and communicated each quarter, and
at the end of each fiscal year, managers who are in the top five
percent from Chili's and Maggiano's, are named as members of the
5-Star Chairman's Club, receive cash, vacations and become eligible
for the General Manager of the Year award.
Legan, Marsico and Tynan were recently acknowledged at a Brinker
all-team member meeting in Dallas
where they received the coveted Norman Brinker Cup – a crystal
trophy named in honor of the late restaurant-industry icon and
company namesake, Norman Brinker –
to display in the restaurant, a one-year lease on a new car and
$25,000. Additionally, all team
members at Legan and Marsico's restaurants will enjoy a special
party, cash bonus and other incentives.
"Charles and Kelly operate with the highest degree of integrity,
and their commitment to carry out our brand ideals and behaviors
are evident in their daily interactions with others," said
Wyman Roberts, president of Chili's
Grill & Bar. "Their willingness to mentor peers around them,
while advancing the operational success of their restaurants and
driving our business forward, is a true testament of what it takes
to be extraordinary leaders within our brand."
A 20-year 'ChiliHead,' Legan began his career with Chili's as
cook, working his way through other support jobs before his post as
GM. In addition to his GM of the Year recognition, Legan was
recently promoted to Area Director, responsible for managing
operations at multiple San
Jose-area Chili's. When he's not busy running his
restaurants, Legan gives back to his community through the
following organizations: Relay for Life, Boys & Girls Club of
Manteca, Toys for Tots and St.
Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Tynan began working with Chili's in 1978 as a cook in
Houston, Texas, one of the few
Chili's opened at the time. And he's evolved throughout his tenure
with the company, embracing new leadership styles to create
personal working connections with his team members, interacting and
engaging with his guests and making them feel special, while
implementing the cultural beliefs of the Chili's brand. His
leadership resulted in high team member and guest engagement scores
and impressive sales and profit plans.
Marisco practically grew up with Maggiano's, first visiting the
restaurant when he was 8 years old. His mother was a server at the
Maggiano's in Schaumburg, Ill.,
where Marisco later worked in coat check as a teenager. Before
graduating from high school, Marsico had the following
responsibilities: busboy, host, Maître´ D, carryout coordinator,
and accounting assistant. He continued his tenure with Maggiano's
through college, working at the original location in downtown
Chicago, later becoming a manager
there. A promotion to Assistant General Manager brought him to
Indianapolis, where he has served
as General Manager since 2010. Outside his commitment to the
restaurant, Marisco finds time to have an active and positive
presence in his community, supporting charities such as the Italian
Heritage Society of Indiana,
Indianapolis Zoo, Indianapolis Domestic Abuse Organization, Habitat
for Humanity and Make-A-Wish Foundation.
"Michael's passion for Maggiano's has been evident from an early
age, and he continues to stand out as the leading operator of our
brand," said Steve Provost,
president of Maggiano's Little Italy. "In the short time since his
post in Indianapolis, he's managed
to take an already high-performing restaurant to another level of
operational success."
Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT), is one of the world's
leading casual dining restaurant companies, serving more than 1
million guests daily. Founded in 1975 and based in Dallas, Texas, Brinker owns or franchises more
than 1,500 restaurants in 33 countries and two territories. Brinker
restaurant brands include Chili's® Grill & Bar and
Maggiano's Little Italy®. Brinker also holds a minority
stake in Romano's Macaroni Grill®. For more information,
visit www.brinker.com.
SOURCE Brinker International, Inc.