Some high praise for Hartford McDonald’s manager Jon Schmidt who was recently recognized as one of 340 top restaurant managers to receive the 2016 Ray Kroc Award.
“There’s no higher honor and it’s pretty cool to win it,” said Schmidt.
Selected from more than 36,000 restaurants, Schmidt represents the top 1 percent of McDonald’s restaurant managers from around the world.
The award, named after McDonald’s Corporation founder Ray Kroc, “recognizes hardworking restaurant managers who deliver superior results in team performance and operational excellence.”
Schmidt, 47, started his career at McDonald’s when he was 16 years old and a student at Slinger High School.
“I worked the front counter and in the kitchen and one of the things on the menu was the McDLT,” he said. “It was packaging that had the hot side hot and the cold side cold. That was a big deal when I was in high school.”
Schmidt said the other thing that was very hard to forget was the blue polyester uniform. “It had a big floppy collar and we wore paper hats,” said Schmidt. “I don’t miss that at all.”
In 1990 when Steve Kilian purchased a series of McDonald’s in the area Schmidt interviewed for a position and he’s climbed the ladder ever since.
Schmidt is the seventh Ray Kroc winner in the Steve Kilian franchise.
“Jon is an incredible leader,” said Steve Kilian Jr. “He really cares about all the people he works with and tries to help them in any way he can and he loves the McDonald’s brand.”
“I’m proud to work here,” said Schmidt. “We have a great group of employees that work really hard and there are some long-term people who are very loyal and I wouldn’t be where I am today without their help.”
Ray Kroc Awards were distributed during the McDonald’s 2016 Worldwide Convention on April 13, 2016 in Orlando, Florida.
congratulations Jon.