Batavia, Illinois Restaurant Team Leader Captures Top Honors
The Wendy’s Company announced today that Peter Garnica from Batavia, Illinois, has been named as the top General Manager (GM) in its global restaurant system for 2016.
A former crew member who started as a sandwich maker, Garnica now leads the team at the Wendy’s located at 1905 West Wilson Boulevard, operated by Wenzak, Inc., a Wendy’s franchise.
Garnica was recognized during festivities this week at the first Top GM Conference at Wendy’s Restaurant Support Center in Dublin, Ohio. He was selected from among a group of 10 “best of the best” honorees from Company and franchise-operated restaurants, which included:
| General Manager | Restaurant Location | Organization |
| Michael Andy Carter | Pueblo, Colo. (1005 Bonforte Blvd.) | Wendy's of Colorado Springs |
| Aaron Ewen | Clemson, S.C. (1048 Tiger Blvd.) | First Sun Management Corp. |
| Maggie Garcia | Brownsville, Texas (1001 Main St.) | South-Wen Inc. |
| Joe Geck | Thornton, Colo. (1500 E. 104th Ave.) | The Wendy's Company |
| Lana Hardesty | Fairmont, W.Va. (1503 Locust St.) | Primary Aim LLC |
| Agathe Marcellus | Lake Worth, Fla. (4483 S. Congress Ave.) | JAE Restaurant Group, LLC |
| Laurie Reimer | Grand Rapids, Mich. (4694 W. River Rd.) | Meritage Hospitality Group |
| John Specht | Alexandria, Ky. (7201 E. Alexandria Pike) | Sinkula Investments Ltd. |
| Sandra Thompson | Graham, N.C. (835 S. Main St.) | Walker Holdings Group |
“When you consider that there are almost 6,500 Wendy’s restaurants in the U.S., Canada and international markets, being ranked among the top 10 GMs is truly a noteworthy accomplishment,” said Bob Wright, Executive Vice President, Chief Operations Officer and International, The Wendy’s Company. “The general manager plays an absolutely critical role in our restaurants — setting the tone for operational excellence, inspiring and developing others, and creating the type of overall environment that helps deliver ‘A Cut Above’ customer experience.”
A number of potential candidates were nominated from throughout the Wendy’s system, based on a variety of performance metrics. In the end, a total of 200 GMs – representing roughly three percent of the Wendy’s system – were invited to attend the Top GM Conference. During the conference, the participants were honored for their outstanding performance over a 12-month period.
“All of the general managers who were recognized are responsible for successfully running a $1.5-$2 million or more business by effectively leading their restaurant team. Most started their career as crew members or assistant managers and they are living examples of the opportunities available in the restaurant industry, where people can gain important skills and advance through their own hard work, initiative and abilities,” Wright said.
While in Dublin, the top GMs had an opportunity to experience Wendy’s Restaurant Support Center campus, interact with senior Company leaders and participate in activities designed to help them grow and develop.
The Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ: WEN) is the world’s third-largest quick-service hamburger company. The Wendy’s system includes approximately 6,500 franchise and Company-operated restaurants in the United States and 28 countries and U.S. territories worldwide. For more information, visit www.aboutwendys.com.
