WHEN Donna Ribellia Abreu, 43, refers to "My McDonald's," like on the TV commercials, she's not joshing. Exactly one year ago, the managing director of McDonald's Pacific basin market -- while on an eight-week sabbatical break at her Mililani home -- mulled her career choices. From bigwig to
franchisee (and loving it)The Star of the Sea and Chaminade University graduate had worked her way up from McDonald's coffee hostess to store manager to director of operations to market manager over two decades.
She had held almost every important post in organization's local hierarchy. Had been promoted every three years. And, on assuming the top job in Hawaii in 1994, she broke racial barriers by becoming the first McDonald's area supervisor of Filipino ancestry.
Now it looked like she would soon be promoted up and out of her lifelong home state. Donna wondered whether to go -- until her boss, zone manager Rob Doran, came up with a stunning alternative: Why not become the owner of a McDonald's restaurant three blocks from her house?
Donna was surprised, then grateful. The Kuahelani Avenue eatery was a steady company-owned performer with "lots of potential." By agreeing to let Donna and her husband, John, become its franchisees, McDonald's was showing appreciation for her 20-plus years of service.
The Abreus accepted the offer, paid a substantial franchise fee and were handed the keys last Dec. 16.
Thus, Donna went from running an entire corporate division to owning a single store. Was that a demotion, some folks asked her? "At first I was insulted," she says. "But then I realized, here in Hawaii, being the head of a large company is considered a big achievement. In the long run, though, many people's goal is still to have a business of their own."
Like the Abreu family now has. John is the store's Mr. Fix-it and runs karaoke night festivities. Crystal, a 17-year-old at Mililani High School, works part-time, while 9-year-old John-John sometimes "manages" the McDonald's play area (he's the envy of schoolmates at Mililani Uka Elementary, too).
It is Donna, however, who is the real boss lady of operations, and what a wealth of knowledge and experience she brings to the counter.
She admits that her former stint as managing director -- overseeing operations, purchasing, delivery, marketing and human resources management -- means a big advantage for her compared to other novice McDonald's franchisees.
She still works six to seven days a week, 12 hours a day, and continues to reap about the same financial compensation as in her "former life."
BUT everything else is different: less stress, more time with the family (since they work together), and no longer relying on various department heads to get things done. "In my other job, at the executive level, I felt comfortable delegating," Donna says. "Now, I'm it!"
With sales already up 10 percent from a year ago, the Abreus want to continue to grow the business, help the community (especially through schools and athletic organizations), and eventually acquire other franchises on this part of the island.
"Sometimes I miss the glory and excitement of my old job," says Donna, "but I know my new mission." So says the only woman in Mililani Town who can go to work, call it "My McDonald's" and really mean it.