Marco’s hires 20-year Army veteran as vice president to oversee recruitment initiative
Marco’s Pizza is on pace to grow in 2016, with a goal to open 800 stores by end of 2016. We are actively recruiting veterans to rise through the ranks through our new formal veterans recruitment program.
Marco’s Pizza® has a strong history of supporting U.S. veterans, and we are now formally committed to being an employer of choice for veterans, as well as a partner of choice to organizations that support veteran employment through our launch of a new veterans recruiting initiative. U.S. Army veteran Scott Quagliata has been hired to oversee the program as Vice President, Veterans Program and Recruitment.
“We want to make sure that veterans know that Marco’s has wonderful leadership and ownership opportunities for them,” says Scott, who served in several leadership positions during his 20-year Army career, including Deputy Commanding Officer. “Veterans make great franchisees. The very nature of the franchise business is such that successful franchisees understand and adhere to operational standards. There is a direct correlation between success in the military and success in business.”
Marco’s Pizza has a history of giving back to the men and women who have given so much to our country, and this initiative formalizes a recruiting program to specifically reach U.S. veterans. Entrepreneur magazine ranks Marco’s Pizza among the Top Franchises for Veterans, and we are a proud participant in the International Franchise Association’s VetFran Program — which offers veterans a discount on their initial license fee.
“We want to make sure that we’re not just giving jobs, but meaningful careers and meaningful lives to people so they can raise their families and make all their dreams come true — utilizing the Marco’s Pizza business model as just a tool in that quest,” says Marco’s Pizza COO Bryon Stephens.
Veterans’ military service helps them develop leadership and tactical skills that translate well to successful franchise ownership. “Our structured operating systems at Marco’s have a systematic structure, which offers a degree of familiarity for veterans. If you follow our processes, then your prospects for success are favorable,” Scott says.
Because of his extensive military career, Scott has connections within the U.S military system that will be extremely beneficial as Marco’s Pizza develops a formal recruitment process. The veterans program will roll out as a pilot in late spring and early summer 2016 in the Southeast, with initial recruitment efforts focusing on military bases in Columbia, South Carolina (Fort Jackson); Savannah, Georgia (Fort Stewart); and Columbus, Georgia (Fort Benning).
Scott attended Discovery Day last November with interest in becoming a multi-unit Marco’s Pizza franchisee in Virginia. COO Bryon Stephens spoke with him about his vision to help veterans by providing leadership and ownership opportunities, and the conversation quickly led to bringing Scott on board to develop and grow the new veterans program.
“Several things attracted me to Marco’s: the quality of the product, the quality of the people, the organizational culture and the ability to provide long-term career opportunities with life-changing potential to our veterans,” Scott says.
The Marco’s Pizza veterans program will be an entry point into the franchise’s management pipeline. The long-term intent is that veteran candidates would go through the application and screening process, enter the program and rise through the ranks as general managers, go through the apprentice program and ultimately become Marco’s Pizza multi-unit franchisees. “At the end of the day, this is all about long-term career opportunities for veterans. We want to make sure it’s a good fit for both sides,” Scott says.
“At Marco’s, we live our cultural beliefs every day,” Scott says. “That’s apparent across the Marco’s organization, and it’s similar in nature to the service values with which veterans have lived. There is a correlation for many of our cultural beliefs that will resonate with many veterans.”
Build your success on ours
Founded in Toledo, Ohio, in 1978, Marco’s Pizza has become one of the fastest-growing large pizza franchises in the nation. Our homemade recipes and fresh ingredients are in the Italian tradition, and we are the only top 20 pizza franchise in the country that was founded by a native Italian. We are led by veteran pizza executives who have experience growing brands and supporting franchisees as they grow their businesses.
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