Noel Blackwood, McDonald's Business Consultant, recipient of the McDonald's President's Award. (centre) of Austel Georgia is presented with the McDonald's President's Award in honour of his being in the top one per cent of McDonald's staff employees throughout the country. Presenting the award are (from left) Karen King, President McDonald's East Division; Jim Skinner, Corporate President and CEO; Corporate President/COO Mike Roberts and Ralph Alvarez, President McDonald's North America. - CONTRIBUTED
MCDONALD'S CORPORATION in Oak Brook, Illinois, recently presented the McDonald's President's Award to Noel Blackwood from Austel, Georgia.
Blackwood is Jamaican-born and this year will mark his 17th year with the company. The award distinguishes the top one per cent of McDonald's staff employees worldwide who achieve considerable results in strategic initiatives and develop a significant cost/process efficiency programme.
"I didn't believe it at first. They announced it at a dinner meeting and I said, 'No, this is a mistake'," he laughs. His current post is that of field operations consultant for the Atlanta region, which spans four of the South-eastern states, including Tennessee and Alabama. He began work as a crewperson in Southfield, Michigan; a part-time job while earning his bachelor's degree in communications from Wayne State University in Detroit. From packing crates, he is now helping the owners of the stores in his region to improve their profitability. He also helps to develop the company's new recruits.
"I believe you are as successful as the people around you. So everything I learn, I pass it on," he said. Blackwood moved to the United States when he was 19, after working with the Jamaica Information Service for a few years. He was with the company's South Florida Region and its Caribbean Region before joining the 700-store Atlanta Region in 2002 as a business consultant. He is also part of the team that opened the first McDonald's in Jamaica. He actually travels all the time between both countries. So now that he's topped thousands of his co-workers, what comes next?
"Typically, the people that win this award are earmarked for future growth and development. I've already been getting calls from people saying I'll be promoted," he chuckles. McDonald's Corporation has its own university-esque management courses and he is due to start one of its leadership development courses later this year. The post of operations manager looms.
When asked what his favourite McDonald meal was, Blackwood said it was not one of the greasy burgers. The answer: Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken.
