Profile: Taco Bell (Desert de Oro Food)

Desert de Oro Foods, Inc. was formed in March of 1982 when the brother/sister team of Mark Peterson and Krystal (Peterson) Burge left college to pursue their entrepreneurial dream of building a chain of quick serve restaurants. With the support of their parents, Dean and Sonja Peterson, the pair purchased and personally operated their first location, #2083 in Kingman, Arizona, for three years before expanding to Bullhead City and Lake Havasu City in 1985. Vista Foods, Inc. was created with the purchase of a Prescott location in 1987. One year later, in 1988, their mother and fellow franchisee, Sonja Peterson, actively joined the thriving team.

By 1997, the burgeoning company included two restaurants each in Kingman and Bullhead City, locations in Lake Havasu, Wickenburg and Parker, plus express units on the North and South campus of Kingman High School. Vista Foods had expanded to Chino Valley, Prescott Valley and two locations in Prescott. Another company, DDO-Cal, Inc., included restaurants in Blythe and Needles, California. That same year, under the umbrella of Hot Tacos, Inc., the company tripled in size with the addition of twenty-six restaurants in the Phoenix area. Two additional Phoenix area restaurants were acquired in 1998. The following year, an eastern Arizona district was added with the acquisition of restaurants in Show Low, Pinetop, Payson, Winslow, Holbrook and Taylor. The Year 2000 saw the acquisition of Camp Verde, two closures and two new restaurants opened, 20548 in Phoenix and 20900 in Surprise. Another two new restaurants were opened in 2001, one in the booming business corridor off I-10 in Avondale, the other in the high growth area of Cave Creek. When the company celebrated twenty years in business in 2002, it had grown to include 46 Taco Bells, three with Pizza Hut Express units and 21231 in Chino Valley, with a KFC Express. Current expansion plans include adding another brand, Long John Silvers (LJS), in 2005.

Along the way, Mark and Krystal have received numerous honors and awards, including the Small Business Administrations Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Both brother and sister hold fast to the belief that business has an obligation to provide a return to the community, and all locations are members of the local chamber of commerce. The pair also takes an active role in the community, as well as within the Taco Bell Franchise Owners Association. Mark has served on the board for nine years holding the offices of Secretary/Treasurer, Marketing Chairman and Planning Chairman. He is currently President of the Arizona DMA and serves on the Taco Bell Concept Board. In addition, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Phoenix and the Valley of the Sun Boys & Girls Club. Mark is a member of the Young President’s Organization and the Fighter Country Partnership, (in conjunction with Luke Air Force Base), and pilots his own plane to facilitate overseeing new development and attending meetings. Krystal serves on the Board of Directors for Mission Bank, is Chairperson of the Kingman Regional Medical Center Foundation, the Mohave County Economic Development Commission and St. John's Preschool. She is also active in Soroptimist International.

Along with their dedication to community service, the pair believes in fostering a team environment committed to employee development through appreciation and respect. The Taco Bell Corp. philosophy of putting people first is a primary reason why Mark and Krystal chose to invest in the Taco Bell brand rather than in another franchise. The brands "How We Work Together" Desert de Oro Foods, Inc. Vista Foods, Inc. DDO – Cal, Inc. Hot Tacos, Inc. principles stress a belief in the positive intentions of employees, encourages input from everyone at all levels of the organization, empowers employees to act like owners, insures the success of employees through training, coaching and recognition, and advocates a passion for excellence and the pursuit of A+ Operations.

Putting people first applies not only to members of the Taco Bell family, but to the customer as well. The Taco Bell Customer Mania Program provides employees with extensive training on how to exceed guest expectations, or how to "WOW" the guest every time. The brands first priority is to be #1 in customer service and hospitality while continuing to serve the highest quality products and maintaining its reputation as the value price leader among quick service restaurants. With over 1,400 employees on the company's Taco Bell payroll, Mark and Krystal didn't plan on expanding into the "fine dining" segment of the restaurant industry, but when presented with the opportunity to purchase a Kingman landmark, the Dambar Steakhouse, they did just that. The formation of a new company, Fork in the Road, marked the indomitable pair’s pursuit of ever greater challenges. This company too continued to grow with the purchase of the historic Murphy's Restaurant in Prescott, the creation of the Gurley Street Grill in Prescott, the construction of Murphy's Grill in Cottonwood and the newest concept, The Prescott Office Restaurant & Sports Bar and the Desert Ridge Office Restaurant and Bar in Phoenix (Loop 101 & Tatum). With one of the most experienced management teams in the industry firmly in place, Mark and Krystal continue to explore new business endeavors. A cadre of loyal employees looks forward to rising to meet the next challenge along with them. Continued successful growth and expansion is the company goal.