From left, Laurie Hadler orders from Haylie Wussick and Darian Espinoza at McDonald’s on Glendale Road in 2016 upon the occasion of the 40th anniverary of the store’s opening. Hadler has announced the sale of McDonald’s of Marietta, which operates three stores in Marietta, to TOMTREYCO of Uniontown, Ohio. The Glendale store was the first McDonald’s in Marietta opened by Walt and Betty Hadler and managed by their daughter Laurie. (File Photo)
MARIETTA — Three McDonald’s restaurants in Marietta have been sold, the company has announced.
McDonald’s of Marietta LLC with restaurants on Glendale Road, Pike Street and Gilman Avenue have been acquired by TOMTREYCO of Uniontown, Ohio, effective June 1.
The announcement was made by Laurie Hadler, president of McDonald’s of Marietta, and Tom Locke, president of TOMTREYCO.
According to Hadler, the chemistry between the Marietta McDonald’s group and the management of TOMTREYCO assures a seamless transition that will benefit Marietta McDonald’s employees and customers.
“Because I was able to select the new owner of my stores personally, I took the time to find the right fit,” Hadler said. “At the same time, Locke was proceeding with a plan to grow his company to 70 stores and Marietta was an ideal fit for him.”
Hadler’s career spans more than 45 years with McDonald’s, eventually becoming an owner/operator in 1992. She has followed the legacy established by her late mother, Betty Hadler, who opened the first McDonald’s in Marietta in 1976.
Hadler said the acquisition results from an extensive search for a new owner who would carry on the tradition of community service, employee relations and quality products. TOMTREYCO oversees 54 McDonald’s restaurants in Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
“It was important for me to leave my valued employees in good hands, working for a good company with a future,” Hadler said. “Tom’s organization is well-positioned to provide management and infrastructure support enabled by his 22 years as an Owner/Operator and his growth into a larger company. Tom’s entire family is involved with McDonald’s ownership and management. He plans to keep the McDonald’s restaurant business in his family for new generations.”
According to Locke, the Marietta McDonald’s is a model for efficient management and stewardship of the McDonald’s brand and has an appreciation for nurturing employees, many of whom are working their first jobs.
“We are in awe of Laurie’s commitment and talent and the strength of her company,” Locke said. “Because of her leadership, we don’t want to change anything in the three restaurants in Marietta. In fact, we have been learning what Laurie has been doing and we are trying to emulate it across our entire company.”
Locke issued a statement to employees.
“I can’t replace Laurie. No one can, but I hope to earn your trust and confidence going forward. We are dedicated to people, profit and the McDonald’s brand,” he said. “Our motto of ‘faith, family and fries’ underscores the precepts upon which we’ve grown our company and how much work-life balance means to us.”
Hadler said she had mixed emotions. She is retiring after a career in which she held many leadership positions in McDonald’s co-ops throughout the region and teaching opportunities at McDonald’s Hamburger University training facility in Chicago.
In 2017 she was the recipient of the Ronald Award presented by McDonald’s Corp. to the top 1% of owner/operators across the country who have made outstanding contributions to strengthening the McDonald’s brand image and serving their customers and local communities.
Hadler in 2019 was named Marietta Business Leader of the Year by the Marietta Area Chamber of Commerce.
“I am proud to have grown my company, to have provided many jobs in our area and our longstanding support for Partners in Education, local sports and many community events over the years,” she said. “Since I started working for my parents as a manager of the first Marietta McDonald’s on Glendale Road in 1976, I have met countless people here and throughout America. I’ve raised two daughters and become a grandmother. It’s time for me to retire and spend time with my family and friends. I am forever blessed with the legacy my mother passed on to me and her confidence in me that I can share with other young women who desire to excel in business.”
