Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine Issue II, 2015 | Page 58

RECONNECT: MULTI-BRAND 50
Restaurants, and approached Bruce about
doing some consulting for them.
“In the spring of 2014 they came to
me and said, ‘We have one IHOP in Mississippi and want to know if we could
expand that brand and maybe others.’”
Bruce says. “I went down to check it out
and I told them I thought it was doable.”
He also discovered an opportunity to
get Encore into Five Guys Burgers and
Fries. In May 2014 Encore hired him as
president of its restaurant development
division. The deals have been fast and
furious ever since.
The first order of business was the
buyout of eight Five Guys franchised locations in California from a group that had
held that territory for four years. Bruce
proved he still had a knack for turning
things around: in 45 days, profitability at
those units increased 8 percent and has
remained there.
There are 45 more Five Guys units in
the works, with 5 already in development
and 21 additional sites under negotiation.

Doing good is
just one of the
things that will
always characterize
William Ray Bruce.
“We plan to open 12 to 15 Five Guys per
year,” he says. IHOP growth also remains
on his radar. Encore has two IHOPs
open in Mississippi and two more under
development.
With franchise locations and territories spread from California to Mississippi,
Bruce, who lives in Salt Lake City, says he
is doing a lot more traveling these days.
The timing is favorable: with all but one
of his children now grown and out of the
house, he and his wife Tali have a much
more flexible schedule than just a few
years ago. “Encore Enterprises is based
in Dallas and I find myself in the offices

there quite a bit, too,” he says. “But it
all works.”
Almost a year into his new position,
Bruce is pleased with his move and believes
he was in the right place at the right time
when Encore came calling. “I see nothing
but substantial growth ahead for us with
buying existing and building new Five
Guys locations,” he says.
As some readers may recall, Bruce had
a well-earned reputation for “doing good”
with his Utah restaurants, developing a
unique program at Abundant Brands to
use leftover food to feed the area’s needy
and hungry—hot, open-faced sandwiches
from Subway and seven-layer burritos
from Costa Vida Mexican Grill. He says
Abundant has continued carrying on the
tradition he began, and he hopes to have a
similar program at some of his Five Guys
locations in California very soon.
Some things don’t need to be changed,
and doing good is just one of the things
that will always characterize William
Ray Bruce.

PERSONAL
First job: Captain Lou’s Italian Galley on the beach, slicing onions with swim
goggles on so my eyes wouldn’t tear. This was my job before making all those
beach pizzas.
Influences/events: Vern O. Curtis, 1981 Denny’s CEO, lived in my Huntington Beach, Calif., neighborhood and had great stories about restaurants.
Cami Adamson of Subway, Utah, who was able to balance high-need kids,
family, and Facebook every day, while managing the many aspects of an area
manager. These folks, and many like them, have influenced me over the years.
Key accomplishments: Operating multiple brands, building/designing
central kitchens and production models; feeding the homeless weekly with restaurant leftovers in the local communities; and getting new knees and hips and
popping right back. Health has its benefits.
Biggest current challenge: Rapidly building the Five Guys brand in California with financial modeling for each location and analyzing locations for
success.
Next big goal: Opening new restaurants monthly.
First turning point in your career: While meeting with R. Gregory
Keller, president of Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes during a personal life challenge, he said, “Pick up the pieces or your career will suffer.” I picked them up
that day.
Best business decision: I supported a subordinate when I believed he did
the right thing. I was let go from that position for not terminating the subordinate. To this day, I still believe that decision was the right one. My leadership
grew through standing for someone else.
Hardest lesson learned: I was young and left a job for greener pastures.
I found out there are weeds in every pasture. I learned to see the long-term
harvest.

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Work week: Today it is up-front work that will pay off in operational dividends later.
Exercise/workout: I simply lift weights—building muscle to reap the
rewards of eating good restaurant food.
Best advice you ever got: My wife sent me a Tony Robbins CD back in
the dating days when I was living in another state. Tony said, “To magnify the
human experience you need partnership.” We were married shortly after. It has
made my life, including business life, better.
What’s your passion in business? Motivating others to reach higher in
restaurants. I cannot get enough of this.
How do you balance life and work? Balance is more challenging
today with older kids and a great vocation. My planner schedules good plans. I
execute my plans.
Guilty pleasure: I have no guilt for this: I love alone time with my wife; and
enjoying cheesy movies and Papa John’s at home.
Favorite book: Guinness World Records. Each year I am more amazed at
what humankind can achieve.
Favorite movie: “Amadeus.”
What do most people not know about you? I am happy.
Pet peeve: Humidity. If I am going to be wet, I’d rather be in water.
What did you want to be when you grew up? A surfer. I am still
surfing.
Last vacation: Snowbird. Snowboarding and spa. Magical.
Person I’d most like to have lunch with: Oprah. She would have a
potpourri of answers to various life, business, and cultural questions.

MULTI-UNIT FRANCHISEE IS S UE II, 2015

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