This year, 40 owner operators from 20 markets were honored. Each will be celebrated at a gala dinner in April, during McDonald’s Worldwide Convention in Barcelona, Spain.
The award recognizes individuals who put customers and people first, leading with integrity and promoting inclusion within the community.
This year, 40 owner operators from 20 markets have been awarded. Each will be celebrated at a gala dinner in April, during McDonald’s Worldwide Convention in Barcelona, Spain.
“I am proud to be one of 40 franchisees awarded this year,” said McBee, a resident of Plymouth. “It’s an honor to be a recipient and to be recognized for the hard work my team and I put in each day at McDonald’s. We are passionate about what we do because we love what we do. We love our people, we love the brand and we love to make our customers smile.”
McBee’s first job was at a McDonald’s in Bremerton, Washington in 1980. He started off as a crew member wanting to save enough money to buy a car. He loved the job so much he stayed long after he bought his 1961 VW Bug. One promotion led to another and, eventually, Mark purchased his first McDonald’s restaurant, and moved his family across the country to Massachusetts.
“My dad has always been a role model to me,” said Gabrielle McBee, Mark’s daughter and the company’s Human Resource Director. “Some of my best memories growing up were in the restaurant. My family gathered at McDonald’s for birthdays, even Thanksgiving, always surrounded by good food and laughter. I admire how much my father incorporated his family into his work. His job, his people, his community are what matter most to him.”
McBee makes frequent contributions to local community centers, supports youth sports teams and holds events in his restaurants to celebrate local leaders. He’s also passionate about volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of New England, where he spends time making homemade meals for families living in both the Boston and Providence, Rhode Island Houses.
“Mark has been instrumental in rallying his fellow owner operators around Ronald McDonald House Charities,” said Ronald McDonald House Charities of Connecticut and Western Massachusetts CEO Michelle D’Amore. “Because of Mark, five cents from every Happy Meal purchased this year in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, will be donated to RMHC, resulting in over 6,000 nights of love, home and comfort to families across the region. This is already making a huge impact on the children and families who stay with us, saving them more than $1.3M in lodging, meals and daily necessities.”
McBee is also passionate about Archways to Opportunity, a program that helps McDonald’s employees receive their high school diplomas and college degrees by providing them with tuition assistance. To date, McBee’s organization has paid just shy of $1 million towards the education of his employees.
McDonald’s is committed to building workplaces where everyone feels supported, has equal access to opportunity and sees a clear path to reaching their goals whether they choose to build a career with McDonald’s or beyond. McDonald’s and its franchisees provide learning, development and advancement resources that support employee growth at all levels; around 90 percent of restaurant management began their careers as crew members.
