Jami Lee, CEO of Native New Yorker, an Arizona restaurant chain famous for its New York style Buffalo wings, inherited the job from her father. Jami assumed the role of President and Chief Executive Officer at Native New Yorker Restaurants in July 2008. She has spent her entire career working alongside her sisters to build the company her parents founded in 1979 from a single restaurant into a successful franchise business with 24 locations. Jami, a mother of three, continues the tradition of growing the company and tells us what it's like to be in her position:
"At just eight years old, I would often climb atop a stool to scrub pots and pans in the kitchen of my parents’ small Arizona restaurant. Today, I’m privileged to be at the helm of the fast-growing restaurant franchise that has sprung from that single eatery to serve as a legacy to the memory of my father who moved his family out west to chase a dream.
In the wake of the Blizzard of 1977, Floyd and Judy Anderson packed their four young daughters into the car and headed west from their native Buffalo, New York to Phoenix to begin a new life in Valley of the Sun. Determined to make it in the restaurant business, they remained undeterred even when their first tiny Italian shop consistently failed to earn more than $60 a night. On a wing and a prayer – literally – my mother bought some chicken wings to try out a local favorite from their native Buffalo on the few patrons they had left. Thirty years later, Native New Yorker has become an icon in the Phoenix metro area, known for the best New York-style Buffalo chicken wings west of New York. With 24 locations throughout the area, our restaurants have consistently earned the coveted title of the Best Wings in Phoenix for 30 years in a row.
While my family is blessed to have each other for support (all three of my sisters also work for the company), the path has not always been easy. The poor economy has taken a toll on every business over the past 18 months. However, since stepping into the role of CEO in July 2008, I’ve come to realize that the challenges we face today are not unlike those my parents endured when they launched this business in 1979. They overcame financial hardships and slumping sales, but worked very hard to deliver the best food at reasonable prices with outstanding service – despite their difficulties. As we continue that legacy, it excites me to visit our restaurants and see them full – and know that my family worked hard to create this environment where families can enjoy great food together.
With my father’s passing in January, it’s been an emotional experience for me to take the reins of a company he’d built from the ground up. But like the example he set for us, I’ve learned that the challenges we face today will only make us better and stronger as we look toward the future."
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