Page 36 - March 2021 Barbecue News Magazine

BBQ and grilled foods. We must remember, BBQ is a flavor, a tech- nique, and a good ol' party. The more we embrace all those ways to "BBQ", the more inclusive we will be for women and even those who don't eat meat.
SB: I think more people are going to tie their roots back to their own BBQ heritage. Every culture and cuisine has a history of wood fired cooking. I think we will see more ambitious women and chefs
embracing thr BBQ lifestyle and bringing their own family recipes to the table.
LRS: How exciting is it to be in a time where BBQ is one of Amer- ica’s most loved cuisines! Amy Mills once told me there is room for all of us at the table and she was exactly right. Post pandemic restaurants may be different, but BBQ is here to stay. I believe we will continue to see more and more women joining the business.
A Word from Our President
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, March 8, and all month, I am honored to be among the women we’re highlight- ing. But more importantly, we want to bring attention to their craft, experiences, and expertise in the BBQ industry. I would ven- ture to guess, that all these women here can attribute their suc- cess to one or more women in their life. Someone we’ve chosen to admire, emulate or used as a role model to shape our views and mindset. I know for me; it was my mom.
My mom was a pioneer in her own right. For example, she became a police officer at age 45 for a second income. She used this expe- rience with the Sherriff’s Office to open the first shelter for bat- tered women in our hometown. She already had a master's in education, but after retiring as Assistant Principle at the
high school she worked, she went back to school to get a sec- ond master’s in behavioral science and became a coun- selor. She didn’t let age or gender dictate
stereotypical rolls. In fact, she fought against the
norm. She was a strong, smart, confident
woman who instilled confidence and a com- petitive nature in me. She pushed me to
not take the easy path. I’ve been with
Sonny’s BBQ for 25 years where I have
played fundamental roles in training, pub-
lic relations, franchisee relations, event management, and operations. And while I
have worked in a male dominated industry
all my life, I’ve never felt that being a woman hindered my growth. I took on my mom’s mind-
set of confidence and competitiveness but pep- pered it with honoring authority while standing my
ground on what’s right. Integrity and leading with my spiritual gifts of teaching and serving are what led me to my successes in life. I view my success in life not on titles or dollars earned, but on
the impressions, I leave on people's lives. My mission in life, at Sonny’s BBQ, and now in my new role as President of the NBBQA, is to break down the invisible barriers we build based on our own perceptions of how things should be. People often view circum- stances through the filter they have in their mind, usually devel- oped by the culture and environment they grew up in. I’ve learned to not only understand that but use that insight to build relation- ships. I learned early on the importance of working together and not to take things personally.
As I reflect on who I’ve learned from in the BBQ industry, I would say my two heroes in BBQ would be Sonny Tillman, the founder of
Sonny’s BBQ for the path he made for so many in this 53- year-old brand and Linda Orrison, of the Shed. Her
dynamic personality and passion for people is contagious. I could easily rattle off several
more, but the best part of who we’ve learned from, is that the BBQ industry welcomes
everyone; young, old, male or female. And it’s equally important to remember the legends who came before us, utilizing their expertise to mentor and lead the
generation to come. I’m proud to be a woman in BBQ because it’s allowed me to
persevere when challenged, to not quit when defeat is looming, and it has taken me places I
never dreamed.
Join Now
www.NBBQA.org
Memberships start at $99 per year
BarbecueNews.com - 36 MARCH 2021