By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
Over the years, Chris Schneider has worked an assortment of jobs – from a bike mechanic to a pizza deliveryman and manager. Regardless of the venue and task, Schneider emphatically says he puts his heart into his work.
Schneider, who up until recently was a Whitewater resident, has been named 2013 manager of the year by the locally based Toppers franchise. Schneider has been working for the growing chain for a number of years.
A former University of Wisconsin-Whitewater student, Schneider had been working for a local bike mechanic while working his way through school. In the off-season, he began working at Toppers as a deliveryman to augment his income.
As time went on, Schneider said he enjoyed working for a growing company that had a different, free-spirited attitude toward customer service. He eventually joined the company full-time, working as a manager at stores in Whitewater, downtown Milwaukee and DeKalb, Ill.
The manager of the year recognition has more recently become an annual tradition at Toppers, which has set a goal of opening 500 stores across the country by 2020.
“A great restaurant manager assembles a fabulous team and delivers the quality food and fast, friendly service that earns the loyalty of customers that drives our business,” Scott Gittrich, president and CEO of Toppers, said in a statement.
In his assessment of Schneider, Gittrich said Schneider’s “commitment to excellent and people development resulted in record sales performance, record profits and top of class results in a wide range of customer driven audit metrics.”
“(Schneider’s) fiery personality and leadership was an important part of Toppers Pizza having a record year of sales and growth for the 21st year in a row,” Gittrich added.
Schneider, who recently moved to Madison, isn’t completely breaking away from his Whitewater ties. Toppers recently promoted him to the position of corporate area supervisor, so he will be roving around a number of area stores.
Of the recognition, Schneider said he is grateful but also believes the award is a reflection of the staff he has been overseeing in his role as manager.
“It’s always great to have recognition for the effort that you’re putting in,” Schneider said. “I’m proud of my team. They’re a big part of the success.”
When asked about his management philosophy, Schneider said teamwork is of the utmost importance.
“It’s about working, but it’s also about having fun,” Schneider said. “I want to help people reach their potential and be great at what they’re doing. I try to make it so people meet and beat their potential.”
Toppers, which got its start in Whitewater, has been touting its ambitious growth plans and eclectic menu in recent years. The company made headlines a year ago when it entered Chicago, a market long known for its strong pizza offerings.
Scott Iversen, vice president of marketing, said professionals like Schneider have helped Toppers carve out its niche in a very competitive retail category.
“Each person in the system contributes to our overall growth, and Chris Schneider is an integral component of Toppers’ one-of-a-kind culture and success,” Iversen said.
