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Giving Back

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JAE is a huge supporter of “Giving Back” which represents 1 of Dave’s 5 Legacy Values. Besides supporting Wendy’s national fund raising programs that include selling Halloween Boo Books, Frosty Key Tags, donation canisters and a huge national adoption night, we have other JAE specific fund raising events. The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (DTFA) is our #1 Cause. The DTFA works with children in foster care to find them a forever family. JAE believes like our Founder Dave Thomas believed that these children our not someone else’s responsibility, they are OUR responsibility. We take that responsibility very seriously at JAE. Those include voluntary payroll deduction campaign that employees can use to support the foundation. Our owners also demonstrate their commitment to finding forever families through their personal donations. At this year’s GM Rally the JAE Owners pledged $38,000.00. Year to Date, JAE has raised over $440,000!

JAE sponsored Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on their 2019 fundraiser. The company utilized its leadership to conduct its own fundraising campaign to help find a cure and improve the quality of life of patients and families.

On August 3rd we had our Grand Opening Celebration for the new store in Merchant. This was an important event because it was the first store to open in Knoxville for almost two decades. The fire and police department was our special guest, and it was a fun time for kids who were able to see the fire truck and receive special gifts. The local radio station joined us and provided lunch to some customers; they brought games, music players, and The Smokies mascot. Everyone was looking forward to the celebration. The first 200 customers qualified for free Wendy’s for a year, so people started lining up since 3AM! We were also featured on the local newspaper (See article here)

My business partner, Andres Garcia, had been an all-time fan of Wendy’s “square hamburgers” for as long as he could remember. Whenever he traveled to the United States for business or leisure, he routinely made Wendy’s his first stop. Andres had a dream of taking the Wendy’s brand to Venezuela, and in a short span of four years, he opened 54 Wendy’s restaurants, which at the time was record-breaking!

In 1998, Andres and I crossed paths during a business meeting and his passion for the brand, along with his dream to expand his restaurant footprint, soon became mine. I joined the Wendy’s family with Andres in Venezuela. This was the beginning of a long-lasting business partnership that has evolved into a remarkable friendship.

Andres and I have different backgrounds and business philosophies. As an engineer, Andres has always believed in “process you measure, process you improve.” In contrast, I have always believed that success happens when you create and build with passion and energy. The simple fact is, we made a great team and the difference was a balanced complement that created synergy.

The success of our partnership in Venezuela inspired us to pursue the ‘American dream’ and venture into the U.S. market. We had a strong foundation of support from our family and loved ones, which was crucial to make our new business venture possible.

In 2007, we purchased five Wendy’s restaurants in Florida as JAI International Investment. In 2010, we acquired Wendy’s in the Panama market. By early 2014, we owned 62 Wendy’s restaurants across Florida and New Mexico and were excited to acquire an additional 15 restaurants in El Paso, TX. At that time, our dream was to own 100 restaurants.

In August 2014, we teamed up with Wendy’s franchisee Eddie Rodriguez. Not only did we merge his 13 restaurants with our organization, but gained his extensive knowledge, years of experience. Due to our merger, JAI International Investment became JAE Restaurant Group, and shortly after, our restaurant footprint expanded to Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Palm Beach. Since then, we have acquired the Knoxville, TN and Daytona, FL markets. I’m proud to say that JAE currently operates 232 Wendy’s restaurants, with 12 more in different stages of development in the U.S. and two in Panama.

We all feel truly blessed to be members of the Wendy’s family, and we strive to honor Dave Thomas’ legacy in our community. JAE Restaurant Group actively supports the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and we strongly believe in Dave Thomas’ value, ‘Give Something Back.’ DTFA is our #1 focus to give back to our communities. We fully support Dave’s belief that every child deserves a loving and permanent home.

After 20 great years of partnership with Andres, he decided to retire, but Eddie and I remain business partners and still dream of growing bigger. Andres and I can positively say that we are living the American dream and we are very grateful for it!

True friendship is based on trust and loyalty, and a natural disaster is certainly one way to bond a true friendship for life. Anyone who has lived through a natural disaster understands the importance of prioritizing family and community, and this story is one where two neighbors became bonded for life over a need to come to one another’s aide.

Turning Friendship into Family
In 1992, Hurricane Andrew ripped through South Florida. As the storm grew stronger and approached, my father Eddie Rodriguez and I watched in horror as our beloved community and neighborhood was destroyed. It was at this moment my father noticed that his friend and neighbor Sergio Balsinde was in peril. Without hesitation and any doubt our minds, we both ran to assist Sergio. It did not dawn on us that we could get hurt and we did not think about the risk we were putting ourselves in. We knew that at this very moment we needed to stay focused, have faith and assist Sergio in protecting his home and family. To this day when we look back, we realize that it was this moment and this event that turned our friendship into family.

From Family to Business Partners
Dave Thomas once said “A family can count on each other, and that’s something that can’t be bought or sold. All the small stuff is swept aside when an obstacle is faced. It brings out the best of us.” With this notion, my father and Sergio created Bal-Rod Enterprises and joined the Wendy’s family. As the two friends moved to a new challenge, one they did not take lightly, they remembered the risks they took during the storm and used that experience to persevere. Their shared vision of trust, partnership, family, and doing the right thing matched with the Wendy’s values. Paired with their goal of doing something bigger and better in life, their new journey would take them to growing 18 restaurants together.

The success they experienced was due to their strong partnership and the culture they created within their organization, and I’m proud of the recognition they’ve received because of it. In 2006, Bal-Rod Enterprise received the Wendy Award for excellence in operations and in 2012, they were recognized with the Founder’s Award for their all-around operations excellence, people development, local marketing and restaurant reinvestment. On top of this, their success became a family success.

The Next Generation
There is not one moment or growth opportunity that their children and family were not involved, creating a new generation of leaders. In 2001, I was given the opportunity to join the business with my father and Sergio when they divided Bal-Rod Enterprises into two separate entities; 12 restaurants under Wen-North Holdings, managed by myself and overseen by my father and six restaurants under Wen-South Holdings, overseen by Sergio and managed by his son Sergio Balsinde III, who joined in 2009.

In 2014, my father took his vision even further and merged with Johnny Mercado and Andres Garcia to form JAE Restaurant Group, which currently operates 232 restaurants across Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico and Texas. But his greatest achievement was when he was inducted into the Wendy’s Hall of Fame, the highest honor the brand can bestow. I can still see my father beaming brightly on stage as he was presented with his Hall of Fame ring by friend and fellow franchisee Mike Allegro, down on one knee.

Great achievements have also shined on Sergio and his son, as they have continued to grow Wen-South Holdings and have expanded their company’s profile through new restaurant development.

No matter what obstacles and new ventures, Eddie and Sergio continue to share in one another’s success, friendship and sense of family. This journey together may have started with a storm, but it was a storm that gave us the resilience and perseverance that it takes to be a Wendy’s franchisee. We are proud to be part of the Wendy’s Family.