Leadership - Management

CEO Profile: la Madeleine French Bakery &
Cafe's "Wally" Doolin
(Originally published October 2003)

President-CEO Wallace Blair Doolin of Dallas, Texas-based, 62-unit la Madeleine French Bakery & Cafe is on a mission to take this fast casual with the French cachet into a renewed growth mode. Since arriving on the scene last year after an amazing performance as president-CEO of Carlson Restaurants Worldwide (parent to T.G.I. Friday's and Pick Up Stix), where he led the company's U.S. and global expansion - 775 restaurants in 55 countries and annual revenues of $2.3 billion--Doolin has seemingly gone back to the grass roots of his management experience with basic tried and true management strategies and techniques learned during his formative management days at Steak and Ale.

"La Strategy:" Background and Analysis

Created in the image of a French Bakery and Cafe with the flair and ambience of a bistro, la Madeleine French Bakery & Cafe initially gained great acceptance in two major markets, Dallas-Forth Worth and Houston, where its Galleria-area store captured the imagination of the local River Oaks and West University clientele. Offering alluring French pastries, baguettes, light lunch and dinner fare, and interesting wines in a Country French setting, a number of these cafe's sprung up throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and the greater Houston suburbs. Behind the classic white chef uniforms and aprons, consistent quality products enhanced the company's public reputation.

In order to maintain quality, la Madeleine originally built commissaries and central bakeries in these two markets. Strategic expansion plans into other markets included commissaries and bakeries as essential elements in the quality assurance both the company and its customers valued. This strategy, which seemingly worked so well in these two markets, was the eventual Achilles' heel when other markets would not support an adequate number of stores to offset the cost of building and operating these fixed assets. Upon examining la Madeleine for opportunity, it became obvious to Doolin that having more talent at the unit level and in all management ranks was critical to moving the company forward, a lesson no doubt learned at Steak and Ale, where unit-level leadership was consistently touted by casual pioneer Norman Brinker as the backbone to that company's success. The closing of commissaries and central bakeries, which were a drag on the company's financial performance, had to be a core strategy.

Yet, the existence of those central facilities had allowed the company to tap into a less skilled and consequently less expensive labor market. Doolin knew it would take an infusion of talent to make this paradigm shift, and still maintain the quality image the company would need to grow. Fortunately, Doolin is seemingly a magnet that attracts talent. He had surrounded himself with the best at Carlson's and he now reached out to gather a team together.

"Wally's World"

Before I chatted with Wally about the make up of his team, I noticed women occupied a significant number of leadership positions. Knowing he has been and continues to be involved as an advocate for diversity, I wondered if he had intentionally sought out women to provide opportunities. "No. These are the most-qualified leaders I could find," he said. Here's the team:

• Rosalyn Mallet, chief operating officer

• Greg Buchanan, chief administration officer

• Debra Tippet, chief marketing officer

• Catherine Kreston, chief people officer

• Andre Halston, chief culinary officer

So far la Madeleine is making a successful transition from a central bakery and commissary operation to producing its own fresh, quality foods in house, with the exception of a few items. Unit level training to build skills is working, along with a rather innovative approach in the pastry area, which has always personified the quality image. While closing its other bakeries, the company continues to operate its Dallas bakery, which no longer builds finished product. Rather it creates a bevy of quality ingredients and components that are shipped to each store via a unique distribution arrangement with Sysco. Talented workers now assemble napoleons and other goodies in-house. In the Houston market, la Madeleine maintains a Boulangerie to produce par baked breads, which are baked throughout the day at each location. As a customer in Houston, I've seen the product not just maintained but improved. I also can't imagine how much less waste there must be, compared to shipping such delicate products around our rugged streets and highways.

Under Wally Doolin's leadership, the la Madeleine team has re-trenched and is poised to take advantage of growth opportunities. By sticking to the basics, I think this successful transition will continue. The most amazing part, in my opinion, is that even though the management and daily operations have been "morphed," customers continue to respond positively and traffic is building. The cachet is still there! Qui! Qui! For more information, visit the la Madeleine web site, http://www.lamadeleine.com.

Hospitably yours,

Peter

Bio:

Wallace Blair Doolin
President and Chief Executive Officer
la Madeleine Bakery, Café & Bistro
 

As the chief executive officer, shareholder and member of the board of directors of la Madeleine, Inc., Wallace “Wally” Doolin is widely recognized within the global restaurant industry. His accomplishments and track record have clearly established him as a competent and effective leader. Doolin joined la Madeleine in May of 2002 in order to position it for growth as a prime competitor in the quick casual segment. la Madeleine currently has 62 company-owned bakery/café/bistros in Texas, Louisiana, Arizona, Georgia, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland. The company has opened two new restaurants this year, the first to open in five years signaling the commencement of a new growth strategy for la Madeleine.

By assembling a handpicked, seasoned executive team, Doolin plans to enhance la Madeleine’s equity with its loyal clientele and its experienced investors. This will be accomplished by developing new strategies to maximize existing assets, by building on the inherent quality of the la Madeleine concept and identifying growth opportunities that will take la Madeleine to its next stage as a strong competitor and leader in the quick casual segment. Doolin credits his past success with attracting bright talent with well-defined personal and corporate values that are organized and focused on clear strategies to build a Great Company – all aspects he is practicing as CEO of la Madeleine.

Prior to joining la Madeleine, Doolin was President and CEO of Carlson Restaurants Worldwide (CRW), parent to T.G.I. Friday's and Pick Up Stix. At the time of Doolin’s departure, CRW operated and/or franchised 775 restaurants in 55 countries and had system-wide sales in excess of $2.3 billion. When Doolin joined T.G.I. Friday’s, it had 135 domestic and two international restaurants. Doolin joined T.G.I. Friday’s in 1989 as senior vice president of domestic and international franchise operations and senior vice president of corporate development. Doolin was later promoted to executive vice president and, in January of 1994, he was appointed president and chief executive officer of CRW and T.G.I. Friday’s. Experience prior to CRW includes president of Applebee’s; senior vice president of acquisitions & concept development, W. R. Grace Restaurant Division; president and chief executive officer, Flakey Jake’s, Inc.; director of operations, Steak and Ale Restaurants; foodservice director for an officer’s club; and independent restaurant proprietor and businessman.

Doolin has been tireless in his involvement with the foodservice industry. Doolin is a Past Chairman of the National Restaurant Association’s Educational Foundation. He additionally has served nine years on the National Restaurant Association Board. Currently he is a Trustee Emeritus for the National Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association’s Educational Foundation. Doolin serves on the board of directors for the University of Delaware HR & IM and is a past board member of the Women’s Foodservice Forum and The North Texas Food Bank. Doolin and his wife Joni have funded a $50,000 scholarship endowment for women and minorities to be granted annually through the National Restaurant Association’s Educational Foundation Additionally, the Doolin’s are the founding contributors to Share Our Strength’s International Alima Children’s Fund created to address solutions for hunger and poverty for children around the world.

Doolin’s honors include the 1997 International Foodservice Manufacturers Association Silver Plate Award; the 1998 Multi-unit Foodservice Operators Golden Chain Award; the 1998 Elliot Mentor Award; Nation’s Restaurant News Top 50 Power Players list in January 2000; the 1997 Council of Hotel and Restaurant Trainers (CHART) Commitment to People Award; the 1997 Women’s Foodservice Forum Leadership Award; the 1992 and 1993 T.G.I. Friday’s Executive “Star Among Stars Award”; the 1998 Carlson Companies International prestigious Curt Carlson Fellows Award for outstanding long-term excellence; and an honorary doctorate of business administration in hospitality management from Johnson & Wales University.

In 2003, Doolin participated in a book published by Aspatore Books. The book is Inside the Minds: The Restaurant Business. Industry insiders on successfully running profitable dining establishments.

Doolin grew up in Pryor, Ok. The son of a pharmacy owner and a medical nurse, Doolin attended Junior college in Arkansas City, Kansas on a football scholarship. He served in the Army up to the rank of Captain and, after leaving the Army, resumed studies at Oklahoma State University studying business.

Doolin is married to Joni Thomas Doolin, an accomplished business owner and founder of People Report. They have four grown children and five grandchildren.