District Manager · Checkers & Rally's

Gloria Darnell

Multi-Unit Operations Leader  ·  Executive Support

Two decades leading multi-unit districts and supporting executive leadership up to the CEO and Board of Directors — building the teams, systems, and habits that keep a business running smoothly.

$7MAnnual district sales generated
128Employees led across the district
400+Team members trained & developed
20+Years of operations leadership
Experience

Twenty-plus years of running the operation.

From restaurant floors to district P&Ls to the executive office — the throughline is people, process, and accountability.

2026 – Present
Current

Checkers & Rally's Drive-In Restaurants

District Manager · Belleville, IL

  • Direct multi-unit operations across the district — sales performance, staffing levels, inventory control, and brand standards.
  • Coach General Managers on P&L accountability, labor targets, and guest-experience metrics.
  • Lead food-safety, sanitation, and operational audits so every location stays inspection-ready.
2025 – 2026

Behavioral Health Response

Executive Assistant to the President & CEO · St. Louis, MO

  • Supported the President and CEO with scheduling, communications, and daily priorities.
  • Coordinated executive and Board of Directors meetings, including agendas, materials, and follow-ups.
  • Prepared correspondence, reports, and other executive documents.
  • Handled confidential records and communications.
  • Served as a liaison between the CEO, board members, staff, and community partners.
  • Coordinated events and special projects.
  • Helped with office operations, safety initiatives, and staff training.

Office Manager

  • Ran daily operations for a multi-suite facility: safety walkthroughs, quarterly and monthly building inspections, and compliance documentation.
  • Performed monthly fire-extinguisher inspections across multiple building locations and coordinated service with Cintas.
  • Owned procurement through approved vendors (Amazon, Staples, Office Essential) and managed postage and mailing systems via Quadient/Bowman's Solutions.
  • Acted as primary liaison to building management and service vendors — copiers, shredding, janitorial, and repairs.
  • Routed confidential HR and finance documents, including invoices, employment records, unemployment claims, and tax correspondence.
2019 – 2024

HGS

Customer Service Representative

  • Resolved inbound customer needs through a consultative call flow, connecting each customer's situation to the right products and services.
  • Researched products, services, and price points across multiple systems and documented every interaction and outcome.
  • Upheld banking and financial compliance standards while consistently meeting KPI targets through 1:1 coaching.
2011 – 2018

Rally's — Checkers & Rally's

District Manager · Belleville, IL

  • Partnered with fellow district managers on strategies to improve performance and grow sales volume.
  • Created selling and merchandising programs that moved bottom-line performance; optimized in-store presentation and inventory availability.
  • Owned audit readiness district-wide, training and mentoring staff through compliance policy rollouts and food-safety standards.
~$7M annual sales 7 General Managers hired & led 128 employees
2001 – 2010

Wendy's International Inc.

General Manager

  • Managed merchandising, replenishment, and inventory decisions to drive growth.
  • Developed and rolled out new operating policies with a hands-on management style.
400+ employees trained
Expertise

Strengths built across two decades.

Operations Leadership

Operations ManagementMulti-Unit OversightBusiness PlanningInventory & Merchandising

People & Training

Staff ManagementHiringEmployee Training & DevelopmentCoaching & Mentoring

Sales & Financials

BudgetingP&L AccountabilitySales GrowthMarketing

Facilities & Compliance

Safety InspectionsAudit ReadinessFood Safety & SanitationPolicy Rollout

Executive Support

CEO & Board SupportBoard Meeting CoordinationScheduling & CommunicationsExecutive CorrespondenceConfidential RecordsEvent CoordinationVendor ManagementProcurement

Customer Experience

Customer ServiceConsultative Problem SolvingKPI PerformanceFinancial Compliance
Education

Southwestern Illinois College

Coursework · Belleville, IL

Temple University

Science & Technology Coursework · Philadelphia, PA · 2018

Contact

Let's talk.

Interested in working together? Reach out by email or connect on LinkedIn — or grab the one-page resume.