Paul Place

Paul first started with MAC Pizza as a Driver at Domino’s in February of 1982 while going to school at Texas A&M University.

“In all honesty, I ran out of beer money, and I wanted to get a job to save up for spring break. I drove to another pizza place to apply, and they didn’t open till four, so I drove to both Domino’s in town and they looked open and busy.”

On his first day as a driver, Paul took notice that his trainer was hustling to the customer and back to her car.

“She ran hard and was difficult to keep up with. That’s when I realized, at Domino’s the more pizza you take, the more money you make. I can remember when Hurricane Alicia hit, I was one the few drivers who was able to show up for work. I delivered open to close, took 114 deliveries, and felt good about being able to help these customers get a hot meal.”

Paul spent three years as a Driver until engine trouble put him without a car. He was in his junior year of college on a track scholarship when he broke his foot and had to take time off from school to let it heal. That’s when he saw his manager’s bonus check.

“This one bonus check was about a third of the money I would make in a year from my college degree. It was right then that I decided becoming a manager would be my goal for the future.”

At the time Paul became an Assistant Manager, MAC pizza had 3 stores. When he heard they were opening a fourth store, he applied.

“It was me up against one other person, and I didn’t get it. We were a growing company, and I knew it would just take some time and commitment to get there.”

He was right, in January of 1986 Paul was promoted to the GM of the Huntsville location.

“The first week at the store I saw we were doing about a third of the sales of the other stores I had been at, so I knew sales building would be a big priority for us. After two summer bonuses of owing back money because the store wasn’t profitable, I committed to running a 0% variance to maximize my bonus.”

It worked; Paul realized that the summer sales could not drop. He contacted some of his friends and former track opponents at the athletic department of Sam Houston State University and set up a program for their summer athletic camps.

“The world was wonderful; I had increased the profits of my store, built a great staff, and not to mention started dating my future wife.”

In 1989 the store servicing Texas A&M campus became available, and when Paul was asked to take it over, he said yes to the new experience and moved back to College Station.

“At the campus store, I continued my 0% variance trend, all while getting married, going back to school, and having two beautiful daughters.”

In 1996 MAC Pizza began their annual Awards Banquets. For 3 years in a row, Paul was awarded the Lowest Variance award for Food and Labor.

“After 3 years at Huntsville, 9 years at the campus store, and tremendous growth in the company; I was promoted to a District Manager in 1999. I took what I had learned about being a manager and empowered my team to do the same.”

Paul is still a successful District Manager for MAC Pizza today.

“When I started MAC Pizza had three stores. Mike always wanted to expand and was always good to his people. By 1990 we had 18 stores, I’m so happy to have been a part of the company from the early stages and watch the tremendous growth through the good and slow times, ups and downs. Mike and the company have always been optimistic and looking forward at what we can do better. Through the years working at Domino’s, I’ve met many people who remain life-long friends today.”