Paula M (Zagata) Elias
Canton,GA
Summary
Self-motivated professional successful in seizing viable opportunities for expansion and innovation in business. Background in increasing profits, reducing costs and transforming customer service standards. Experienced in leading and supervising operational and sales teams.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Owner
Paula’s Zzerts, LLC
01.2012 - Current
- Baked goods & catering services
- Vendor in local farmer’s markets, special events and festivals
- Marketing, utilizing social media and other venues to increase sales
Operations Manager
Sodexo, Cox Technologies
01.2013 - 01.2020
- Oversee daily operations of the Company Store, assist with cafeteria operations
- Coordinate monthly food and physical safety training, coordinate documentation/record keeping and readiness for third party audits (NSF/EcoSure)
- Complete payroll, inventory, ordering, cash handling, customer relations
General Manager
Sodexo, State Farm
01.2012 - 01.2013
- New unit start up
- Successfully led the unit in establishing temporary dining services out of another kitchen
- Oversee labor, payroll, catering, inventory, ordering
- Hired and trained staff for new cafeteria
- Set up new cafeteria, arranged vendor set up of services, ordered smallwares, uniforms, start up documentation and recordkeeping systems for successful operations
- Established office coffee service after completing pilot program
General Manager
Sodexo, Lyon College
01.2010 - 01.2012
- Successfully led the unit in feeding the students and faculty despite the temporary conditions due to a fire which completely destroyed the building; also continued catering events for the campus
- Passed the NSF food and safety audit
- Oversees the running of the unit from budget, payroll, scheduling, catering, resident dining & retail units
- Had the highest student satisfaction scores in our district; also were higher than national averages
- Re-established a great client relationship on campus
- Transitioned unit from one temporary building to another, transitioned into permanent facility
- Rebuilt all programs and systems that were destroyed due to the fire, reestablished records and documentation systems
Quality Systems Supervisor
Cusano’s Italian Bakery & Premier Produce
01.2009 - 01.2010
- Spearheaded efforts to go from “ground zero” to passing NSF audit with 92.3% in three months for the bakery
- Led the produce company to a 94.3% NSF audit
- Enforce HACCP procedures
- Conduct monthly training of employees promoting food safety, food defense
- Creation and maintenance of documentation for quality and sanitation programs
Production Manager
Sodexo
01.2007 - 01.2009
- Responsible for the production of all baked goods on the Recruit Depot, feeding 9,000 – 10,000 people per day
- Order product, inventory control, recipe adherence, quality control; using MCFMIS; sales volume of $7 million per year
- Conducts monthly training of staff promoting safety, diversity and customer satisfaction
- Enforce HACCP procedures (documentation/recordkeeping)
- Process payroll, scheduled employees (using Labor Management/ADP)
- Facilitated yearly customer satisfaction survey
- Assisted designing of a new menu concept in the Permanent Personnel area
- Creation of signage for marketing specials, guest information brochures
- Responsible for designing various themed events in the mess hall
- Successfully supervised 30 union employees in a government contract
- Successfully feed up to 3500 recruits per meal during peak season
- Backup food production manager for the Weapons Mess Hall
- NSF Double Gold three years running; 2007, 2008 & 2009 (significant recordkeeping& documentation required for these audits)
Education
Master of Arts - Communication
Regent University
Virginia Beach, VA2000
Bachelor of Science - Broadcasting
SUNY Brockport
Brockport, NY1992
Skills
- Small business operations
- Relationship Building
- Customer Relations
- Client Service
- Operations Management
- Regulatory Compliance
- Adaptability and Flexibility
- Payroll Administration and Timekeeping
- Attention to Detail
- Multitasking Abilities
- Inventory Control
Certification
ServSafe Certfified
References
Arline Bremer 678-977-9721
Micki Farley 410-858-6664
Bill Grant 404-668-6123
Timeline
Operations Manager
Sodexo, Cox Technologies
01.2013 - 01.2020
Owner
Paula’s Zzerts, LLC
01.2012 - Current
General Manager
Sodexo, State Farm
01.2012 - 01.2013
General Manager
Sodexo, Lyon College
01.2010 - 01.2012
Quality Systems Supervisor
Cusano’s Italian Bakery & Premier Produce
01.2009 - 01.2010
Production Manager
Sodexo
01.2007 - 01.2009
Master of Arts - Communication
Regent University
Bachelor of Science - Broadcasting
SUNY Brockport
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