Gold Award Spotlight: Devon Zielinski, USA Restaurant Suppliers

You led a company-wide operating transformation from a small used-equipment business into a nationwide distributor. Can you tell us a little about what needed to happen for USA Restaurant Suppliers to take that leap?

We had to build the structure to support the company we wanted to become. When you’re small, a lot can run on individual knowledge, direct communication, and people stepping in wherever they’re needed.

As our customer base expanded and projects became more complex, we needed a more consistent way to work. That meant strengthening our manufacturer relationships, developing our team, and connecting the information behind sales, purchasing, project coordination, and customer communication. We introduced clearer responsibilities and shared workflows so people could see what needed to happen next and who owned it.

The goal was to make dependable service repeatable. We wanted employees to have the information and authority to move work forward, and customers to feel that we understood their needs and would follow through.

What skills did you need to build or develop to make that transformation a success?

I had to become a better listener, communicator, and delegator. I enjoy building things and finding ways technology can solve problems, but leading a transformation requires understanding how people actually experience their work.

I learned to spend more time asking questions before designing a solution: Where are you getting stuck? What information are you missing? What are you doing repeatedly that we could simplify? Those conversations helped me make better decisions about where to invest our time.

I also had to become more disciplined about turning ideas into clear expectations and giving people room to take ownership. My responsibility evolved toward building an environment where others could make good decisions, develop their judgment, and improve the business themselves.

You brought together USA Restaurant Suppliers’ sales, project coordination, operations, and technology teams to examine the full life cycle of a customer project. How did that change your company’s approach and help you identify areas to address?

It helped everyone see how their work affected the next person and, ultimately, the customer. Something that appeared to be a purchasing or delivery problem could begin much earlier with incomplete information during quoting. Looking at the entire project together revealed where we were asking the same questions repeatedly, where ownership was unclear, and where customer expectations needed to be established earlier. We used those findings to clarify quote-request requirements, improve handoffs, and make project information more visible.

That changed how we approached improvement. We started considering what each decision would mean throughout the project. The customer experiences one company, so our teams needed a shared understanding of what successful execution looked like from the first conversation through delivery and follow-up.

How did you measure the progress and success of the transformation?

We looked at business growth, day-to-day execution, and the development of our people. We reviewed quote and purchase-order queues, project status, follow-up ownership, and customer feedback to understand where work was progressing and where it was getting stuck.

We internally estimate that our automation and supporting systems save approximately 10 to 15 hours per employee each week, depending on their role, workload, and level of adoption. That creates more time for customer conversations, problem-solving, and project coordination.

Employee feedback also helped us understand whether the changes were making work clearer and where additional training was needed. One meaningful sign of progress was people taking greater ownership of quotes and projects. To me, sustainable growth means strengthening the team’s ability to handle more complex work while maintaining accountability, responsiveness, and customer trust.

Technology-enabled innovation has become a defining element of USA Restaurant Suppliers’ growth. How do you encourage and provide training to team members to maximize their use of these technology solutions?

I start with the work itself. I met individually with employees to understand which tasks were repetitive, where they encountered frustration, and what they wanted more time to do. Their input helped shape the tools and automations we developed, and they participated in testing and refining them.

We support adoption through individual coaching, training videos, online learning, and practical instruction on our quoting and customer relationship management systems. People learn more effectively when they can apply a tool to a problem they recognize in their own job.

With AI, we also emphasize checking outputs and applying sound judgment. I encourage employees to suggest new uses, share what they learn, and help improve the workflows. That gives them a meaningful role in how the company evolves.

As you look ahead in your career, what excites you about the future of the foodservice equipment and supplies industry?

I’m excited by how much easier we can make it for people to build and run foodservice businesses. Behind an equipment purchase is someone trying to open a restaurant, replace something essential, or grow an operation. Helping them make a confident decision has a real impact.

I see an opportunity to combine our industry’s deep product knowledge and relationships with better digital experiences, clearer information, and more connected processes. A customer should be able to purchase a single item easily online and access knowledgeable support when a decision or project becomes more complex.

I’m also excited about bringing new talent into the industry. There is so much room for people who understand hospitality, enjoy solving problems, and want to build better ways of working. Helping develop those people is a part of the future I want to contribute to.