Forty Under 40: Patrick Valluzzo

Patrick Valluzzo, 36

Vice president, Valluzzo Family Restaurants

Far from being just another McDonald’s franchisee, Patrick Valluzzo plays an integral role in the operation of Valluzzo Family Restaurants, which operates more than 40 of the popular fast food restaurants across the South. Valluzzo says one of the most fulfilling aspects of his career is that he gets to work alongside his brother and father every day in the family business. Outside of the restaurants, he is a member of the Baton Rouge Soccer Club, a Big Buddy board member, and he’s involved in several church and community-related organizations. He has been a classroom consultant for Junior Achievement of Baton Rouge since 2003, and he began sitting on the Louisiana Art and Science Museum board of trustees earlier this year. Valluzzo and his wife have four children.

NAME THREE MAJOR PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

1. Becoming an approved McDonald’s franchisee.
2. Buying my first restaurant.
3. Paying off the debt on my first restaurant.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS AND INVOLVEMENT.   

Baton Rouge Soccer Club board member; Big Buddy board member, really enjoy helping with workforce readiness program called LevelUp; Great Southern Region Leadership Executive Team, secretary/treasurer; Junior Achievement volunteer, participate in five week curriculum and JA in a Day at public and private schools; Manresa House of Retreats assistant captain; Louisiana Art and Science Museum board of trustee member; St. Aloysius Church, serve on finance council and fair treasurer; St. Aloysius School, serve on school finance committee.

NAME ONE BOOK THAT HAS INSPIRED YOU PROFESSIONALLY.

The One Minute Manager by Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson.

WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD, WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP?

I wanted to work for the CIA like Jack Ryan.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB, HOW OLD WERE YOU AND WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM IT?

My dad bought me a candy machine when I was 12. Running the machine taught me a great deal about the fundamentals of business, but he also gave me a loan amortization table. I got the hint real quick.

WHAT IS THE STRANGEST JOB YOU’VE EVER HAD?

Washing the exterior of 18-wheelers, but it paid well.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE FOR A BUSINESS LUNCH IN BATON ROUGE, AND WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DISH THERE?

McDonald’s. Big Mac value meal with a Coke.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT?

My wife and I have four children; hopefully, I can say it is something they will do thanks to great parenting. We have a long way to go.

HOW DO YOU GET PUMPED UP BEFORE A BIG MEETING, PRESENTATION OR PITCH?

Play one of the various playlist my kids use for pump up music. I can’t name one artist or one song, but it works.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST FULFILLING MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER SO FAR?

Getting to work with my father and brother every day.

WHAT WAS YOUR PROFESSIONAL “AHA MOMENT”?

When I realized I was in the people business not the burger business.

WHAT IS YOUR BEST PRODUCTIVITY HACK?

Waking up before most people.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED THE HARD WAY?

Micromanaging leads to disappointment while autonomy and accountability are way more effective.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR JOB WOULD SHOCK CUSTOMERS OR CLIENTS IF THEY KNEW ABOUT IT?

I will never ask anyone to do a task I have not performed and I cannot think of anything inside a restaurant I have not done. Good, bad, or ugly. Includes detail cleaning a restroom.

HOW DO YOU TYPICALLY DRESS FOR WORK—CASUAL? PROFESSIONAL? BUSINESS CASUAL? OTHER?

Business casual (my wife hates that I wear button down short sleeve shirts when it’s hot).

WHY PART OF YOUR JOB DO YOU LOVE? WHAT PART DO YOU HATE?

I love making people smile, whether it’s the customer or the team inside the restaurant. I hate letting customer’s down.

WHAT IS THE BEST COMPLIMENT YOU’VE EVER GOTTEN FROM A COLLEAGUE OR BOSS?

Working with family, it can be hard to distinguish between siblings and being labeled as “the skinny brother” is always appreciated.

MAC OR PC?

PC.

ARE YOU ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA? IF SO, ON WHICH PLATFORMS ARE YOU MOST ACTIVE?

No, I have a fake Twitter handle to follow breaking news and weather.

HOW MANY TEXTS DO YOU SEND ON AN AVERAGE DAY? HOW MANY EMAILS?

Too many of both, I wish I could go back to worrying about rollover minutes.

HOW LOW WILL YOU ALLOW YOUR REMAINING PHONE OR COMPUTER BATTERY LIFE GET IN % BEFORE YOU HAVE AN ANXIETY ATTACK?

25%.

HOW MANY UNREAD MESSAGES ARE IN YOUR INBOX RIGHT NOW?

Zero.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE APP AT THE MOMENT?

I don’t know if it’s my favorite, but my calendar app is my most used app.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT OF THE PAST DECADE?

The ability to control things remotely like house alarm, lights, A/C, etc.

WHAT TECHNOLOGY DO YOU WISH WAS NEVER INVENTED?

Pokémon Go.

WHAT TIME DO YOU GET UP ON WORKDAY MORNINGS?

4:30 a.m.

BREAKFAST AT HOME? BREAKFAST ON THE GO? BREAKFAST AT YOUR DESK? NO BREAKFAST AT ALL?

Home.

THE SAYING GOES: “BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD.” SPECIFICALLY, WHAT ARE YOU “BEING” TO MAKE BATON ROUGE BETTER?

I think we are all called to a life of service outside of career’s whether it’s in faith, family, or community. I will continue to give my time and efforts to any organization that wants to make Baton Rouge a better place to live and I will do my best to contribute.

WHEN DID YOU REALIZE YOU WERE “GROWN UP”?

March 3, 2006, when my first child was born.

WHAT WAS THE BEST VACATION YOU HAVE EVER TAKEN?

Disney World with my wife and four kids. My kids radiated happiness unlike anything I have ever seen.

FAVORITE GIFT YOU WERE GIVEN AS A CHILD?

Two of my brothers bought me the 7’6” GI Joe air craft carrier. I loved that toy, but I do not recall my mom being as excited.

WHICH TALENT OR SUPERPOWER WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO HAVE AND WHY?

Superhuman speed and reflexes, I work in fast food.

WHAT’S A NICKNAME YOUR FRIENDS OR FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE FOR YOU?

I’m not telling.

WHAT ARE YOU SUPERSTITIOUS ABOUT?

I always enter and leave a building by the same door.

WHO FASCINATES YOU?

My wife. I wish I had her courage, decision-making, energy, mental toughness, and multi-tasking ability. I think the only two things I do better than her are hit a golf ball and clean the yard. She’s never tried golf and I think she’s sandbagging on the yard work.

WHICH FICTIONAL CHARACTER DO YOU MOST IDENTIFY WITH?

Indiana Jones.

FAVORITE DRINK?

A good cabernet sauvignon.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BAND OR SONG?

American Pie by Don McLean.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE?

Red Dawn circa 1984.

WHO WOULD PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE?

Mark Wahlberg—similar abs and he’s Catholic.

WHAT SCARED YOU AS A CHILD, AND WHAT SCARES YOU NOW?

As a child, I was afraid of the dark. As an adult, not being able to meet my grandkids.

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR 18-YEAR-OLD SELF?

I would tell him to write down the word Google. Save as much money as he could and then in August of 2004 buy as many shares as possible.

PETS?

Two dogs, chocolate lab and German shorthaired pointer, and one black cat.

HAVE YOU HAD ANY MEMORABLE CELEBRITY ENCOUNTERS? WHAT HAPPENED?

I met Arnold Palmer after playing a round of golf at Bay Hill. He was walking around talking to everyone he could. He let me take a picture with him and he looked me right in the eyes while he thanked me for visiting. He was a First class man and one of a kind.

TELL US ABOUT A MOMENT THAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE.

Anyone that has had to deal with health issues surrounding their children will tell you that priorities fall into line real quick . It causes you to see what is truly important in life and helps filter out the unnecessary.

WHAT’S THE NEXT BIG PERSONAL OR CAREER CHALLENGE YOU PLAN TO TAKE ON?

I want to complete an Ironman. I have run a few marathons, but the level of commitment and follow through required to complete a full Ironman is appealing.

WHAT CONCERNS YOU MOST ABOUT THE FUTURE?

Managing the expectation of instant gratification in every aspect of life for customers, team members, and my kids.

WHAT GIVES YOU THE MOST HOPE ABOUT THE FUTURE?

That I get to develop four young children into hardworking and faith-filled adults. I cannot do that with a negative attitude or I would fail before I even started.

DO YOU PLAN TO BE IN THE CAPITAL REGION FIVE YEARS FROM NOW? WHY OR WHY NOT?

Absolutely, the customers I have the pleasure of serving with the help of the folks who work with me are from all around the Capital Region. I see the secret to Baton Rouge’s success daily. There is no other community in the country that can compare to Baton Rouge and I am proud to call it home.

WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST HOPE FOR BATON ROUGE?

Baton Rouge has been given an opportunity to show the country how to handle adversity and I hope we knock it out of the park in 2017 and beyond.

DO YOU HAVE A BUCKET LIST? IF SO, WHAT ARE THE TOP 3 THINGS ON IT?

1. Be in Wrigley Field when the Cubs finally win a World Series.
2. Skydive.
3. Cage dive with great white sharks.