ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Allan Chinn, Todd LeBrasseur, Adela Medina, Cathy Boulay, Raymond Burns, and Steve Rima have all worked at the McDonald’s on the Lynnway for 15 years or more.
By BILL BROTHERTON
LYNN — It’s extremely rare these days for an employee to remain loyal to one company, especially in the ever-changing, fast-paced fast food industry. But at McDonald’s on the Lynnway, four workers are celebrating their 20th year with the burger giant this year.
Allan Chinn, Cathy Boulay, Todd LeBrasseur and Adela Medina all joined McDonald’s in 1996. Chinn and LeBrasseur started on the same day, April 29. Medina began on May 15, and Boulay on Sept. 12.
Their boss, Steve Rima, kicked off his McDonald’s career as a $1.75-per-hour dishwasher on the night shift 37 years ago in southern California. He’s owned the Lynnway franchise since May 1991 and is owner-operator of three other Mickey D’s restaurants in the area: inside Walmart in Lynn, Northshore Mall and Liberty Tree Mall. He credits his employees for every bit of his success.
“At our Christmas party every year I award years-of-service pins to employees. I was dumbfounded when I saw that four of my best people hit the 20-year mark,” said Rima. “The longevity of dozens of employees — of 100 total, about 33 have 10 years of service or more and another 30 or so have five to 10 years in — amazed me. I am the luckiest boss in the world. This is an incredible group of people. They work extremely hard, and Lynn has an amazing workforce to draw from.”
Chinn, a former Lynner who now lives in Salem, serves as director of operations for Rima’s four restaurants. “Working at McDonald’s has evolved into a full-time job. When I started, it was mother’s hours and high school kids making just enough money to put gas in dad’s car when they borrowed it,” said Chinn. “I like the business, but Steve is the main reason I’ve made 20 years. He’s a great boss. He cares about people and is always helping people out.”
Rima jokes that Chinn’s son, Luis, 14, is now old enough to cook fries and wash floors. “We have a history of many family members working for McDonald’s,” said Rima. Indeed, 17 members of Boulay’s family have served through the years; her son, Tim, is a 10-year-employee.
Boulay, a lifelong Lynn resident, said her mom earned a certificate from “hamburger school” and worked the day shift at the old Lynnway site, before Rima moved to the current location near Commercial Street. “My dad worked days at Nissen Bakery and nights at McDonald’s. McDonald’s has been very good to my family. I love the people I work with and I love the customers.” Her husband Jim plows snow from the lot.
“Cathy is instrumental in the growth of our breakfast business,” said Rima. “She knows customers by name and knows exactly how they like their coffee and breakfast sandwich.”
LeBrasseur, of Salem, is operations technician for Rima’s four stores; he’s the IT guy who keeps everything running smoothly. “I’m very happy here, love my job. I’ve been able to raise my family, put food on the table and have a nice roof over our heads. I work with great people,” said the English High and Salem State graduate.
Medina, a native of Guatemala, is manager of first shift, which begins at 4 a.m. “I love it here. Everyone works well together. This is like my house, full of love,” said Medina, who lives in Lynn with her husband and their three children.
Boulay mentions that McDonald’s has been responsible for many marriages. “Welcome to McDonald’s dating service,” she said, smiling. Rima said that even though dating a co-worker is prohibited, he knows of about a dozen couples who first met under the Golden Arches. Chinn and his ex-wife met at McDonald’s. Medina met her husband at a McDonald’s in Waltham. “I met my wife at McDonald’s,” piped in LeBrasseur, “and my brother met his wife at McDonald’s. … and my sister met her husband at McDonald’s,” he said with a chuckle.
Other longtime employees include Yudeklis Brito and Arabely Robles, 17 years; Milvian Aguilar-Chavez, 16 years; Raymond Burns, 15 years; Orlando Robles, 14 years; Aracely Jiminez and Rosaura Lopez, 13 years; Onelia Gomez, Hilda Estevan, Esperanza Vassallo and Maria Mendez, 12 years; Karla Vega and Delfina Zacarias, 11 years; and Tim Boulay and Karla Ramos, 10 years.
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Bill Brotherton is the Item’s Features Editor. He can be reached at [email protected].