Meet Some Interesting Former Employees
Jesse Nason
My name is Jesse Nason, and I am currently a partner at the law firm of Kirshenbaum & Kirshenbaum. Prior to beginning my career as an attorney, I spent many years working for McDonald’s. While often looked at in jest, I found my time working at McDonald’s to be invaluable. I began at McDonald’s when I was 17 and continued my employment through law school. McDonald’s was my first real job outside of pushing a lawn mower, and the experiences it gave me have helped me in my career to this day. I believe McDonald’s helped me most by having to adapt to working with a variety of people. McDonald’s was always an eclectic blend of workers of various age, experience, races, socioeconomic status, and education.
I currently primarily practice as a divorce attorney. Divorce itself is not selective and I never know who my clients will be – they could be young, old, rich, poor, educated or ignorant. My time at McDonald’s exposed me to many types of people and how to adapt and work with each and those experience I use in working with my clients. Through McDonald’s I also obtained confidence and learned that hard work could lead to advancement. I considered myself a hard worker and through my time at McDonalds I eventually worked my way up to management.
In my career, I began at Kirshenbaum and Kirshenbaum right out of law school and persisted with the same work ethic I had at McDonald’s. Through continuous hard work and dedication, I was fortunate to be named partner in the firm faster than anyone in firm history. Looking back, I honestly believe that McDonald’s was important in developing who I am as a professional and would strongly recommend it to anyone as a stepping stone to further success.
John Rogers
John Rogers
Captain – Retired
Plymouth MA Police Department
In 1974 I was a freshman at Rockland High School. Early in the year I was presented with an opportunity to go on a school trip out of state that I thought would be enjoyable and exciting. I turned to my parents and asked about going on the trip and they said it would not be a problem but that I would have to pay for it myself.
Determined to go I went to my school guidance office to inquire about jobs for people my age. Being 14 at the time the choices were limited. I was told that although I did not qualify for a “work study” program at the time that I could take advantage a “work study” position and work after school and weekends.
This sent me to McDonald’s in Rockland. There I met with Assistant Manager, Joe Pratt, a former Rockland High School basketball player whom I had watched play basketball years before. I also met Store Manager Sonny McCabe and after a brief interview I found myself working at McDonalds starting off making French fries. Minimum wage was $1.85 per hour. At some point I met our owner Larry Kimmelman or was a great guy and thought well of his employees and a champion of the McDonalds philosophy. He owned several stores where I often had opportunities to work at the other stores for grand openings or to assist with staffing on occasion.
During my first few weeks there I found myself meeting and making friends with other students from Rockland and other high school who were sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Many of them star athletes and cheer leaders whom at the time I probably never would have got to know if it had not been for working at McDonalds.
Working at McDonalds was educational and fun. It was like playing on a sports team. The team was always guided by and focused on the philosophy of Quality, Service, and Cleanliness. Quality food, with fast Service, in a spotlessly Clean environment. This was a philosophy that has stuck with me through my adult life. Other such philosophy’s such as “you got time to lean, you got time to clean” also followed me as well.
I felt I was part of something special. I made great friends many of who I still can call friends today. We did things, attended events as a team trying to be the best we can. We competed with other stores in Crew Competitions to see who was the best at each work station demonstrating the QSC philosophy. My first competition I came in first at the Dress Table station.
Over the 11 years I worked at McDonalds I came to learn all the stations in the store. I learned how to fix and calibrate equipment like toasters, steamers, beverage systems. I became what they called at the time a Crew Chief, and subsequently a Swing Manager by the time I was graduating High School. This showed me what responsibility really was ethically and personally. My experience at McDonalds encouraged me to attend college majoring in hotel and restaurant management.
That eventually shifted though. The other fun part of working at McDonalds was that it was a social gathering spot after basketball and football games. Kids would pile in after local sporting events filling the lobby and the parking lot celebrating victories. Because of these weekend crowds the store hired off-duty police officers for crowd control and security purposes. I had the opportunity to meet and become friends with many of these officers and subsequently began leaning towards law enforcement as a career path.
I subsequently became an Auxiliary Police Officer and then Police Officer in my hometown of Rockland. I subsequently transferred to the Plymouth MA Police Department where I worked my way up the ranks as Patrolman, Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Detective Lieutenant, and Captain. During this time frame I was a Narcotics Investigator, investigated successfully two high profile homicide investigations, and supervised the Training, Detective, and Narcotics Unit. Subsequently as Captain I oversaw the day to day operations of the department with patrol, all specialized units, special events, Internal Investigations, while being second in command of a 128-member department in a community of 100 square miles. I was also selected to attend the prestigious FBI National Academy for executive law enforcement in Quantico Virginia. I retired after 34 years in December of 2018.
Also during this time frame I was a Staff Instructor and subject matter expert instructor at the regional police academy where I have and still instruct at for more than 20 years now. I sit on a statewide committee that creates curriculum for patrol procedure instruction and also coordinate this instruction at the regional academy in Plymouth.
I am now a Program Manager for a county wide initiative that delivers services to those who suffer from Substance Use Addiction and Behavioral Health Disorders.
Despite my move to law enforcement I believe that the philosophy of Quality, Service, and Cleanliness followed me through my adult life and career.
Quality – do a quality job, and be a quality individual, and take responsibility with everything you do – good or bad.
Service – when providing a service, you want to stand out and be recognized in the way you present yourself and the way you do your job while representing your agency and community. Do your best job all the time no matter what task that may be – even the simplest tasks.
Cleanliness – be organized, orderly, and precise. Look, act, and appear professional in everything you do even in the face of adversity in your professional and private life.
By the way……I really enjoyed that trip.
John W. Rogers Jr.
Captain – Retired
Plymouth MA Police Department