In this edition of PMR Preview, we sat down with Kerry Ollman, our Orders Support rep. Kerry has only recently joined the team, but she adapted to her role quickly because she has experience working with several other PMR team members. Let's find out a little more about her background, what she never leaves the house without, and the interesting places she lived as a child. 

Tell us a bit about yourself. How did you wind up at PMR?

I worked with a few of the PMR folks in the past. I worked with Emily Toler and Amanda Nix at Supplies on the Fly a few years ago and with Tiffany Ridley when she was my supervisor back in 2012. 

What do you enjoy most about working at PMR?

The people and the relaxed atmosphere.

What excites you most about your job?

Learning new things. I firmly believe if you’re not learning/growing then you become stagnant.

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the restaurant industry today?

Staffing and how much it costs to eat out with food prices skyrocketing.

How did you get started in the foodservice industry?

I worked for CKE Restaurants Inc. back in the 1990s in their IT department. Our group managed the POS menu database, so we literally created the items, pricing, and keys for the POS systems that were used in all the restaurants.

What is your favorite restaurant, and why?

There are many, but if I have one to pick, it’s probably OK Cafe’ (mainly because I can get my guilty pleasure, a really good Rice Krispy treat, there).

What are some of your passions outside of work?

My family, my dogs, and my photography

Who are your biggest influences?

My mother (because of) how she persevered being a single mom with no support when she was never prepared to take on that role.

What is the one item you can’t leave home without?

Usually it's a glass of ice water.

Where did you grow up? Have you lived in any interesting places throughout your life?

When I was 2, and my parents were still married, we moved to Germany for my father’s job. I lived there for 6 years, then we moved to France for a year, where I was taking the metro into Paris to catch a bus to my school, all while I was in 2nd grade. Then we moved back to the States. 

I’ve gone to 8 schools and moved 20 times in my life so I’m glad that my boys have basically only lived in one place and never had to change schools.

If you could pick three dinner guests, living or dead, who would they be and why?

My aunt who passed away when I was in my 20s basically because I miss her and my maternal grandparents because I never got to meet my grandfather and my grandmother I only have a few memories of her.

What is your favorite vacation destination?

Hanging out on our boat on Allatoona Lake.

What’s at the top of your bucket list?

Right now there are two. I want to go dog sledding in Alaska and go take bird pictures in Costa Rica.

Thanks for spending some time with us, Kerry!

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