Photo by Leah Ingram Eagle.
Adam Rader, the director of sales and brand growth for Chick-fil-A at Greystone, stands beside the restaurant’s sign. With his ministry background, he said working at Chick-fil-A meshes well.
Customers at the Chick-fil-A Greystone may have noticed a new face since the restaurant reopened its doors in May.
Adam Rader became the director of sales and brand growth in October, filling the role Bethany Ivey had been in for the past six years.
Rader began his new position in October, the same month he married his wife Anna Kate, a Spain Park High School graduate. She moved to Birmingham from Memphis in June 2020 for a new job, and Rader joined her in October, just in time for their wedding at The Barn at Shady Lane in Hoover. Anna Kate works as a graphic designer for the Church at Brook Hills.
Before starting with Chick-fil-A, Rader worked for the past five years with a nonprofit organization that served inner city youth in Memphis. “A lot of my job was just being part of the community,” Rader said. “I taught Bible studies, coached sports, worked as a counselor at a school and lots of other things.”
It was during that time he earned his master’s degree in ministry leadership and helped start a church plant in Memphis. He knew once he moved to Birmingham, he first wanted to work at a church or nonprofit, but due to COVID-19, none were hiring.
“I had friends who were owner/operators for Chick-fil-A in Texas and Oklahoma who had offered me jobs,” he said. “I said I’d never work in fast food, but when I moved, they told me I should start looking at Chick-fil-A.”
Rader interviewed at other Chick-fil-A locations in the area but said he didn’t feel like the Lord wanted him to go to those. When a position opened at the Greystone location to start working toward the director role, he was hired.
Rader said all employees start out as team members because there is so much of the business to learn. “If you don’t get the basics down, it’s hard to do everything else,” he said.
After a few months, he moved to team leader. When Ivey announced she was leaving to take a position with Shelby County Schools, he moved into her position. He said those were very big shoes to fill.
“It’s been a whirlwind with COVID-19 and everything opening back up,” he said. “It’s a lot of learning and figuring out what we can and can’t do.”
So far, the only event they’ve been able to host is a lemonade stand to raise money for orphans. The play area is still closed, and inside pickup and curbside options are still available. Customers aren’t required to wear masks because of Alabama state law, as are the employees who have been vaccinated, though each one carries a mask that they can put on if guests are uncomfortable.
Rader said every day is completely different. He spends time doing marketing, managing catering, handling social media and giveaways, working on outside sales and outreach, attending events, coordinating events, scheduling school spirit nights, handling the customer care comments and even tracking and forecasting the business’ sales.
Because lunch is the busiest time, he can be found helping out behind the counter to assist the staff in getting orders out quickly. Rader said his go-to meal is a grilled chicken sandwich with bacon and cheese and a side of fruit. He also loves the seasonal tortilla strip soup.
But he’s also there when disasters strike. When a tornado hit Eagle Point in March, he made sure that food was donated for volunteers helping with cleanup.
With his ministry background, he said that working at Chick-fil-A meshes well.
“I was wanting to do a ministry job to figure out where I was going and didn’t think I could do that here,” Rader said. “Being able to have conversations with people, leading the staff and helping develop team members and building relationships, is basically what I was doing in Memphis. Instead of leading them to Christ, I am teaching values by leading by example and trying to serve as much as possible and be a light for the community to bring people together.”
He said going into this role, Ivey and others told him to get his feet underneath himself the first few months and create a plan from there. Rader said he is at that point.
“Looking back, it’s crazy how the Lord gives you gifts that you don’t think you would use,” he said. “When I was working as a team member, I was questioning what I was doing, and now it makes sense. It’s different from what I thought I would be doing, but it’s basically the same thing I would be doing at a church or nonprofit. All in all, it’s different from what I thought it would be, but it’s better than what I thought, too.”
Rader said he is excited for the future and ready to start hosting events again.
For more information and to stay up to date on upcoming events, follow the Greystone Chick-fil-A on Facebook and Instagram at @CFAGreystone.
