Thank You to Those Who Served
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Every year on November 11, we set aside a day to thank the men and women who have served in our nation’s Armed Forces. I want to use this space to do exactly that, and to introduce you to some of the veterans who help make BBQGuys what it is.
Their service is a reminder that the freedoms we enjoy every day were protected by people who answered the call, often at great personal cost. We owe them our gratitude, and we owe the same to the families who stood beside them through deployments, moves, and long stretches apart.
Where It Started
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Military service is part of our company’s story from the very beginning. Before Mike and Ladina Hackley founded BBQGuys in 1998, Mike spent nine years in the U.S. Air Force, working in aircraft maintenance at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. It was during those years that his interest in grills and outdoor cooking first took root. Mike sold BBQGuys in 2020, and as a self-described “serial entrepreneur,” he continues to be very active in the Baton Rouge community with his new company, MetalFabGuys.
The values Mike brought home from the Air Force, like attention to detail and taking care of the people beside you, are still part of how we work today.
Meet Some of Our Veterans
Today, veterans work across BBQGuys, in various roles throughout our company. A few of them agreed to share their stories.
Chris Hurt | U.S. Army | Director of 3PL & Transportation
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Chris served as an Army field artillery forward observer, with his service taking him from Fort Sill, Oklahoma, to Germany, Kuwait, Iraq, and back to Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
For the past seven years, he’s worked in logistics and operations at BBQGuys for 6 years, helping our team get products where they need to go, on time, to take care of our customers.
Chris is one of our BBQGuys grilling experts and in addition to reviewing cooking products is a regular contributor to our Back Porch Blog.
In His Own Words
“Military service taught me that teamwork and accountability are everything. My ‘Done Deal’ mindset came from artillery: knowing your role, trusting your team, and following through. I’ve carried that into BBQGuys and civilian life, where I work alongside people who know our products and care about the customer as much as I do.”
-- Chris Hurt
Toderick Lee | U.S. Army | Manager, Parcel Operations
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Toderick says his military service was one of the most defining experiences of his life. It taught him the importance of discipline, leadership, teamwork, and perseverance, while instilling a strong sense of responsibility and commitment to something greater than himself.
Toderick has been a BBQGuys team member for almost 6 years.
In His Own Words
“Serving my country shaped not only who I am as a person but also the leader I strive to be every day. The military taught me how to remain focused under pressure, adapt to challenges, and lead by example. Those lessons continue to guide me in my role as Manager, Parcel Operations at BBQGuys, where I take pride in developing my team, overcoming challenges, and leading with purpose. My uniform may have changed, but my commitment to service, leadership, and excellence never has.”
-- Toderick Lee
Brian Todd | U.S. Air Force | Principal Business Intelligence Analyst
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After Basic Training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Brian trained as a Security Forces Airman in England and deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Soon after, he was assigned to a base in The Netherlands where he graduated to Shift Supervisor and Response Coordinator/Dispatcher roles.
Brian has been with BBQGuys for 11 years, and is currently on the Enterprise Data team. He credits his leaders and mentors from the USAF with providing the skills and professionalism to succeed in a civilian career.
In His Own Words
“My service in the USAF was a defining time in my life. I learned how to organize, lead, and build as part of a team. That mentality served me well as I joined BBQGuys: a passionate and hard-working team committed to the idea of bringing friends, families, and communities together around the grill”
-- Brian Todd
Thank You
To the veterans on our team: thank you. Your leadership, discipline, and steadiness show up in the work you do here every day, and we are better for it.
To every veteran reading this, and to those still serving: thank you for your service and your sacrifice. And to the families who served alongside them, thank you as well.
If there’s a veteran in your life, today is a good day to reach out and tell them what their service means to you.
With respect and appreciation,
Russ Wheeler
Chief Executive Officer, BBQGuys
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