QuikQuip

Breezy, fun-loving Chester Cadieux III has relaxed corporate attitude, sticks to dad's business model

The party doesn't ever seem to stop. Whether it's celebrating a retirement, an anniversary, or placing bets on a rubber duckie race happening outside during the lunch hour, the folks at QuikTrip Corporation seem to be having the times of their lives.

How could they not? Near perfect jobs in the near perfect corporate world developed by one of the most successful privately-owned companies in Tulsa that for a handful of years has ranked in Fortune magazine's 100 best companies to work for.

And 2008 has been a big year for QuikTrip. It celebrated the opening of its 500th store, announced plans for a new park on Riverside Drive, and is preparing to host a music festival for the community on September 20.

They're keeping busy over there in east Tulsa. The QuikTrip campus, 4777 S. 129th East Ave., is attractive, nestled on 40 acres of perfectly lush lawn. The building is not like the other shoebox company headquarters in the area; it appears more like a Colorado ski lodge. The two ponds offer not only great fishing for employees, but a home to the families of geese that run around as though they own the place.

They don't.

Chester (Chet) Cadieux III runs the show. The 41-year-old president and CEO of QuikTrip has been in the saddle since 1992, succeeding his father Chester, who started the Tulsa-based family company 44 years ago.

This year, Chet, Chester and QT's 10,000 employees are celebrating 50 years of top-quality convenient store service. The music festival in late September is one way QuikTrip's saying "thank you" to the city of Tulsa.

Back When

The first store opened at 52nd and Peoria in 1958. Assistant managers made almost a dollar and a half an hour. In 1971, with just more than 40 stores in Oklahoma at the time, QT began selling gasoline. Three years later, it began offering the fountain drinks that make it so popular today. In 1992, the company launched its Guaranteed Gasoline campaign and its 200th store. Five years later, it was employing nearly 5,000 employees.

Today, after half a century of experimentation on how to serve its customers best, they've nearly mastered the whole "in and out, get what you need and get it fast" approach. The stores pride themselves on their cleanliness--both inside and out--and their simple, consistent design.

Indeed, it's this shiney, happy near-perfection that keeps the company in its groove providing excellent customer service.

But believe it or not, it's not all about the customer at QuikTrip. For the Cadieux's, it's all about QT's employees. Either they've been pumping the Rooster Boosters, or they just giddily love their jobs. Fortune magazine was right, and the attitudes of the employees who run the stores and those at the corporate office prove it.

A Real People-Person

Before this writer had the opportunity to sit down with the younger Cadieux, a coworker handling his schedule (which is usually booked two to three years in advance) warned on the telephone that Cadieux would refuse to answer questions about himself and his personal life.

"He has an answer for everything and all those answers he turns back to his employees. In his eyes, it's not about him," the gentleman on the other line said.

Great. A story about one man will inevitably turn into a story about 10,000.

At the QT headquarters, a seemingly energetic Cadieux walked briskly through the halls, up the stairs, around the maze of offices and into his own--similar in size to all the others. Model airplanes, cars, picture frames and other knick-knacks dotted the shelves and desktops.

Mike Thornbrugh, public relations and governmental affairs manager, was all too kind to warn of his interviewing tendencies. The hour-long chat with Cadieux seemed more like a teacher/student conference rather than a young journalist/big time CEO interview. He laughed. He teased, calling this reporter a dork on more than one occasion. He listened intently and stayed on topic. In jeans and a blue Polo shirt, he sat comfortably with his arms crossed, a big grin running across his face almost the full hour. He was excited to talk about QuikTrip. With yearly sales exceeding $8 billion, why wouldn't he be?

But it's not dollar signs beaming in Cadieux's eyes, it's a genuine satisfaction that his employees and their families are well taken care of.

In the building's large open entryway hangs a large banner running down a large stone wall. The banner reads: "QuikTrip Purpose: To provide opportunity for employees to grow and succeed."

The mission rang clear as Cadieux answered questions about QuikTrip's birth, growth and future, again, attributing the success to his employees.

Thornbrugh, who has worked closely with Cadieux for 14 years, said it's the open door policy that keeps everyone happy.

"Anyone can approach Chet and say 'I need to talk to you about this,' and he will sit down to talk--about any subject matter," he said. Well, almost.

The entire management team is expected to work that way. Cadieux teaches a style of authority that is informal, relaxed and completely effective. He learned it from his father, who now watches the company from a safe distance. "When you retire, you retire," he told the company in 2002.

According to Thornbrugh, Chester claims he doesn't know what's going on, but he does. "Still, he lets Chet run the show. They have a great understanding and respect for each other," he said.

Thornbrugh called it a luxury to have had Chester Sr. as a teacher for nearly eight years. "I've had quality one-on-one time with both of them. They didn't have to do it that way, but they did. They have a unique approach. (The Cadieuxs) look at it though they've had the opportunity to employ us, whereas we look at it as we have had the opportunity to work for them."

Team Leader

Cadieux is not the stressed, overworked CEO you might imagine running a multi-billion dollar company. He doesn't worry about Wall Street. He doesn't fuss over the competition. In fact, he mentioned two of his convenience store peers, Wawa and Sheetz, as companies he admires for the way they do business. The focus stays right at home. Cadieux is able to keep his cool, easygoing personality because everyone who works for QT knows his or her role and takes care of business day in and day out.

"But we always have fun," Cadieux chimed. "I have tons of great people who work here. If any one of us is ever gone, we can go on because we can all pull each other's weight if we have to. There is no stress around here. We are a capable team."

And, despite all the qualified candidates who applied for the CEO position after Chester Sr.'s retirement, the man for the job was undoubtedly Chet. After all, his first job was in the store taking care of customers, stocking shelves and cleaning bathrooms. The University of Tulsa graduate completed his studies in 1989 with a bachelor of science degree in business. Without reservation, he headed for a place all-too familiar.

Today, he travels two to three times a week but leaves his work at the office as often as possible. He indulges every moment he spends with his wife of 14 years and his two children in a city he loves.

"I love coming back home. There are so many great places to go. I love coming back and seeing the happy people at the office," he said.

It's almost starting to get old.

"Seriously. Hardly anything around here was my idea."

The Man, The Company

He said he is not a music person. He said he doesn't have a favorite sports team. He even went as far to say he doesn't have any traits. He didn't mention any places in Tulsa he frequents.

So, what is Chet Cadieux doing when he isn't at the office and isn't at a QT filling his car up?

"Hopefully I'm then paying for my gas," he quipped.

So be it. Apparently, the best way to get to know Chet Cadieux is to know QuikTrip Corp. What makes it tick, makes Cadieux tick. His passion is the company and the company's passion is its employees and the Tulsa community. Cadieux plans on calling Tulsa a permanent home for himself and for the company. He wants to keep a good reflection on Tulsa, which keeps QT active with community projects and programs.

Currently, the company's biggest project is the park under construction at 41st and Riverside. Logical from a QT frame of mind, the park, commemorating 50 years of business, is a family-friendly gift to the community.

Thornbrugh said the original plan was to give Chester Sr. a retirement gift, which Chester wanted to hold off on.

"He didn't want a gift," said Thornbrugh.

The project, which is delayed due to permitting from the state, plans to install playground equipment for toddlers, five interactive water features to play in, and a picnic shelter.

Riverparks was the obvious choice of location for QuikTrip, as the general consensus over there is that the river is the city's most untapped resource. Cadieux's experience as chairman of the Tulsa Metro Chamber in 2007 educated him about the possibilities for the Arkansas River. He saw the failed passing of the river tax plan as the biggest letdown of the year.

"(The river tax) was such a huge opportunity for Tulsa and Tulsans . . . and they decided they didn't want to invest. In my eyes, this plan was the best we'll (ever have). We had $120-150 billion," Cadieux said. "I am not sure this kind of project will come along together. We may never see the private money again."

He questions whether Tulsans really understood the plan and regrets not trying harder to clearly explain it to other communities.

"But my conscience is totally clear," he said.

He called his time as head of the Tulsa Metro Chamber of Commerce "fascinating," yet matter-of-factly stated that he would not ever do it again.

"I'm glad it is over," he said. "It was frustrating."

Cadieux wanted to instill the same pride and passion he has for Tulsa in the people who live here, which is why he took on the role.

"You wouldn't take the job unless you did," he said. Cadieux sought to clarify some preconceived notions about Tulsa.

"We make fun of our city, but the people who come here from other places love it. We are apologizing for the fact that we live here. I could live here forever. This is a great place to live. We have a low cost of living and a high income rate relative to the rest of the country. We have a great standard of living. I always thought the grass was greener somewhere else when I was younger but now I have spent all this time in other cities traveling for work and I just think it is great here."

Cadieux's goal was to leave Tulsa a better place than it was when he served as Chamber head. His focus was long-term progress and making the city a better place for his kids.

Young people have always been important to the Cadieuxs. QuikTrip began the Safeplace program more than 20 years ago and it's only a small percentage of the company's philanthropy budget.

"About three or four good causes to support are presented to me everyday. We try to pick things that really make a difference, things that fix future generations, especially for at-risk youth," Cadieux said.

Each QT location offers the Safeplace program, where employees are well trained to help the runaways, the abused, suicidal, alcohol- or drug-addicted youth who walk into the convenient stores seeking help. The program interviewed help agencies across town in order to place teens in the right hands and get them the help they need.

"[Chet] has a big, big heart," Thornbrugh said. "His compassion is unbelievable."

With the focus placed entirely on the 10,000 employees, it should come as no surprise that it's difficult to land a job for QuikTrip Corp., which nearly always hires from within the company. In fact, like Cadieux, the current vice president started in the store. Thornbrugh said this is what separates the company from everyone else.

"We've got eye appeal," he said. "We receive hundreds of thousands of applications everyday. The screening process is incredible. People know that when they work here, the sky is the limit."

As someone who works in the warehouse and works a shift in the store if needed, Cadieux's aware of the optimal outlook QT provides. Knowing each position inside and out is an essential part of his job as president and CEO.

"If I didn't [know each role], how would I know if the job is a good job?

"We are so picky about the people who work for us," he said. "We hire about one to two percent of the people who apply to work here. They are so well taken care of. We are so picky and that is why we pay so much. These people deserve a good job and will be paid for doing a good job."

At the moment, Cadieux's focusing on the company's latest endeavor, QT Kitchens. The food service is something his customers were asking for and, as promised, Cadieux listened. He would like to be as good at food one day as they are gasoline. QT's uses trial and error to figure out exactly what customers want.

"If they want a gas station that sells food, that's what we'll do. If they want a fast-food restaurant that sells gas, we'll do that," said Cadieux.

He's the ultimate people pleaser, an ability that comes naturally to him. He keeps his busy hands clean, but isn't afraid to get them dirty. And at the end of the day, Cadieux closes up shop knowing that he took care of the daily business and, even more gratifying, took care of the QuikTrip family.

"I sleep well at night," he said with a nod.