Riverside, Calif. (Oct. 30, 2014) -- Adaobi Gwacham ('08) missed out on having a Chick-fil-A on campus while attending California Baptist University, but the business graduate is building a career with the popular restaurant chain.

Gwacham started working for Chick-fil-A when she was 18 and has worked her way up the ladder for the past 10 years. She started as a team member at Chick-fil-A in Chino Hills, in 2004 and worked the front counter, drive-thru and kitchen. She moved into leadership after a year and became the restaurant's general manager after graduating from CBU. In 2010, Gwacham took a job in the corporate office as a grand opening supervisor for about year before taking her current position as a grand opening consultant and relocating to the Atlanta office.

Gwacham started as a nursing major at CBU and then switched her major to business. "CBU gave me the necessary tools to interact and be successful in a corporate environment," she said.

As a grand opening consultant, she meets with owners and operators about their grand opening, provides them with marketing and operational tools and travels to support them as they get ready to open the restaurant.

Gwacham has higher aspirations. She says even in college her goal was to own her own business. And not just any business, but a Chick-fil-A franchise. One reason was because of the company's purpose statement: "To Glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that has been entrusted in us and to have a positive impact in all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A."

"Chick-fil-A is more than the profits," she said. "It is about caring for the people and having a positive impact. I wanted to be a part of that and wanted to influence whatever community I will call home."

Gwacham started the application process in 2013 and was selected this year to be the owner/operator for the Pasadena restaurant, which is under construction and scheduled to open in December. The company opens fewer than 100 restaurants a year.

She is also looking forward to moving closer back to family in Chino Hills and Corona.

"I am very blessed for the opportunity to have been selected," she said.