Three minutes with… Dave Beaty of Hermiston

Published 9:31 am Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Can you tell me about your job?

I’ve been a restaurant/store manager (at Pizza Hut). I’m also a shift leader, which means I do anything and everything in the restaurant to make it happen.

What does that mean?

I could be a server, a delivery driver, managing everything at the same time. I’ve been trained to do all the jobs here, and I train others, including high school students. And this is important, because it makes them ready to be good community members, going on in their lives to do good things.

Do you like this job?

Yes, it is a job that I like. I’ve told my bosses that this is the last job I ever want. I’ve been with Pizza Hut since October of 2015. You know, a lot of restaurants are similar when it comes to management. The job is the same. The people and the food is the difference.

What are the qualities of an effective manager?

They’ve got to understand themselves, and they’ve got to be nice. If they don’t walk through the door, being good to other people, you shouldn’t have this job. Sometimes that means that you leave your problems behind. You don’t let a negative attitude from things outside work affect how you treat people in work.

Do you have any hobbies?

My hobby is my 12-year-old daughter. Twelve years ago, we thought we were done, me and my wife. I have seven kids, five grandkids and a couple of great-grandkids. This keeps me busy, extremely busy.

What sorts of things do you enjoy doing with your family?

We like to go camping, playing in the rocks and in the river. We just like having fun and playing. Sometimes, we go to the thrift shop.

What was the last great treasure that you found at a thrift shop?

I found another Seahawk glass for my wife. You know, I’m not a sports fan at all, but my wife is a dedicated diehard. She has been a fan since day one. Come Super Bowl, my daughter and I go to Chuck E. Cheese, while she watches the game without us.

What other things do you enjoy doing with your daughter?

She likes doing arts and crafts. She likes clay and painting. We always enjoy going out and finding tree branches that we trim and use with her modeling. She makes all sorts of decorations and jewelry. We spend a whole lot of time outside. Drilling through rocks is our big challenge right now.

Do you have any favorite locations nearby?

We like to go out to the Umatilla River. There’s a bench out there that we like. We don’t fish, but we have all the equipment. That’s something that we might have more time for soon. With my stepping down, we should have time for that kind of thing.

Are you retiring?

No, not retiring. When I stepped down from the store manager position, that gave me more time for my daughter and my wife. I’d like to go camping and take the family to Lake Stuart, while I can still make it.

Is there any reason why you wouldn’t make it?

I’m 56 years old. That might not sound real old, but it is when you are taking a 13-mile hike. It gets hard, especially when you are carrying your backpack and someone else’s.

Some things get harder with age, but is there anything that gets easier?

Smiling actually comes a lot easier, because you remember all the things you’ve been through.