Ed Bridgman’s Retirement
45.5 Years of Delivering Q,S,C & V
Review/Reminisce/Recognize

Operations Expert - Albany & Rochester Regions (1975-1995)

Ed has had a storied 45.5-year career with McDonald’s. It began in the fall of 1975 as a 17-year-old crew member of a brand new McDonald’s restaurant that opened next door to his childhood home in Amsterdam, NUY. Ed and his mom were hired together on their back porch marking the beginning of an innovation-filled career. Ed was a quick learner, a natural in the restaurant. He worked part time through graduating from high school and then college. Ed decided Operations behind the front counter was more exciting than Accounting behind a desk. He quickly progressed through the restaurant management positions while dating his wife Carol who was also a McDonald’s team member. They were married in 1984, and Ed was soon promoted to Area Supervisor in the Albany Region. He expanded his influence first to McOpCo, then to Owner Operator restaurants with his expert, thoughtful, soft-spoken coaching that helped deliver role model performance.

System Innovator - Innovation Center & Home Office (1995-2021)

In 1995, Ed was recognized with a promotion and move to the Operations Development Department in Oak Brook, IL. For his next 26 years, Ed rose from Operations Manager to Director to Senior Director and worked on and led many development teams focused on improving restaurant performance worldwide for customers, employees, owner/operators and shareholders. He was one of the founders and leaders of the Innovation Center (opened in 2000), and continuously improved and expanded its capabilities to be an innovation catalyst for the McDonald’s system worldwide. In addition, Ed helped lead the development, application and adaptation of many innovative solutions that enabled the migration of more than 38,000 McDonald’s restaurants to a common, modern, growth-oriented operating system. He expertly collaborated and tested with more than 50 markets and their teams at the Innovation Center and followed up with more than 30 market in-country restaurant pilots and visits.

Giving Back - Innovation Center & Beyond

Ed’s most lasting legacy will be the next generation of McDonald’s leaders and innovators he helped develop, coach and mentor using proven innovation processes, practices and tools. Ed has always given back in so many ways. He and his teams have often volunteered and donated to RMHC.

As colleagues and friends of Ed, Lets Recognize Ed’s AMAZING 45.5-year career of delivering Q,S,C & V each and every day with a contribution to RMHC of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana.