- link Copy URL - [ Share on X ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Jill’s 40-Year Journey With Taco Bell https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/1313301?absolute=1&via=3blnews "Share on X") - [ Share on linkedin ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/1313301?absolute=1 "Share on Linkedin") - [ Share on facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/1313301?absolute=1 "Share on Facebook") - [ email Share via email ](mailto:?subject=Jill’s 40-Year Journey With Taco Bell&body=ESG News from Yum! Brands https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/1313301?absolute=1 "Share via email") [Education & Workforce Development](/categories/education-workforce-development) # Jill’s 40-Year Journey With Taco Bell ##### Jill S., Associate Manager, Legal May 27, 2026 12:00 PM ET Campaign: [People: We Remove Barriers](/news/campaign/people-we-remove-barriers) ![Jill S.](/sites/default/files/styles/carousel_2x/public/images/jills-40-year-journey-taco-bell_YUM-BRANDS_050726.png) [Taco Bell Blog](https://www.tacobell.com/stories/jills-40-year-journey-with-taco-bell) When the small oil and gas company Jill worked for in Newport Beach went out of business, she spotted a newspaper ad for a job at Taco Bell Corporate. She applied, got the role, and began her four-decade journey with the brand. In those early days, Taco Bell’s headquarters were on Armstrong Avenue in Irvine while the Von Karman building was still under construction. Office space was so tight that Jill’s first team, a small word processing group, was literally stationed in a closet. “It was a very different company. We were owned by PepsiCo, and Taco Bell was a much smaller brand than either Pizza Hut or KFC. But then, a few years after I arrived and transferred into the Legal Department, Taco Bell really started focusing its efforts on national broadcast advertising. We spent quite a bit of time, money, and effort educating people in different parts of the country about what a taco or burrito was. I remember we even had tray liners explaining the products!” Throughout her career in the Legal Department, Jill had many mentors who inspired her, but one stood out the most: Joyce W., Taco Bell’s Marketing and Advertising paralegal. Joyce helped bring Jill into a role that would become the longest, and most exciting, chapter of her career. “Once Taco Bell started heavily investing in marketing, Joyce was swamped, so I was brought in to help cover all the new work. This started a whole new chapter in my time at Taco Bell, as I began my journey supporting marketing.” Over the decades, Jill played a part in countless groundbreaking marketing programs and events as Taco Bell evolved into the iconic brand it is today. But what kept her here all these years? Simply put...the people. “I have worked with so many bright, dedicated, and truly talented people over the years. It has been a real joy.” Of course, there were some unforgettable moments along the way, especially during the annual company meetings in the 1990s held at a local hotel. The executive team would review the year’s results and present the new strategy, and sometimes the events included elaborate themes with creative decor, matching outfits, and plenty of food and drinks to get everyone into the spirit. A lot has changed since then, even Jill’s favorite Taco Bell menu items. “Back then it was the classic bean burrito, no cheese. Today it’s the Cantina Chicken Bowl, also no cheese.” For those just starting their Taco Bell journey, or hoping to work for the brand one day, Jill offers a simple piece of advice: “Have patience and be good at multitasking, because the rapid pace and quick turns Taco Bell makes to keep the business responsive can be challenging but also exciting.” As Jill looks ahead to retirement, she’s excited about a family trip to Germany this fall, spending more time reading, and enjoying life at a slower pace with her cats. But even in retirement, she says she’ll still be watching Taco Bell closely, this time as a customer and lifelong fan. After 40 years, Jill leaves behind an incredible legacy and a reminder of how much one person’s dedication can shape the story of a brand. [![Yum! Brands, KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and Habit Burger Grill logos](/sites/default/files/2025-02/02042025%20-%20Yum%21%20Brands%20Lockup%20RGB_HORIZONATAL_ON_WHITE.png)](/profiles/yum-brands) ### More from Yum! Brands ###### [Taco Bell Foundation Ignites Next Era of Live Más Scholarship With $14.5M Awarded to Record-Breaking Class of 2026](/news/taco-bell-foundation-ignites-next-era-live-mas-scholarship-145m-awarded-record-breaking-class) May 18, 2026 9:00 AM ET ###### [NFWF Announces $1.8 Million To Support Working Lands and Restore Wildlife Habitat in the Intermountain West](/news/nfwf-announces-18-million-support-working-lands-and-restore-wildlife-habitat-intermountain) Apr 10, 2026 10:00 AM ET ###### [One Million Items Collected! Taco Bell® Sauce Container U.S. Recycling Program](/news/one-million-items-collected-taco-bellr-sauce-container-us-recycling-program) Apr 8, 2026 10:00 AM ET ###### [From Team Member to General Manager - Heilyn’s Story of Growth](/news/team-member-general-manager-heilyns-story-growth) Feb 19, 2026 9:00 AM ET ###### [Pizza Hut Is Fueling Big Ideas Across Canada](/news/pizza-hut-fueling-big-ideas-across-canada) Feb 17, 2026 9:00 AM ET ###### [How 4,000 Yum! Leaders Are Redefining Leadership Development](/news/how-4000-yum-leaders-are-redefining-leadership-development) Feb 12, 2026 2:45 PM ET ###### [Career Advice From the Farmer’s Son Leading Sustainability at KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell](/news/career-advice-farmers-son-leading-sustainability-kfc-pizza-hut-and-taco-bell) Nov 19, 2025 11:00 AM ET ###### [How I Got Here: Chris Turner, Chief Executive Officer at Yum! Brands](/news/how-i-got-here-chris-turner-chief-executive-officer-yum-brands) Oct 30, 2025 9:00 AM ET