Kacy Hunter didn’t plan on building a career in quick service restaurants (QSRs). But once she discovered the impact strong leadership can have on young team members, she never looked back.

Today, Kacy serves as our Dunkin’ Director of Operations, helping lead the brand’s growing presence in Wisconsin. Her leadership philosophy is simple: people come first.

“You can’t run a profitable business if you don’t take care of the lowest person on the pay scale. People have to come first.”

– Kacy Hunter, Dunkin’ Director of Operations

Finding Purpose in Leadership

Kacy’s career began far from the restaurant industry. She started as a Driving Supervisor for the Rock County Humane Society in Wisconsin, overseeing animal neglect cases and court cases.

While the work was meaningful, it was emotionally difficult. So she took a management job at Subway while figuring out her next step.

“I ended up falling in love with it,” she says of her first experience in restaurant management. “I got to coach kids, teach them work ethic and build their confidence.”

What began as a temporary job turned into a 15-year career! Eventually, Kacy moved on to Taco Bell, where she stepped into a struggling location and successfully rebuilt the restaurant by putting priority on the people.

“You start with the team,” she says. “Pick one thing to improve each week and eventually you look back and realize how far everyone has come.”

A Culture Match

Kacy joined Shamrock in July 2025 after researching the company and meeting our leadership team. It’s our company culture immediately stood out.

“A lot of companies talk about culture and work-life balance,” she says. “Shamrock really means it.”

Now she’s helping build Dunkin’ locations across Wisconsin, something she finds especially exciting.

“Being part of building something from the ground floor is a great feeling. We’re creating it together.”

– Kacy Hunter, Dunkin’ Director of Operations

Developing the Next Generation

For Kacy, the most rewarding part of her job isn’t operational success, it’s the people she gets to develop along the way.

This is a first job for many Dunkin’ team members; Kacy sees that as an opportunity to help them grow beyond the workplace.

“When I hire kids, I tell them, ‘Family first, school second and work third,’” she says. “They’re not going to work here forever, but they should leave with skills that help them in life.”

Watching that growth happen is what keeps her motivated.

“The best part of my job will always be the kids,” Kacy says. “When you see someone gain confidence and come out of their shell, that’s an incredible feeling.”

And, it’s an incredible feeling to watch you thrive in your current role, Kacy! We can’t wait to see what you do next.