Mari A. Potter
Honoree Profile
Mari A. Potter is the owner of 13 McDonald’s restaurants along with her husband and business partner, Tim. As a small business owner, Ms. Potter views her restaurants as hubs for the community to come together, not just for a great meal, but as a place where families can come and know they are cared for and supported.
McDonald’s franchisees are the founding and forever partners of Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), which help families with children who are sick by keeping them together during treatment and providing essential resources. Ms. Potter serves on the Board of Directors and is the Development Committee Chair for RMHC of Rochester. Her connection to RMHC is one of the most rewarding parts of being a McDonald’s owner-operator. Last year alone, Ms. Potter’s restaurants raised over $37,000 for RMHC of Rochester.
Ms. Potter is embedded in the neighborhoods where she operates, not only by raising funds for many local nonprofit organizations, but also by providing employment opportunities and college tuition assistance. In 2023, Ms. Potter’s organization provided more than $94,000 in tuition assistance to 50 local restaurant employees.
Seeing her employees grow, both personally and professionally, is one of Ms. Potter’s favorite parts of owning restaurants. She aims to celebrate her people as much as possible, recognizing team members through milestones in performance or tenure, and cultivating relationships with her employees from the start of their careers.
Over the years, Ms. Potter has won numerous awards, but her crowning achievement was winning the Ronald Award, along with her husband, in 2022. This award recognizes the top one percent of McDonald’s owner-operators across the country who have made outstanding contributions to strengthening McDonald’s brand image and serving their customers and local communities.
Ms. Potter is the proud mother of five children and two stepchildren, and has seven grandchildren. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family, writing, traveling, photography, and camping.
