From After School Job to Lifelong Career
Menomonee Falls — Sussex resident Tracy Surma claims she can run a Cousins Subs store with her eyes shut. That’s a good thing, because on December 20 she’ll be opening her first store in Oconomowoc.
Surma’s ability to operate a Cousins store with such ease would appear to be a statement of fact and not boasting. After all, Surma – a married mother of two boys – has worked at the franchise since 1986. But she credits the training and dedication that Cousins invests in each of its employees – and not necessarily the years she spent working there – as the real key to her success.
“At every change in my life, there was always a new and challenging opportunity for me at Cousins,” she said. “They’ve always treated me well and have been there for me.”
Surma started working at Cousins during her senior year of high school. Her first position was as a cashier. But it wasn’t long before she started climbing the Cousins ladder. “By 1986 I was already getting trained in management,” she said.
As her management skills became apparent, Surma was soon moved to busier and busier Cousins stores. She said she’s worked at 18 different locations over the years.
“We take employee development and growth very seriously at Cousins,” said Larry Weissman, vice president of marketing for Cousins Subs. “If you show the aptitude and have the drive, you can have a very nice career with us.”
Surma said she’s looking forward to starting the latest chapter in her career with Cousins. “I have been dreaming of opening my own store for a while,” she said. “When I found out that this location was opening up I jumped at the opportunity.”
Surma said she’s also excited to provide the same opportunity for others that she had so many years ago.
“The opening of this store will create 15 new jobs,” she said. “Creating new jobs in the current economy is always a reason for celebration.”
The new store will be located at 1380 Pabst Farms Circle, suite 410 in Oconomowoc. Hours will be Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, call 262.565.8955
About Cousins Subs
Cousins Subs is based in Milwaukee, Wis., and is a national sub sandwich chain with stores throughout the Midwest and on the West Coast. The tradition of Cousins Subs started in 1972, when two transplanted cousins from Atlantic City saw the need for an East coast–style sub shop in their new hometown. They patterned their subs after the hoagie, grinder, hero and sub sandwiches they enjoyed back East. And with a dedication to delivering quality subs at fair prices, they opened their first restaurant. From the start, the two used bread baked fresh every morning and insisted on using only the finest, freshest ingredients.
