Wayne County Wanderings: Dave Ursich is the Jaycees' Boss of the Year

For Dave Ursich, Friday started off as just another busy morning at the office.

The affable, hard-working family man has spent 36 years at McDonald’s in Honesdale, the last eight of those as the restaurant’s General Manager.

The dining room and drive-thru were both hopping that morning. And, on top of that, Dave had been tasked with giving a mandatory food safety test to several employees.

At one point during this swirl of activity, Dave looked up to see his wife and daughters in the parking lot. Hmm. That was strange. Even stranger, though, was the small crowd of folks gathered around them bearing flowers and balloons.

“Something was up,” Dave said with a laugh. “Something was definitely up.”

Boss of the Year

It didn’t take long to find out what that something was, because a couple of minutes after Dave first noticed them, the group marched right into McDonald’s.

Shouts of “Surprise!” and “Congratulations!” echoed through the building. There was applause, laughter, hugs, even a few tears.

As it turned out, the group had an official presentation to make. Dave Ursich had been named Boss of the Year by the Honesdale Area Jaycees.

“I was completely shocked,” Dave admitted. “Being Boss of the Year isn't something I ever would have expected. I'm just a regular guy who tries to work hard, do my job and treat everyone fairly.”

The fact of the matter is that I've known Dave for a very long time and it's exactly those traits that make him stand out. He really is a regular guy who personifies what we used to call the American Dream.

Dave has been getting up and working his butt off every day for nearly four decades now … and he does it with a spring in his step and a smile on his face.

Dave absolutely does a great job and his reputation locally for fairness is unrivaled. He's a devoted husband and loving father, a man who grew up working on the family farm where he learned what some might call good old-fashioned country values.

In my mind, this type of honor is long overdue and Jaycees Spokesman Eric Avery agrees whole-heartedly.

“We were flooded with nominations for Dave this year,” he said. “Every one of those nomination forms listed the same key values: Caring, passionate, loyal and dedicated.

“When our committee got together it was pretty clear Dave deserved the award. He truly exemplifies what it means to be a great boss.”

From the Beginning

Dave is the son of Joseph and Betsy Ursich, Waymart.

He and his wife, Georgette, will be married 23 years in April. They are the proud parents of two daughters: Abigail and Davalyn, both of whom also work at McDonald's.

Dave grew up laboring on family farms owned by his father and uncle. He graduated from Western Wayne in 1987, then earned his Bachelor's degree at the University of Scranton in 1991.

Dave got his start at McDonald's at the age of 17, mostly to earn a little bit of extra money to buy his first car. It's a memory that still makes him smile.

“Honestly, I never expected to make this a career,” he said. “I just loved that car. It was a 1983 Plymouth Turismo, a hatchback with cloth bucket seats. It was awesome!”

By 1992, the year after he graduated college, Dave had been promoted by longtime General Manager Steve Lowenstein. And for the next two decades, he built a reputation for hard work, honesty and fairness.

Lowenstein retired in 2014 and, not surprisingly, Dave succeeded him. Since then, he's overseen myriad changes to the restaurant including the construction of a brand new building.

He has fond memories of original owners, George and Judy Rubin. He's also built a great relationship with the current owners, Albert and Carol Mueller along with their daughter Christina Curran-Mueller.

While there have been challenges along the way, Dave wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

“McDonald's has given me so many opportunities,” he said. “Working here has allowed me to get married, buy a home and raise a family.

“It's just crazy how fast the time has gone. I always try to take things one day at a time, but all of a sudden here we are 36 years later.”

Testimonials

Dave's unselfishness and acts of kindness have become the stuff of local legend.

He prepares home-cooked meals for his staff on holidays. He fills out his own schedule last, often working late nights to make sure others have a chance to spend quality time with their families.

These are gestures that don't go unnoticed and are echoed in nomination forms submitted to the Jaycees.

“Dave is the most compassionate boss anyone could ask for. He goes above and beyond for his employees every single day.

“Dave gives everyone a chance, sometimes even a second or third chance. Somehow, he manages to find a place for just about everyone at McDonald's.”

An excerpt from another nomination form says: “I've had many bosses in my life, but none of them impacted me the way Dave has.

“He takes a genuine interest in his employees and helps them grow to their greatest potential. Dave's helped many young men and women in our community.”

A third nomination form reads: “Dave has spent many years taking young people under his wing, teaching them valuable life lessons and a good work ethic. There's just so many good things to be said about him as a boss and as a person.”

For his part, Dave's recipe for success is simple: He genuinely loves people.

“It really is all about the people I work with and the people I meet here every day,” he said. “I especially like mentoring kids. I love seeing them learn and grow and celebrating their successes with them.”

Dave thinks of his colleagues at McDonald's as his “McFamily.” He spends countless hours with them, reveling in their triumphs and consoling them when tragedy strikes. It's a refreshing outlook in an age when corporate greed dominates the landscape.

“We watch out for each other,” Dave said. “We take care of one another. When something good happens, we celebrate it and when times get tough we try to lift each other up.”

Gratitude

Dave is both honored and humbled to have been recognized by the Jaycees, an organization he believes does wonderful things in the community.

“I can't thank them enough,” he said. “The Jaycees are an awesome group. I still can't believe that they chose me. It's pretty amazing.”

Dave attributes a great deal of his success to the support he receives from Georgette, Abigail and Davalyn. His wife and daughters are always there to pick him up … even after hundreds of crazy fairgoers or busloads of ravenous cheerleaders overrun the restaurant.

“I've had some pretty long days over the years,” he said. “But, they're always there for me when I come home. I couldn't do anything without my family.”

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Wanderings Kevin Edwards Dave Ursich Jaycees Boss of the Year