Working

Ellen McCarty

Family status: Married to Bonnie with two great sons, Mike and Brian.

Age: 50

Education: Graduated Summa Hardly Made It from Kentwood High School in

Grand Rapids, Mich., in 1967. Earned an associate’s degree in accounting

from Grand Rapids Junior College in 1975.

Present occupation: Owner of What A Lot of Pizza, a chain I founded in

Fountain Valley in 1989 when I arrived from Michigan in a nearly

broken-down bakery truck.

Explain your job in 15 words or less: Insuring that our customers are

consistently satisfied and creating opportunities for employees.

Upcoming events at your place of work: Celebrating National Pizza Month

with the creation of the Zapper, a pizza on a French loaf.

Your greatest achievement: My family.

Personal motto: Stand up for what you believe in.

Most humbling moment: Trying to make a living playing blackjack.

The most influential book you’ve read: The History of Baseball.

What cassette or compact disc is in your car right now? How to Make Money

in the Stock Market.

Your most treasured possession: The ring I made from my mother’s wedding

ring.

Which words do you overuse? I tend to exaggerate.

What can you cook? Omelets.

A habit you wish you could control: Trying to solve everyone’s problems.

The college major you almost chose: Marketing.

Your last charitable act: What A Lot of Pizza Scholarship Foundation.

As a child, what did your schoolmates tease you about? My big ears.

What is in your car trunk right now? Old golf club cover and rags.

The first thing that attracted you to your partner or spouse: She thought

I was funny.

The worst idea you ever had: Losing all our money on a board game I

invented.

What would you have been voted in high school? Biggest underachiever.

Who are your heroes? All the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Favorite escape from reality: Tropicana in Las Vegas.

One thing you would change about the world if you could: Everyone would

speak one language.

Your idea of exercise: Working the remote control using different

fingers.

What do you dislike most about your appearance? My belly.

I have a dream that: People will be more cordial and civilized.

Phone or address where people can reach you: 848-6148.