Each year Bama honors those team members that have been with the company for 20 years. This year was a particularly large class as we welcomed 27 new members into what we call the Circle of Excellence. Of Bama’s roughly 800 team members currently, an impressive 158 are members of this exclusive club that have worked here for 20 years or more.
Bama was started by Alabama Marshall in 1927 in Dallas, TX. Her son Paul and wife Lilah moved the business to Tulsa in 1937, where it has operated in it’s current location ever since. In the beginning the main products were full-size pies, but in 1968, Bama began making the McDonald’s apple pie and has been the sole provider of the product ever since.
Paula Marshall, Paul’s daughter, took over as head of the company in 1990 and has grown and expanded the business to include 3 facilities in Tulsa, one in the Wales, one in Poland and three in China. Bama has also expanded its portfolio of products and customers.
Since taking over, Paula has instilled a culture of respect and valuing each team member. She is also a student of Dr. Edward W. Deming, and his philosophy is what runs Bama and she contributes the high number of long-term team members to this business philosophy. Bama’s tagline is People Helping People Be Successful. The Circle of Excellence is a testament to that motto.