- There are six board members elected to serve 3-year terms.
- Two seats are open for election each calendar year.
- Annual nomination process – October 15ththrough November 15th each year
- Franchisees in good-standing with the ATJF and TJI are eligible for nomination.
- Candidates can be self-nominated.
- Election process – November 15ththrough December 15th each year
- Election confirmed during December board meeting.
Board of Directors
Brett Itterman
President
While Brett officially became involved with Taco John’s in 2015, he has been around the brand his entire life. He leads Taco John’s largest franchise group and is currently affiliated with 30 locations, giving him a broad understanding of our business – both our strengths and our weaknesses.
Brett has served on both the Advertising Production Committee (APC) and Supply Chain Committees since 2016 and is currently active in 10 Co-ops across six (6) states. Brett is also involved with the HuHot Mongolian Grills Franchise. This multi-brand experience gives him a unique perspective of the business decisions facing Taco John’s and the ATJF. Brett believes Taco John’s is poised for significant growth and considers the Association an active partner to ensure we all benefit and achieve that growth.
Brett is involved with several community organizations, including the Dakota Medical Foundation.
Ted Miller
Vice President
Ted started with Taco John’s in 1985. His ownership group operates 12 Taco John’s and 3 Five Guys Burgers and Fries locations, giving Ted a unique perspective of the franchise business decisions from another point of view. Over the past 32 years he has worked with some of the best people in the brand, serving on the Menu, Operations, and Technology committees. He’s currently serving his second year on the APC and participating on the Digital Subcommittee. He's passionate about the Taco Johns brand and making the best possible decisions to continue to help us grow.
Brian Fuder
Vice President
Brian began with Taco John’s in 1989 and is an owner-partner of 3 restaurants (2 in MN and 1 in ND). Brian has served as a member of the Ad Production Committee (APC) (2011-present). He served as Vice-Chairman in 2017 and is currently the Chairman of the APC. He also led the Digital Sub-Committee (2014-2017). He’s also been a member of the Technology committee for the past 5 years. He has been active in local communities serving on the Fergus Falls Youth Baseball Association, Fergus Falls CVB board, and various church-related committees.
Aaron Holthaus
Vice President
Aaron’s group joined Taco John's in 2004 by purchasing an existing restaurant in Buffalo, Minnesota, and agreeing to a multi-unit deal for the construction of four more restaurants in the next five years. He is joined in his company by his brother Josh and father Tom. Today, they have nine locations in central Minnesota, from just outside the Twin Cities into the St. Cloud market area. As a SuperAmerica® Franchisee, they also have three convenience store locations.
Aaron has a degree in economics from the University of Minnesota, and enjoys working with our people and building new restaurants. Aaron and his wife Jess have five children who keep them busy traveling to different sporting events. Family fishing trips are a favorite pastime. Their oldest daughter works in the restaurants and would someday like to own a store of her own!
Jeff Bremer, Sr.
Vice President
Jeff Bremer began his journey with Taco John’s 17 years ago as an operating partner and for the past 11 years, has been a Franchisee of 10 Taco John’s restaurants in the Nebraska and Iowa markets.
Over the past years with Taco John’s, Jeff has served on the Operations Committee, as a Member of the ATJF, on the Ad Production Committee (APC) as a Vice Chair for 6+ years and is currently Chairman of the APC. He has also served as Vice President of Operations and Director of Operations for Burger King, Taco Bell, Little Caesar’s and LJS. Jeff’s oldest son, Jeff, Jr., is currently working the Taco John’s business as a Director of Operations. Jeff’s family is also involved in the PIP Printing Franchise.
Jeff has three children and four grandchildren and is an active member of the First Responder’s Foundation, the Chris Bremer Foundation, and several other non-profit organizations. He enjoys playing golf and spending time with family and friends.
Walt Cressman
Vice President
Walt’s lifelong connection with Taco John’s began in 1971, when he was hired as a 15-year-old worker at the 41st Street store in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. From his start shredding cheese and cutting lettuce, Walt has held every position on the Taco John’s – from crew member to shift supervisor to assistant manager to general manager. After a two-year stretch in the U.S. Army, Walt became a franchisee at the age of 21. Today, more than 50 years later, Walt serves as president of partnership group that owns 11 stores in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Within the franchisee organization, Walt began his 21-year run on the Ad Committee in 1978, which included a term as chairman. He’s been elected to the ATJF Board of Directors five times and served three terms as president. In between terms he was also the chair of the franchisee committee tasked with re-writing the franchise agreement.
Walt’s wife Gwen, their three daughters and eight grandchildren are the center of his world. His core values are built on his faith, and his Taco motto of “recruit, train and develop” is based on the Campus Crusade motto of “Win, Build, Send.“ He feels very blessed to have worked with some remarkable people, and he is most proud of all the individuals he has brought into the system who have become business managers, franchisees, and dear friends.
Jody Schindler
Executive Director
Jody’s career with Taco Johns began in the late 1980’s as the Marketing Director for the Twin Cities Taco John’s franchise group. After leaving that position, Jody worked with Taylor Made Golf in the sales office, Verizon Wireless with the Network Engineering Team and ran a successful healthcare consulting company for 20 plus years. Jody and her husband, Pat have six children and two grandchildren. Jody still loves being involved in the local community serving on several church-related committees, sporting event associations, coaching volleyball and participating in local running events.
Interested in board service?
Here's how the process works:
- Newly elected directors begin their 3-year term in January of the new year.
- During the January board meeting, the board of directors nominates and elects a president for the current calendar year.
- Directors can serve two consecutive 3-year terms, but must be re-elected to the second term.
- Directors are not eligible for re-election after serving two 3-year terms due to term-limit policy.
- Directors must lay out one full year to be eligible to run for re-election.
ATJF directors are asked to participate in regularly scheduled monthly teleconference meetings and typically attend one or two personal meetings (requiring travel) with representatives of Taco John’s International, Inc. (TJI) each year. Additionally, each director will be assigned a certain liaison responsibility for a TJI department and/or a franchisee committee for communications purposes along with responsibilities in connection to the annual National Franchisee Convention.