A McDonald’s Franchisee Wins ATHENA Award

Press-Enterprise:

Candace Spiel was in business from the beginning, selling garden vegetables or Christmas cards or popcorn balls as a child growing up in Iowa and later, Riverside.

Lately, she’s been selling fries, hamburgers and shakes at now nine McDonald’s franchises she owns with her husband Tom while devoting any rare free time to community causes and transforming their original restaurant location into a model for environmental construction.

Spiel, who started her McDonald’s career early as a part-time summer job, will receive the ATHENA of the Inland Valleys award presented by the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce at an 11:30 a.m. Wednesday luncheon at the Mission Inn in downtown Riverside.

She is among 27 women who have been awarded the distinction for demonstrating professional excellence and community service.