There is always more than one way to do things.
It is a mantra that has guided Gene Harris through serving our country, changing careers, crossing the United States, and pioneering Denny’s produce purchasing.
“When I was in the Navy, they used to say there are three ways to do things: the right way, the wrong way, and the Navy way,” Gene smiles. “And the Navy way wasn’t always the ‘right’ way—it was the way they wanted it done, and eventually, you found they had good reasons for doing things that way. There is also a Denny’s way. It is a balance.”
Over 38 years with the restaurant stalwart, Gene has both adapted to and helped shape the Denny’s way, rising through the ranks and carving out the chain’s current produce purchasing program. Now, a face I have known as one of the most genuine smiles in foodservice is hanging up his figurative apron, retiring in April 2025, and preparing another to take on the mantle.
“When I joined Denny’s I entered the management training program. I was a Restaurant Manager, then became a General Manager and a Training Manager. In 1989, I went into what was called the Product Development team, moving from the restaurant into the corporate office,” Gene recalls.
At the time, Denny’s was still headquartered in Irvine, California. But that was about to change dramatically, as was Gene’s professional path.
“I was on the Product Development Team when Denny’s moved to Spartanburg, South Carolina, in 1991. Then in 1995, I went into what we called local purchasing at the time. It was being handled by District Managers and folks that, quite frankly, had enough to do and weren’t experts on buying produce and fresh items,” Gene explains. “In 1995, we centralized it, starting with produce and fresh bread purchasing.”
As Gene began to make headway into a new fresh purchasing strategy, a former acquaintance of then-Vice President of Purchasing Paul Wexler, was newly retired and ready to impart his own wisdom from inside the unique setting of the produce world.
“I had been in the position about a year and was making headway. But you don’t know how much you don’t know until you start growing, learning, and realizing what you couldn’t see before,” Gene points out. “I was really fortunate that Paul Wexler brought in Joe Brennan, formerly of Marriott Hotels and a past Foodservice Board Chairman for the (then named) Produce Marketing Association (PMA), who mentored me for about 16 months. We went around the country meeting with growers, shippers, and produce distributors so that I could learn more about the industry and how it works from field to fork. It seemed like the more I learned, the more I realized how much I didn’t know. But the one thing I’ve said my whole career is that if I don’t know the answer, I know who to call.”
It is a crucial lesson in Gene’s story from multiple points—the intricacies only experience can offer and the importance of being humble enough to say when you don’t have the answer. They are lessons Gene has worked hard to pass on to the next generation of Denny’s produce chapter—Hannah Roehl.
“I’ve learned so much in the three years since I’ve joined Denny’s, and I’m really grateful to have Gene as a mentor,” Hannah shares, jumping in as we discuss the importance of knowing when to say you don’t have an answer. “Definitely, if he doesn’t know himself—which, honestly, is pretty rare—he has a person that he can reach out to and get more information. He has so many contacts and has taught me how the produce industry really is a family. It feels like everybody is close-knit and makes it easy to reach out and learn a little bit more about what they focus on.”
Having graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and specialization in logistics management, Hannah joined the team after 10 years in logistics—a uniquely qualified segue into fresh purchasing, particularly in her understanding of distribution and product delivery.
“It’s helped me,” Hannah acknowledges but emphasizes the critical coursework in her education has been working side-by-side with Gene for the last three years. “Gene being my mentor has been incomparable coming into the industry.”
This is because, even since hiring Hannah, Gene has envisioned passing the torch to her. With succession in mind and the knowledge of how mentorship benefited him, Hannah tells me how Gene made no secret that if she continued to succeed, he was excited to see her step in for him.
“Both Gene and Denny’s have invested a lot in me. I’ve been able to travel with Gene to Monterey, California, to attend the International Fresh Produce Association’s Foodservice show, and to see firsthand the fields and meet a lot more contacts in the industry,” Hannah shares. “I remember in the interview process, Gene mentioned he really only had a few more years left. He and the team shared with me very early that he wanted me to grow and see if I had the potential to take his position.”
Knowing this, she says, influenced her to invest in the process and learn as much from Gene’s experience as she could. Gene points out it has been a two-way street, and he has already seen the benefits of progress Hannah can bring from her familiarity with technology, quick mind for analysis and numbers, and her own style in solving problems.
“Hannah is a quick learner, which helps save time and frustration on her and my part. That is one blessing—another is there are things she can do twice as fast as I can,” Gene says with a laugh.
“He has so many contacts and has taught me how the produce industry really is a family. It feels like everybody is close-knit and makes it easy to reach out.”
Hannah Roehl, Purchasing Manager, Denny's
As our industry sees more giants retiring, it is deeply gratifying to hear him reflect on experiencing a long-term succession and interaction with the woman who will take his role on in a matter of weeks.
“Oftentimes, the person that’s leaving and the person that’s taking their place don’t get to work together, and that’s unfortunate,” Gene states. “The thought that Hannah could take my place, someone we could hire with many years still ahead of her, but responsible and had some experience, was a key motivation in hiring her. She had a good work ethic, which we know is critical with how quickly things change in fresh foods. We were fortunate that we did make a good hire with Hannah—she’s met, or in most cases, exceeded what we expected.”
When I ask Hannah what about the process was critical to preparing her to take on Gene’s responsibilities, her answer is incredibly produce-aligned.
“Giving me the tools to start some of these projects, but then letting me navigate my way through it was one of the best ways Gene has guided me. I’m more of a hands-on learner, so he’s always been really good about ensuring I can learn by doing,” she says.
I look at Gene, and again the words echo: There is always more than one way to do things.
One of the most challenging parts of watching others step into spaces I have helped carve out has been recognizing that doing things differently does not make them wrong. In fact, it’s progress.
“We never stop learning,” Gene agrees. “And it’s always good to share your knowledge. Appreciate what you have, but at the same time, ensure you share your information. Not only does it show appreciation to those who taught you, and experience is a good teacher too, but it broadens the experiences the next person can have. I’ve shared sometimes with Hannah not just because I did it right, but also things I’ve done wrong or learned the hard way. That way, she doesn’t have to.”
“I’m going to miss the business and I’m going to miss a lot of the people. It’s been a great experience, and I have enjoyed working in the produce industry.”
Gene Harris
It is only by making it possible for others to be better than ourselves that our roles can reach beyond what we were capable of on our own. It’s a beautiful part of our industry’s interwoven nature, and one that Gene himself is sorry to step away from.
“Overall, the produce industry has some of the best people. People who are willing to help you. People who share information because it’s in everybody’s best interest to produce the safest food possible. And, you know, there’s plenty of customers out there for all the produce companies to distribute and grow produce for. So, I really think the produce industry is quite unique in that,” he says, recalling fun memories of bringing his wife, Annie, to conferences and blending the joys of work into a well-rounded life of fresh. “I’m going to miss the business and I’m going to miss a lot of the people. It’s been a great experience, and I have enjoyed working in the produce industry.”
This passion and his own storied style of adding to the Denny’s way of fresh produce have inspired Gene to ensure Hannah has a front-row seat not just to how he does the job, but why. It is a map I am eager to see others follow and expand on.
Thank you, Gene, for helping us to find many more ways by showing us yours. 
