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Where Are They Now? How a Former Team Member Helped Open One of the Nation’s Most Innovative Museums
June 5, 2025
Working at a Chick-fil-A restaurant teaches valuable skills, including customer service, hospitality and an introduction to entrepreneurship.
Chick-fil-A Owner-Operators provide opportunities unique to their local restaurant, which could include mentoring, development sessions and education assistance. This series highlights how working in a Chick-fil-A restaurant prepared former Team Members for their future careers.
How a decade at Chick-fil-A prepared Alan Martinez to lead in STEAM education
Alan Martinez never imagined a chance coffee shop chat would lead to him helping launch a $85 million project to build a science museum. But in August 2024, he helped open La Nube — a cutting-edge STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) discovery center in El Paso, Texas — as its Vice President of Guest Experience and Business Operations.
For Alan, the leadership principles that guide him today started behind the counter at Chick-fil-A restaurants.
Chick-fil-A Roots
At 17 years old, Alan joined the team at Chick-fil-A Sunland Park Mall in El Paso, encouraged by a friend who was also employed there. Though the location has since closed, the part-time job to pay for college quickly became a formative experience and a meaningful start to his journey.
How a decade at Chick-fil-A prepared Alan Martinez to lead in STEAM education
Alan Martinez never imagined a chance coffee shop chat would lead to him helping launch a $85 million project to build a science museum. But in August 2024, he helped open La Nube — a cutting-edge STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) discovery center in El Paso, Texas — as its Vice President of Guest Experience and Business Operations.
For Alan, the leadership principles that guide him today started behind the counter at Chick-fil-A restaurants.
Chick-fil-A Roots
At 17 years old, Alan joined the team at Chick-fil-A Sunland Park Mall in El Paso, encouraged by a friend who was also employed there. Though the location has since closed, the part-time job to pay for college quickly became a formative experience and a meaningful start to his journey.
Under the guidance of local Owner-Operator Edgar Ortega, Alan quickly grew into leadership roles. He later moved with Edgar to Chick-fil-A Mesa Street & Remcon Circle, and helped open Chick-fil-A Desert Blvd.
“Edgar didn’t just manage me — he mentored me,” Alan said. “He helped me see what I could become.”
Alan supervised restaurant grand openings, served as a leader in the kitchen, and eventually set his sights on Chick-fil-A’s Leadership Development Program in hopes of one day becoming an
Owner-Operator.
An Unexpected Opportunity
Alan wasn’t looking to leave Chick-fil-A when he met the President of La Nube by chance at a coffee shop. What started as casual conversation quickly turned into a job offer: help lead operations for a first-of-its-kind science center opening in El Paso in just a few months.
Alan was torn. He dreamed of becoming a Chick-fil-A Owner-Operator, but Edgar offered clarity:
"What you’ve done here is just the beginning,” Edgar said. “Now take that impact and grow it somewhere new.”
So, Alan took the leap.
Building La Nube: From the Ground Up
When he accepted the role, Alan had never stepped foot in a museum.
“On day one, I asked, ‘Where do we start?’ And the President at the time said: ‘You’re Operations — it’s your plan.’ That’s when it hit me: I was writing the blueprint.”
Alan spent the next few months visiting institutions around the country to learn the ins and outs of running a museum and managing day-to-day operations. He saw the chance to build something deeply rooted in El Paso’s identity.
“We live in the desert. Water conservation matters — but so does education. That’s why we created the first-ever museum-based water conservation plant and exhibit.” Alan said. “The vision evolved from children’s museum to something much deeper — a science center for all ages, designed to inspire El Paso’s next generation.”
First Order of Business
His goal for the museum extended beyond operational excellence. He prioritized guest-first thinking, people development, and values-driven leadership — all lessons that he brought with him from over a decade of experience at Chick-fil-A restaurants.
From day one, he insisted that visitors be referred to as “Guests,” and implemented a Guest recovery method based off Chick-fil-A’s model.
“Chick-fil-A taught me that if you take care of your employees, your business will run smoothly,” Alan said. “That’s what I wanted to bring to La Nube.”
Under the guidance of local Owner-Operator Edgar Ortega, Alan quickly grew into leadership roles. He later moved with Edgar to Chick-fil-A Mesa Street & Remcon Circle, and helped open Chick-fil-A Desert Blvd.
“Edgar didn’t just manage me — he mentored me,” Alan said. “He helped me see what I could become.”
Alan supervised restaurant grand openings, served as a leader in the kitchen, and eventually set his sights on Chick-fil-A’s Leadership Development Program in hopes of one day becoming an
Owner-Operator.
An Unexpected Opportunity
Alan wasn’t looking to leave Chick-fil-A when he met the President of La Nube by chance at a coffee shop. What started as casual conversation quickly turned into a job offer: help lead operations for a first-of-its-kind science center opening in El Paso in just a few months.
Alan was torn. He dreamed of becoming a Chick-fil-A Owner-Operator, but Edgar offered clarity:
"What you’ve done here is just the beginning,” Edgar said. “Now take that impact and grow it somewhere new.”
So, Alan took the leap.
Building La Nube: From the Ground Up
When he accepted the role, Alan had never stepped foot in a museum.
“On day one, I asked, ‘Where do we start?’ And the President at the time said: ‘You’re Operations — it’s your plan.’ That’s when it hit me: I was writing the blueprint.”
Alan spent the next few months visiting institutions around the country to learn the ins and outs of running a museum and managing day-to-day operations. He saw the chance to build something deeply rooted in El Paso’s identity.
“We live in the desert. Water conservation matters — but so does education. That’s why we created the first-ever museum-based water conservation plant and exhibit.” Alan said. “The vision evolved from children’s museum to something much deeper — a science center for all ages, designed to inspire El Paso’s next generation.”
First Order of Business
His goal for the museum extended beyond operational excellence. He prioritized guest-first thinking, people development, and values-driven leadership — all lessons that he brought with him from over a decade of experience at Chick-fil-A restaurants.
From day one, he insisted that visitors be referred to as “Guests,” and implemented a Guest recovery method based off Chick-fil-A’s model.
“Chick-fil-A taught me that if you take care of your employees, your business will run smoothly,” Alan said. “That’s what I wanted to bring to La Nube.”
Leading a staff of 120 — many of them young employees — Alan saw this as an opportunity to touch lives and create a culture of growth, determined to help his team build confidence and life skills.
“The first document I wrote was our employee promise,” Alan says. “I wanted our staff to feel seen, supported, and ready for the real world.”
Opening Day
Alan’s decade working at Chick-fil-A restaurants also taught him the importance of being adaptable and adjusting on the fly.
When La Nube opened its doors, the point-of-sale system crashed. But Alan leaned on his Chick-fil-A restaurant experience: staying calm, serving Guests, and leading from the front.
“I reminded the team — like Edgar reminded me — mistakes aren’t the end,” Alan said. “What matters is how we recover from them.”
To this day, he continues to adapt, recently implementing the museum’s first bilingual POS system — a national first for science centers.
Alan says his goal is simple: to do for others what Edgar did for him.
“The impact I want to make is the same one Chick-fil-A had on me: to help people grow, believe in themselves, and lead with heart.”
Leading a staff of 120 — many of them young employees — Alan saw this as an opportunity to touch lives and create a culture of growth, determined to help his team build confidence and life skills.
“The first document I wrote was our employee promise,” Alan says. “I wanted our staff to feel seen, supported, and ready for the real world.”
Opening Day
Alan’s decade working at Chick-fil-A restaurants also taught him the importance of being adaptable and adjusting on the fly.
When La Nube opened its doors, the point-of-sale system crashed. But Alan leaned on his Chick-fil-A restaurant experience: staying calm, serving Guests, and leading from the front.
“I reminded the team — like Edgar reminded me — mistakes aren’t the end,” Alan said. “What matters is how we recover from them.”
To this day, he continues to adapt, recently implementing the museum’s first bilingual POS system — a national first for science centers.
Alan says his goal is simple: to do for others what Edgar did for him.
“The impact I want to make is the same one Chick-fil-A had on me: to help people grow, believe in themselves, and lead with heart.”
