Douglas Battista

Growing up in southeastern Pennsylvania, Douglas Battista was taught the value of hard work by his father. Today, he is the President of North America Field Operations for Jenny Craig in Carlsbad, California. Douglas Battista says that his climb up the corporate ladder was not without bumps in the road, and believes that his father’s influence provided him the tools needed to focus on his goals.

Douglas Battista attended Niagara University in Niagara Falls, New York earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Travel Tourism/Hospitality Administration in 1994. Shortly after college he took a job as the Food Service Director for the ARAMARK Corporation in Hartford, Connecticut. During his time at ARAMARK, Douglas Battista enrolled at the University of Hartford to focus on a graduate degree. He earned a Masters of Science in Organizational Behavior in 1998, one year after being promoted to Regional Recruiter.

According to Douglas Battista, many people thought that working a full-time/high-stress job while living so far from home would make it difficult to complete his degree. What they didn’t understand, says Douglas Battista, was that he understood that to find his place in the world he had to make his own breaks. No one was going to do that for him. In 1999, with five years of experience, a college degree, and a passion for human resources, Douglas Battista relocated to Irving, Texas, where he continued to serve ARAMARK as the HR Manager. This position set into motion events that would eventually lead him to work for the Walt Disney Company, and finally to his current appointment.

It seems, reflects Douglas Battista, that the values instilled in him during his youth are becoming less important with each successive generation. Many people believe that if they want something bad enough, they’ll get it, but often aren’t willing to put much effort into achieving their goals, observes Douglas Battista. In fact, many of these dreamers are disappointed when they reach their 30s and are still waiting for their adult life to begin, laments Douglas Battista.

According to Douglas Battista, creating your own successes isn’t just financially rewarding. He reports that people who set goals for themselves and take the steps to achieve them tend to be happier overall, even if they encounter obstacles along the way. And, points out Douglas Battista, the emotional benefit of looking back and seeing what you’ve accomplished is the most rewarding part life.