Barbara McGhee Reigns as Back Yard Burgers’ “Burger Queen”

Barbara McGhee has been with Back Yard Burgers for 28 years and is one of its longest-serving employees and corporate officials.

She started working with the franchise while attending Delta State in Cleveland, Miss., where the first Back Yard Burgers opened in 1987. McGhee said she has watched the company evolve and change over the years.

In August of 2007, the formerly publicly-traded company was purchased for $38 million by a group of investors and headquarters was relocated to Nashville from Memphis and McGhee stuck with the company. She purchased stock in Back Yard Burgers when it was publicly traded and continues investing her time and talents in the restaurant.

"I grew up cooking home-cooked meals," said the self-described "country girl” to the DeSoto Times-Tribune.

McGhee and her team have won numerous awards over the years, including the prestigious "Roundtable Award" for sales. McGhee oversees a staff of more than 28 employees.

"I let them know that you have a ladder of success available to you if you are willing to work hard," McGhee told the DeSoto Times-Tribune.