As the restaurant general manager (RGM) of Desert Del Oro Foods in Orem, Utah, James “Jim” Olsen is responsible for a broad range of duties, from managing the staff of 35 to marketing strategies and vendor management. Since taking the job in 2017 he has turned around a troubled Utah business, reducing employee turnover to near zero, increasing sales by more than 30 percent, and re-establishing the restaurant’s reputation as a popular area dining spot. Being an RGM, though, is just the latest chapter in James Olsen’s multi-faceted career.

James Olsen earned his BS in political science from Brigham Young University. He then attended the Thunderbird School of International Management in Arizona, where his fluency in Mandarin Chinese enabled him to test out of the foreign language requirement. After earning his MBA, he enrolled in the McGeorge School of Law at the University of the Pacific in California, where he focused on business and contract law. During his years in business school and law school, he held positions with such employers as the Arizona Department of Transportation, Hutchinson, Perry & Associates, as well as the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

Upon earning his law degree in 2008, Jim Olsen went into private practice, opening The Olsen Law Firm in Peoria, Arizona. He focused on business and contract law, as well as areas such as bankruptcy, collective bargaining, debt settlement, mediation, and corporate formation. While a practicing attorney, Mr. Olsen served more than 1,600 clients with cases in federal court.

In his leisure time, James Olsen enjoys golf, shooting, and cooking, as well as movies and live theater. He has visited countless popular destinations and is an accomplished scuba diver, and counts Australia and the Galapagos Islands among his favorite dive destinations.