Our Leadership Team

We develop leaders who mentor and reproduce other leaders that create raving fans while achieving profitability objectives.

Join Our Team
Three red circular objects in a row on a black background

It is our pleasure to serve our local community through quick service and a friendly environment. At Chick-fil-A Nine Mile Road, our team prides itself on being more than a fast food restaurant. We enjoy getting to know our amazing guests and fulfilling any opportunity to give back to this community that so graciously supports us.

The next time you’re in our restaurant, please introduce yourself. It would be our pleasure to meet you. Thank you for your loyalty to Chick-fil-A Nine Mile Road.

Directors

A smiling man in a business suit standing indoors with artwork on the wall behind him.
A smiling man in a business suit standing indoors with artwork on the wall behind him.

Robert Barnes
Owner/Operator

  • Robert Barnes moved from Nashville to Pensacola in 2001 to open Chick- fil-A on Nine Mile Road. For over 20 years, Robert has greatly influenced Pensacola and the surrounding area, not only through his Chick-fil-A team and the guests they serve every day, but also through the different leadership positions he holds in the community. He actively serves on the Board of Governors at Trinitas Christian School and is currently a board member of the Northwest Florida Foundation and the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce.

    Robert and his wife Connie are also faithful members of McIlwain Presbyterian Church. They are proud parents to their three sons: Gary, Josh, and Bryce. They also have two sweet granddaughters named Poppy and Coral.

    As the owner and operator of Chick-fil-A Nine Mile Road, Robert understands the value of mentoring and developing each and every team member he employs. His goal is to equip them with leadership skills that go above and beyond what is required to work in a restaurant and serve guests. Robert and his Leadership Team at nine Mile put a great deal of focus on producing a new generation of highly motivated and professional leaders.

    Rhonda is married to Allen and together they have three beautiful little girls. Rhonda has a passion for investing in the development of others. Her goal is to live out her personal mission statement to glorify God by helping others grow personally, professionally, and spiritually.

A smiling man with short hair, wearing a dark navy suit and white collared shirt, standing with arms crossed in front of a brick wall and window. He has a name tag that says "Donnie" and is associated with Chick-fil-A.
A smiling man with short hair, wearing a dark navy suit and white collared shirt, standing with arms crossed in front of a brick wall and window. He has a name tag that says "Donnie" and is associated with Chick-fil-A.

Donnie Petersen
Operating Partner

  • Coming Soon

Rhonda
Rhonda

Rhonda Felts
Executive Director

  • Rhonda Felts graduated in 2005 from the University of South Alabama with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. She worked at Hemingway’s Island Grill starting in March 2004. In January 2018, she left her position as Assistant General Manager at Hemingway’s to become the Business Growth Director at Chick-fil-A 9 Mile Road and now serves as our Restaurant Director.

    Rhonda is married to Allen and together they have three beautiful little girls. Rhonda has a passion for investing in the development of others. Her goal is to live out her personal mission statement to glorify God by helping others grow personally, professionally, and spiritually.

A smiling man with short brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a dark plaid suit jacket and a light blue collared shirt, standing in front of a brick wall with a white wall to the right. He is wearing a name tag and appears to be at a professional or corporate event.

Tony DeLuca
Talent Acquisition Director

  • Tony DeLuca graduated from Pensacola Christian College (PCC) with a bachelor’s degree in 2009 and with a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Administration in 2014. From 2009 to 2011, he served as a college representative, visiting 38 out of 50 states while recruiting for PCC. In 2011, he became the Promotions Event Supervisor at PCC, and became the Promotions Director in 2016.

    In the fall of 2018, Tony joined the FasTrak Manager Program at Chick-fil-A 9 Mile Road. By January of 2019, he was promoted to Operations Director. Tony and his wife Valerie have five children—three boys and two girls. They love going to the beach together, working out, and going for bike rides.

    Tony is currently working toward his goal of becoming a Chick-fil-A operator. Becoming an operator will enable him to further pursue his passion for mentoring and developing others while also having a positive influence on his community.

A woman with glasses and gray hair smiling, wearing a white shirt and a dark blue sweater with a Chick-fil-A name tag reading "Stephanie, Outside Sales Director," standing near a brick wall and window.
A woman with glasses and gray hair smiling, wearing a white shirt and a dark blue sweater with a Chick-fil-A name tag reading "Stephanie, Outside Sales Director," standing near a brick wall and window.

Stephanie Liles
Outside Sales Director

  • Mrs. Stephanie leads efforts to expand business through external partnerships and events, driving revenue beyond the restaurant. she manages catering orders, coordinate food truck operations, and build relationships with clients and community organizations. Focused on sales growth and brand promotion, she oversees logistics, team performance, and customer satisfaction in off-site operations.

A man with a neatly styled hairstyle and a beard, wearing a suit jacket and a name badge, standing with arms crossed in front of a brick wall.
A man with a neatly styled hairstyle and a beard, wearing a suit jacket and a name badge, standing with arms crossed in front of a brick wall.

Elijah Purcell
Learning & Development Director

  • Elijah Purcell is happily married for since 2011 and a proud parent of five amazing children.

    He brings an equally dedicated approach to his career with over 20 years of leadership experience in both non profit and corporate environments, he has expertise in leadership, teaching, and developing people, systems, and teams across various applications.

Supervisors

  • Joey Sainsbury | AM Supervisor

    Joey Sainsbury

    AM Supervisor

  • Andrew Bahati | Mid-Day Supervisor

    Andrew Bahati

    Mid-Day Supervisor

  • Chris McClammy | PM Supervisor

    Chris McClammy

    PM Supervisor

  • Jeremy Bryant | Development Supervisor

    Jeremy Bryant

    Development Supervisor

Admin/Support

  • Close-up of a smiling senior woman with gray hair wearing a dark blue uniform and a name tag, standing indoors in front of a brick wall.

    Sharon Carroll

    Executive Assistant to Owner/Operator

  • Shay Petersen | Executive Assistant

    Shay Petersen

    Executive Administrative Assistant

  • Smiling woman with gray hair, wearing a navy blue sleeveless top and a Chick-fil-A name tag, standing near a brick wall and window.

    Jina Jenacaro

    Talent Acquisition Administrator

  • Melanie Kearley | Restaurant Administrator

    Melanie Kearley

    Office Manager

  • Tom McCallister | Financial Supervisor

    Tom McCallister

    Financial Administrator

  • "Nearly every moment of every day we have the opportunity to give something to someone else - our time, our love, our resources."

    - S. Truett Cathy

  • a good name is to be treasured above great riches...

    —Proverbs 22:1

  • "No goal is too high if we climb with care and confidence."

    —S. Truett Cathy