Carlos O'Brien's exec proud of healthful menu

Name: Cory O'Brien.

Title: Managing partner, Carlos O'Brien's Mexican Restaurants.

Age: 37.

What I do: Along with a fantastic veteran team, I help run the day-to-day operations of the Scottsdale location.

About my business: The first Carlos O'Brien's was established in 1978 in a modest strip mall on 16th Street and Bethany Home Road. With diners waiting in line for seats and parking spaces, the owners at the time (my family) found a spacious location a few miles north on 12th Street and Northern Avenue.

In 1998, 20 years - and about 1 million pounds of chips and salsa later - my partners Sean O'Brien, Jeff Lipson, and I added another location, this time at Scottsdale and Bell Roads (7111 E. Bell Road).

Recent accomplishments: I'm happy that Carlos O'Brien's has become the first non-chain restaurant to be approved for the Arizona Department of Health Services' Arizona Smart ChoiceProgram, which is designed to help people find healthy menu options at restaurants statewide.

Through the program, the ADHS is partnering with restaurants and is helping them to identify healthy items within their menus, as well as suggesting minor modifications that can be done to recipes to reach Arizona Smart Choice Program requirements.

Once an item is approved, the restaurant is accepted into the program and given marketing materials to promote its Arizona Smart Choice Program menu items to their customers.

Some of our Arizona Smart Choice Program menu items, all of which are under $10, include pollo con frijoles, a "no taco" salad, grilled mahi tacos, salmon with mango, spinach bean enchiladas and veggie burritos.

What I have learned in business: Diners appreciate value, high-quality food, sometimes generous portions, and always-friendly service in a comfortable atmosphere. Oh, and people love margaritas.

Goals: With the adoption of the Arizona Smart Choice Program into our menu, our goal is to offer great options to our health-conscious consumers, while still satisfying everyone else's cravings for decadent, delicious Mexican food.

What community I live in: McDowell Mountain Ranch, Scottsdale.

Affiliations and volunteer work: My daughter, Chloe, is a leukemia survivor, so our family is active with "Light the Night," a leading fundraiser for leukemia and lymphoma. I'm also passionate about cycling and am part of the Procon Cycling mountain bike team.

Where I grew up: Scottsdale.

Family: Wife, Rebecca; daughters Chloe, 9, Lily, 7. We also are in the process of adopting another daughter, Ruby, who is 4 -months old and from Ethiopia.

Favorite movie: Anchorman (stay classy, San Diego!).

Favorite book: Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

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