Our History
Cultivate Solutions (formerly known as Food Management Investors) was originally started by Myron Thompson, an Upham ND native and Minot State College graduate. After teaching school for four years, Myron started in the restaurant business with an independent business, The Lantern in 1970. This restaurant was in business for 5 years, later converting into a Hardee’s restaurant. With this, the business ran for 7 years and became involved in a business that operated 8 Village Inn restaurants, 4 Happy Joe’s Pizza and Ice Cream Parlors, 2 tex-mex style Adobo Oven restaurants and opened an additional 7 Hardee’s restaurants.
In 1984, Myron sold the restaurants and became involved in several other business ventures outside of the restaurant industry including Money Mailer and Check Rite. While in Arizona in 1987, Myron was introduced to Applebee’s and worked toward an agreement to bring the Applebee’s franchise to North Dakota. The first location opened in Minot, ND in 1990 and has since grown to a total of 22 Applebee’s locations. These Applebee’s locations are located in North Dakota, Minnesota, California and Arizona.
In addition to the Applebee’s franchise, Myron currently owns and operates 15 Noodles & Company franchises located in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Montana and Nebraska. In addition, Cultivate Solutions also manages others in the restaurant industry including: 4 Qdoba’s located in Minot (2), Dickinson and Williston ND, as well as The Starving Rooster and Whiskey 9 in Minot ND.
In the early part of 2021, Food Management Investors, Inc. transitioned the business to better accommodate the needs of our clients. With the additional growth in client base and broad range of specialty expertise provided, FMI Inc. is now named Cultivate Solutions – proudly boasting our expertise and mission in our logo, showcasing growth and deeply planted roots.
Our support center is currently handling the back-office support for 44 full service, fast casual style restaurants or bars, as well as real estate holding companies and non-profit organizations. Our support center departments consist of the following:
- Financial Reporting
- Payroll
- Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable
- Cash Management
- Human Resources
- Risk Management (workforce safety and insurance coverages)
- Marketing
- Information Technology
- Procurement
- Restaurant/Bar Operations Consulting
Our Team
Along with a successful leadership team, Cultivate Solutions has grown to employ over 1500 across their corporate and field locations.
This leadership team consists of:
- Myron Thompson – Chairman
- Dusty Jensen – Chief Executive Officer
- Tadd Demars – President
- Leah Bjerklie – Chief Administrative Officer
- Marguerite Nesset – Chief Financial Officer