Customer Service in the Restaurant Industry

The Presidents' Forum of San Antonio
August 20, 2008

Balous Miller
Partner
Bill Miller Bar-B-Q

Speaker Biography:
Balous T. Miller was raised in retail business, primarily the restaurant business. Established by his father, the late William T. Miller in 1953, Bill Miller Bar-B-Q currently has 68 restaurants and over 3000 employees. His barbecue and fried chicken restaurants were the first in San Antonio to introduce food-to-go and five-minute service.

He first started working in the family business as a grade-schooler, delivering eggs with his father who later opened a poultry and egg store. That business evolved into a fried chicken and barbecue stand and ultimately a restaurant business focusing on barbecue in 1970.

His father sold the business to his four children in 1975. The other equal partners of this family-owned business include: brothers John K. Miller and Douglas W. Miller, sister Vivian M. Vance, and brother-in-law Louis G. Vance.

Balous Miller has a bachelor’s of science degree from Texas A & M in Kingsville. He was on his way to a teaching career until he had a change of heart the summer before his senior year. His parents went to Europe and left him in charge of the family restaurants. He enjoyed the work so much that he decided to stay on after graduation, beginning with just two restaurants. He has also completed the Harvard Business School’s Owner President Management Course.

Miller is past president of the San Antonio Restaurant Association, the Texas Restaurant Association, and the Children’s Shelter of San Antonio. His many honors include being named Outstanding Restaurateur of San Antonio in 1977, Outstanding Restaurateur of Texas in 1983, and membership in the Texas Restaurant Association Hall of Honors. He was honored with the Society for the Prevention of Blindness Vision Award of 1996. He received the Angler’s Club Outdoorsman of the Year Award in August 2001 and was honored and recognized by Ford Motor Company at the Ford Salute to Education Awards in August of 2003.

Balous currently serves as a board member of the St. Luke’s Health Ministries, UTSA Downtown Development, and the Cancer Therapy & Research Center. He is also a member of the Civic Breakfast Club and participates in numerous community projects.

In 1999, the Balous Miller family was the first family in San Antonio to contribute the total amount needed for the construction of a Habitat For Humanity San Antonio home and have since contributed several more.

An avid supporter of education, Balous Miller and his family donated about nine acres of the 11-acre UTSA Downtown site in 1993 to UTSA. The UTSA Downtown Campus is located in the historic Cattleman Square area and Vista Verde South neighborhood. The University System Board of Regents recently approved the naming of the campus green area at the new UTSA Downtown Campus, The Bill Miller Plaza.

Miller and his wife Julie have two children, Balous Terrell and Emily Ann. The family enjoys vacationing in South Padre Island, TX and Mexico. Balous and his family are active members of St. John Lutheran Church in Boerne.

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