JANESVILLE
In 1984, when Tom Widner took a job washing dishes at the former Ground Round, he was just another teenage busboy working up enough cash to score a Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle.
Widner sold the motorcycle years ago.
Flash forward 37 years to April 2021. The old Ground Round is gone, replaced by the newer Panera Bread. Exact same address, thoughâ2753 Milton Ave.
And Tom Widner, who now is almost 53, is still there. Heâs general manager of the Panera Bread. Actually, Widner was just named Panera Breadâs general manager of the year.
Widner now has a wife, Sarah, and two teenage sonsâone of whom, Tommy Jr., works at Panera under Widner.