This year is an important milestone for ProTrans International – 2018 marks our 25th year as a leader in the logistics industry. Over the past 25 years, ProTrans has stayed a steady presence in the industry and has found its niche in the 3PL and Consolidation market. To help celebrate this year we are celebrating 25 people who have dedicated years of service to help shape ProTrans into the organization that we know today.
Our featured profile today is of Joe Garcia, Operations Manager for ProTrans El Paso. Joe has been with ProTrans for 18 years.
What position(s) have you held since working with ProTrans?
SCR-Transportation
Transportation Manager
Warehouse Supervisor
Border Processing Manager
Worked with IT before El Paso had an IT department
What is one interesting fact about ProTrans when you started?
El Paso was a small facility of 10,000 sq. ft with only 20 employees.
We had 10 dock doors in our building and very limited parking space for equipment.
What was the “hip” trend when you started working at ProTrans?
The grunge look
Seattle music scene “Nirvana, Pearl Jam, etc”
We were still using Windows 95
What was the last thing you heard or saw which made you laugh out loud?
My daughter Emma (4) taking a shot at karaoke, it was so funny and cute at the same time. I could not stop laughing.
What hobbies do you enjoy?
Love spending time with my family, road trips, sports, working with my hands (building things, gardening)
Cats or dogs? Or other pets?
Dog named Hope- She’s a Labrador retriever.
I always had a thing for reptiles. Before having kids I used to have lizards and pythons as pets.
What excites you so much that it keeps you awake the night before?
Many things still keep me up at night. I still get excited the night before the family goes on a road trip, kindergarten graduations etc.
What is the one thing you have waited in line the longest for?
Concert Tickets- this was before you could purchase tickets online.
Since starting with ProTrans, what is the biggest change you have seen/experienced with the company?
The growth of our company has probably been the most noticeable change, not only in size but technologically.
I still remember when El Paso only had 20 employees and a few customers. El Paso now houses over 130 employees and hundreds of customers are service out of our branch.
Technologically, I remember we had to drag and drop shipments in the first versions of ProTrack at a point in time where scanning shipments and barcoding was not feasible. We are now very committed to the technology that drives our business.
What way has the industry changed since you started with ProTrans?
The use of technology has changed dramatically in the industry. It seem like it has gone from pencil and paper to having all the information you need at the palm of your hands overnight.
What industry trends do you see emerging in the upcoming years?
Technology will keep being the biggest driver in our industry.
What is the one thing in this world you are most proud of?
My children- Joe, Noah and Emma
What are you passionate about?
My Family, Work, Sports
If you could take a paid year off, what would you do with the time?
Travel
Play Sports
Hike
Build things-Storage shed, Play house, etc. Build from scratch work with my hands
What’s the most incredible view you’ve ever seen?
Watching the sun rise over the mountains
At which store would you like to max-out your credit card?
Lowes
Best Buy
If you could splurge on one must have item, what would it be?
Tools and electronics
What was the best concert you ever attended?
First concert-Rush
Best Concert-Ozzy Osbourne
What is your favorite sport? Team? And Sport’s moment in history?
Basketball- Chicago Bulls
Football-Chicago Bears
Watching the 1985 Chicago Bears Super Bowl win and Michael Jordan hit the last second shot in what would be his last game with the Chicago Bulls.
What has compelled you to stay with ProTrans for as long as you have?
ProTrans has allowed me to grow as a professional and as an individual.
On a professional level:
I started here with little to no knowledge of industry and I am know the operations manager for our facility and continue to develop my skill set and knowledge base.
On a personal level:
I was a single young man looking to start a career, since I started I have married, bought my own home, purchased my first new car, had three children, etc. The people I work with have seen me grow and develop into the man I am now.
The company and I have grown together.
