Rich's Story

Before beginning my career with Enterprise, I served in the U.S. Navy for four years aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. After my time in the service, I worked as a sales associate for Firestone and Enterprise was one of our accounts. When Enterprise employees brought us their cars for repairs, I was impressed by their teamwork and how happy they were in their jobs. Soon after, I was recruited by a local branch employee and entered the Management Training program.

Today, I am the Vehicle Repair Manager for the Richmond, Virginia group, coordinating the maintenance and repair of a fleet of over 3,100 vehicles. The same teamwork that impressed me before I joined the company is now part of my everyday Enterprise experience. Vehicle Repair works closely with nearly every department in our group, so we rely on everyone to work as a team. All departments overlap and depend on each other, and that collaboration makes Enterprise the successful company we are today.

I believe that our team spirit is a result of the fact that almost all Enterprise employees begin their careers at the rental counter. One of the company's Founding Values is "We work hard… and we reward hard work," and that has led to a tradition of promoting from within. I can look to upper management and know that they started at the Management Trainee level in the branches as everyone else did. This creates an inspiring work environment — everyone starts on an equal playing field, and with determination you can achieve great things in your career.

Another way I have seen teamwork come into play is through the company's commitment to give back to causes that matter to our employees. My wife recently participated in a walk for breast cancer. She had to raise $1,800 and walk 40 miles over the course of two days. When my local Diversity Team and group rental manager heard about her efforts, they planned a city-wide outing to attend one of her fundraisers at a local restaurant. It's that kind of support that makes working for Enterprise feel like I'm part of a family.

One of the things I enjoy most about working at Enterprise is that, with locations in neighborhoods around the world, the company recognizes the importance of supporting the communities where we do business. I am proud that the Vehicle Repair department is able to help strengthen the Richmond community by driving business to local companies. For example, when Enterprise started taking our cars to a local dent removal company that was just starting out, word of mouth spread throughout Richmond and helped them grow their business.

When I am not working, I like to spend time with my wife and my son. We love Richmond. Within two hours, you can be at the beach, in the mountains, or in the nation's capital. I feel very fortunate to work for a company that allows me the flexibility to balance my work responsibilities with my responsibilities to my family.