Bruce's Story

I'll never forget my first visit to an Enterprise rental branch. It was a hot July day in 1997 and I had flown to Northern Virginia from Tulsa to interview for a Management Trainee position. I pulled into the parking lot and was greeted by a man who had a rag in one hand and a hose in the other.

Little did I know that man with the ear-to-ear grin was the Area Manager I had come to meet. We had talked on the phone briefly before the visit, and he mentioned that in addition to his regular responsibilities, he tried to help his team by washing a few cars each day. He kept his word and I was intrigued. I wanted to know why he was so happy scrubbing a car dressed in a shirt and tie. It didn't take me long to find out.

Shortly after that interview I began my career with Enterprise as a Management Trainee in Richmond, Va. I struggled to learn the business during the first few months but from day one, my co-workers were eager to lend a hand. One of them told me, "We're all in this together, and we can all get promoted." It held true because we all did.

Now, 10 years later, I'm an Area Manager in Richmond, Va. I try to lead by example and wash a few cars each day. I want my employees to move forward with the company and I support their development, just like my peers continue to do for me.

Working in a fast-paced environment suits me well because I never wanted to be stuck behind a desk all day long. I enjoy interacting with people and am glad that aspect has remained constant in my job throughout the years. Today, I apply the skills I learned from working with customers to support my team's effort to deliver excellent customer service. As one of my mentors once said, "Our business is all about the people and service, because at the end of the day, we're still renting out the same cars as our competition."

When I'm not working, I like to golf, travel, spend time with my wife and play the drums. People often are surprised to hear that I've played the drums for the past 27 years - since I was 7 years old. I've had the opportunity to perform around the country and have even traveled to Russia for a competition.

I also mentor at-risk children every week at the Youth Life Center in Richmond, which was founded by Washington Redskins Hall-of-Famer Darrell Green. We read, work on math problems, journal, study religion and play games. The kids don't exactly jump for joy to do homework, but they light up when their mentors arrive. Many of these children don't have a male influence in their lives, so devoting time to them means a lot to me. I'm glad my current position and my management team support my involvement.

What I like most about Enterprise is the endless number of opportunities. If you're willing to take charge and prepare, you'll be ready to jump at the chances that will come your way. You have to strike while the iron's hot, but the iron is hot a lot.