Formal title at Aries: Vice President of Estimating, Acting General Manager of Aries’ factory in Troy, TX
Your job duties & responsibilities: Chief estimating for Aries’ Texas and California locations. I mainly do estimating for the Department of Housing.
How long have you been at Aries? I’ve been with Aries since 2012.
Where did you work prior to Aries; was it in the same industry or something totally different? I started out working at Centurion Homes as an electrician’s helper. There, my first job was cutting holes in the wall for receptacles and switches to be placed. I eventually became the quality assurance manager for that company.
When I left there, i worked for the State of Texas’ Department of Licensing and Regulation as an inspector for the manufacturing of housing. Back then, it was called the Texas Department of Labor and Standards. I worked as state inspector for 4 years.
Then I went to work for Porta-Kamp. There I met Mike Bollero [President of Aries Buildings Systems]. We worked together there, along with Danny Harling. I was there for 10 years. I worked as a tech rep. I went to several different countries to install man camps and offshore living quarters: Oman in the Middle East, Columbia in South America, Trinidad, Nevis in the West Indies, Saipain in the South Pacific to name a few…
After working there for 10 years, I left and began working for SilverCreek homes as their Quality Assurance manager. From there, I went to work for Schult homes, who are no longer in business. They were one of the original mobile home companies that started in Elkhart, Indiana.
After working for a few different companies, I ended up at international buildings systems, where I worked as purchasing manager from 1998 to 2005, at which time the owner died. I went back to Porta-Kamp, then finally to Ameritech as Director of Estimating.
When you’re not at work, what would we find you doing? I like to read alot. Anything from fiction to suspense and mysteries. Sometimes I like to change it up and read a little fantasy, science fiction; authors like J.R. Tolkien. I love Game of Thrones. My wife didn’t read the books, but she watched the movie so we have fun talking about it.
I also love spending time with my family. I’m a big family man and all of my family are very close. I am the oldest of about 70 relatives! We love to get together and have bar-b-ques, things like that. We have a tradition of getting together the 2nd Saturday of every December. We started the tradition after my Dad passed. It was my Mom’s idea, she wanted everyone together, and we have continued it since she passed 3 years ago. At Christmas, everyone makes crafts, which we auction off. We use the money we generate from the auction to fund our family reunion every year!
Hometown? I grew up all over Texas but graduated from high school in Lorena, Tx, which is 13 miles South of Waco and 17 miles from Troy, where our [Aries] factory is.
Family, children? I have 2 kids, 5 grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, as well! I have 4 brothers and 1 sister. All of my children, grandchildren and siblings live in Texas.
My wife and I have been married for 46 years. It was definitely meant to be. We graduated high school together. We were born the same year, both on the 29th, but different months. I was born in Orange County, TX and she was born in Orange County, CA. And my grandfather used to date her grandmother! We did not know that before we got married!
What’s your favorite part about working for Aries so far? It feels like family. Even though this is an office and work, we all get along and treat each other like family. I’ve known some of these people for decades. Mike Bollero and I have worked together since the 80’s and Danny Harling has worked for me since he was 19 years old. My wife even made his wedding cake! I should be retired by now, but I’m sticking around because I love this company.
What sets Aries apart from other companies that deliver the exact same things? The family-oriented environment. We really and truly care about our customers and try to treat them like family.
If you weren’t working for Aries, what job would you probably have? I would have been a teacher. My brother was a teacher, and my wife worked in the teaching industry. I’ve always thought I would make a good teacher.
What do you think the future holds for Aries? The future of Aries is unlimited! We will continue to grow & acquire assets: we’re in the process of opening new branches as we speak. The sky’s the limit!