Meet Carlos.
Meet Carlos Rodriguez, our Senior Project Manager, who is celebrating his 20-year work anniversary this year!
Carlos has a strong passion for cars - including working on them: from tuning, to adding accessories, and changing out parts. His passion was awakened when his dad bought a 1984 VW Golf, which we spent many working hours. “I remember the first time I cleaned the carburetor. I removed and cleaned every single part and then put it back together. Guess what: it didn’t work! I spent a few hours more but could not fix it. The next day, my father said:" I think is time to call the garage…" They came to the house and fixed the carburetor. The issue: I had swapped a couple of tiny parts. I learned my lesson!”
He is a big fan of the Formula 1 Red Bull team – an interest he shares with his sons. “My oldest son is a Ferrari fan and the youngest son, a Mercedes fan. Together, we visited several racing events, such as Austin (2016) and Montreal (2019).”
The interest in cars and engineering (he studied mechanical and electrical engineering) have resulted in an analytical mindset that also helps Carlos in business: it taught him to think through several variables and options and work out why each one will or won’t help you reach your goal. It’s interesting to find the ideal break-even point for a product in this way, for example – how do you get the best result without unlimited spending on people, resources, and equipment?
Originally from Monterrey, Mexico, he always loved to travel, which brought him to Boston, Massachusetts, his current place of work. This year he is celebrating his 20th year anniversary with eldoLED/Acuity Brands and he concludes that working with people is the most exciting thing of all. Every day, we learn from our colleagues, he says. He has completed several leadership courses and is keen to learn how he can better coach and motivate people.
His Fun Fact
Affinity with science and numbers runs strong in Carlos’ family: his oldest son is just about to graduate as a mechanical engineer, and his youngest son is studying accounting. His daughter is graduating from high school.
Carlos loves spending time with his family and is currently looking into organizing a family trip to Europe.
He’s also a big Star Wars fan: “When I was eight years old, I dressed as Darth Vader for the school carnival. My dad bought me a light saber and my uncle made a breastplate that lit up. It was truly a remarkable experience for me!”
Photo below: Carlos at a car racing event with his two sons
