Employee Spotlight: Rick Flores Builds His Career Through Skill, Values and a Drive to Learn

For Rick Flores, every day as a Shop Service Technician at Texas First Rentals in Laredo is an opportunity to learn, solve problems and continue building a career he is proud of.

Rick enjoys the pace and variety of the rental industry because no two days look exactly the same. With such a wide range of equipment moving through the shop, he sees each challenge as a chance to expand his knowledge and better support customers, coworkers and the Laredo team.

“What I enjoy most about my job is learning something new every day,” Rick said. “It’s never the same.”

That mindset has helped Rick make a strong impact in a short amount of time. Before joining the equipment rental industry, he built his technical foundation as a mechanic and technician, earning ASE certifications in the school bus and automotive categories. He is also just two tests away from achieving Master Technician status, a goal he plans to continue pursuing this year.

Since joining Texas First Rentals, Rick has continued to push himself. During the first Texas First Rentals Tech Wars competition, about 100 technicians across the company took an online entrance test. Rick earned the top online score in the company, advanced to the hands-on portion, placed second in the regional round and finished fourth in the finals.

He accomplished that after only one year in the equipment industry.

“It was an awesome experience,” Rick said. “I will try my best to make it back to the next one and win. I know I have a great future here with TFR, and I am proud of that. I wish I had this job 10 years ago.”

Rick credits much of his growth to the training opportunities available through HOLT U and ProTech. He spends time regularly reading, watching training videos, studying equipment and safety topics, and signing up for hands-on training opportunities whenever he can. He is also grateful to his service manager and branch manager for encouraging him to attend courses and bring that knowledge back to the Laredo branch.

For Rick, Value Based Leadership is not just something talked about at work. It gives him a clear guide for how to approach challenges, decisions and conversations.

He focuses on doing the ethical thing, even when it requires more effort or leads to difficult conversations. He also believes in being dynamic, especially in an industry where plans can change quickly and technicians need to be ready to adapt.

“Being dynamic can be forced upon you, but it’s not always a bad thing,” Rick said. “I see being dynamic as an opportunity to grow and honestly show what you’re made of.”

When he is unsure of how to handle a situation, Rick says the values give him a framework to follow. They remind him to stay committed, ask questions, keep improving and work toward excellence. His goal is to be dependable for his team, his coworkers and the people counting on him each day.

Outside of work, Rick enjoys riding his motorcycle and getting some “wind therapy.” He also likes watching stand-up comedy, especially Kill Tony, going bowling and spending time with close friends he has known since high school.

Family is also an important part of Rick’s life. He comes from what he describes as a strong foundation of love and support, with parents who have been together for more than 30 years. Their example has shaped the way he approaches his own relationship with his girlfriend of two years. He met her while she was in nursing school, and she is now a pediatric nurse at a local hospital in Laredo.

Thank you for your dedication to Texas First Rentals, Rick! We’re proud to have you on our team!