Having travelled around the globe with my parents, I moved from country to country, school to school, and even though the experience of living in different countries was an adventure in itself, having to go to different schools and making new friend every few years was challenging at times. The thing is everyone who lived this kind of life goes through the same scenario but as kids we are prone to making new friends easier. In my final year when I attended school, I was learning in a foreign country and found it to be challenging, so much, at 17 I decided to drop out of school and go to work. It was good working, making money and having some freedom to buy and do what I wanted to even though at home there were rules had to followed. 

I learned after a couple of years, trying to find a better job it wasn’t easy, especially after dropping out of school. So, one afternoon sitting down with my dad, he asked me what plans I had for the future? Not having a plan, he suggested I join the armed forces as he had done. Being in the armed forces, you can learn a trait, travel the world, get a free education and grow up and plan a future, either a full military career like he had or a steppingstone to move on to bigger and better things. Joining the military was the foundation for what was to come in my life.

1977 - While enlisting in the armed forces, I attended combat basic training which was an 8 weeks combat readiness and discipline course. Having sustained an injury to my knee, I didn’t let anyone know and continued my training and carried out the final physical fitness test and combat readiness tests successfully. I learned later, even though I was highly appraised for completing these rigorous courses in my condition, I was reprimanded for damage of military property. Once you’re in the armed forces, you become property of the government) and having sustained an injury without telling anyone I put myself at risk. Nonetheless, I was waived of any discipline actions.

After basic training, I attended Advanced Individual Training for a further 8 weeks in the field of Administration & Legal and Judiciary Training, in other words I was considered a paper pusher. Once completed the 8-week administration course I was assigned to an Infantry Mechanised Battalion for 10 months and then a further 6 months in an Armoured Battalion. During my time assigned to these two units I obtained my High School Diploma, and then attended night classes at Northwestern State University Branch in general studies. While attending night classes I was offered a full-time scholarship to do a 4 year degree at Northwestern State University in Chicago continuing to be on active duty and once completed I would become a commissioned officer.  Having received orders before the scholarship arrived, I was reassigned overseas. I was promised, on my return from one year overseas tour of duty the scholarship would be available.

1979 - While I was assigned to my overseas assignment, I made rank very quickly, and under 2 years I became a sergeant. Having the rank I assigned many jobs due to the fact it was a remote facility and there was a quick turn-around of personnel. After work, I was quite active and worked in the Consolidated Club (first as a cook and having won many cooking awards, I then moved to bar staff and lastly the night manager. I also ran the theatre where the latest films were free. 

After my assignment overseas, I had completed my three years commitment to the Armed Forces and decided I would not reenlist nor take the scholarship which was still in place. I didn’t want to be committed to the military as I felt I could do better elsewhere.   While overseas, in the remote location, I had time to of my future and what I wanted to do and the military wasn’t the career path for me.

1980 - After I left the armed forces, I planned to travel around the United States for a year and then determine what I would do after that. I was probably going to attend university and as it would be paid by the government (perk for enlisting), I could be picky and choose one that would be in a location I liked. This dream was short lived because once I was out and living with my aunt and uncle I thought was restless and chose to try the market for a job, and within a week after leaving the armed forces I was working making a good wage (more than I made in the military). In the 12 months after leaving the military I worked several jobs: as a private investigator, a police officer trainee, a deputy and a manager at my uncle’s company. All the jobs paid more than I had made in the armed forces but wasn’t what I was looking for.

1981 - I decided after 12 months in the United States, to return to Europe where my parents lived. I had been gone 4 years and they were happy to see me return home. I had changed, I was no longer the young innocent boy who left home at 18 and had returned an adult. 

After a few months living at home, and again doing ins and odds for my brother at his company, one of my sisters introduced me to one of her friends who worked on a NATO installation outside of the city I was living in. The installation was mostly operated by the US Armed Forces. My sister’s friend, knowing my military background, introduced me to the Chief of the Financial Department. I had a good interview and as I was a veteran I would be at the top of the list when it came to hiring, however, at the time there were no vacancies. I offered my services for free, based on my administration background, experience and could speak the host country language (being bilingual) I was tasked to update the filing system. I came to work early every day and left later than anyone else (often being told to go home). In two weeks, I had completely changed the whole filing system for the whole department, considering then we did not have computers.

1982 - For my reward, of working for free for several weeks and upgrading the whole filing system, I was offered a job In the Purchasing Department as a Buyer. Subsequently, a year later I was the Head of the department.  I learned, that sometimes, if you give a little, show people what your worth is, the reward will come. During my 8 years of working as the Head of Department I attended night classes at University of Maryland Branch. The benefit of studying I worked in an area that helped me in my education.      

On my 8^th year of working as Head of the Purchasing Department I was approached by another government department, and asked if I would be interested in attending a 16-week management course in Germany and once I completed the course, I would be given a management job anywhere in Europe. After some consideration I chose to accept the offer.

1988 - I attended a 16-week management course in Germany, 8 weeks of classroom study and 8 weeks of on-the-job training (OJT) switching between classroom and OJT. While I was in my 12^th week, I was approached by a different government department within the same organisation which was involved in Safety & Security. The role was interesting however my grade at the time was a Grade 5 and the position was a grade 9, however, I was told if I qualified and was accepted for the position, they would fast track my promotion to grade 9. I was interviewed for the position, and I heard nothing further until week 15 where I was told by the training management, I had gotten the job. I had to report to the Headquarters based in one of the nicest cities and close to the mountains (great for skiing).    

The promotion came quickly as promised, I went from a grade 5 to a 9 and with it came a hefty salary increase and thought when management want something, they can move heaven and earth to obtain it. The job was like auditing and the role required a lot of travelling across Europe> Wherever there was a military installation a team of two (my boss and I) would be sent to conduct auditing. I was promised upon arriving after 2 years working in this department, I could request any position and assignment in the Government. I had my eye in Purchasing back at the Headquarters in Dallas, Texas.

After two years of working as a government auditor and having travelled across Europe and receiving the highest appraisals for my work, I applied to be reassigned to the Purchasing Department as a Buyer at the US Headquarters in Dallas. My request was rejected because they needed me to remain in my position until they could find a replacement and to reapply in a year. I was fine with that and therefore continued to work hard, receive high qualification during my appraisals and a year later I reapplied for the position in Dallas, and again the application was rejected.

I felt that my work, even though appraised to the highest standards weren’t being valued and as a civilian, I had no commitment to remain in my position, I could either be transferred to a new position or leave. I chose to resign and move on. 

1991 - Returning to Spain and having planned the work I would do before my departure from Germany, I started working as a Broker in Credit Risk Insurance. In the first year I worked as a broker, I was introduced to the Excellence Program having achieved a high number of customers. A few months after I started as a Broker, I sent my resume (CV) to one company (TNT Express Spain) and after a couple of weeks, I was called and asked to go in for an interview. The interview went very well, they were interested in my experience, and I was offered a job as the Director of the 2^nd largest warehouse in Spain. I rejected the offer, and the reason was, I felt, I wasn’t ready in taking on this role, I knew my limitations. I told the interviewer that I had just arrived in Spain and needed a little more time and experience dealing with top management. The interviewer was very polite, he understood my position and told me when I was ready to give him a call back.

The following year, as Broker, selling Credit Risk Insurance I dealt with Company and Financial Directors, and top management and I gained a lot of experience and confidence working with them. I knew what I was doing and did it well, considering I had been admitted to the Club of Excellence. Even though the job had great potential and I had a lot of freedom I felt it wasn’t something I wanted to do for ever. I decided to call TNT Express Spain again and tell them I was ready.

1992 - The Head of HR was no longer the same person I met during my first interview, however, he agreed to call the previous HR Director and come back to me. I got called for a second interview and met with the new HR Director. He was again very polite, was very impressed with my qualifications but indicated there was not a position of the level offered previously available. However, he asked me if I could hold off for a moment and he left the office, to return 5 minutes later. He asked me if I had time to meet the President of TNT Express Spain? I said of course and followed the HR Director to the President’s office. The gentleman behind the desk was English, he got up from behind the desk and welcomed me into his office, like we were old friends. He had a project to introduce a new system in all the warehouses in Spain and asked me if I could achieve this in two years? I said I would give it a try and I walked out of the office with a job.

I was able to incorporate the system in all the warehouses across Spain, except the two biggest warehouses in Madrid and Barcelona, in 9 months, 15 months ahead of schedule. Barcelona and Madrid were so big it required an automated system which was being looked at a higher level. TNT Express was an international company and many of the directors were foreign, and I made some good friends who were British, Brazilian, American amongst other nationalities too.  During my 9 months at the headquarters, I had a good relationship with the President and many of the foreign directors, however, some of the top Spanish managers were a bit weary of my influence.  I was told, that I was doing so good and working so hard that some directors saw me as a threat. I was told to bring down a notch my enthusiasm. This was the first time in my life I was told to not work so hard, and it wasn’t the last time either. 

1993 - After achieving the installation of the systems across Spain, I was rewarded with a new role created for me as the Director of Warehousing and Distribution. I achieved this 10 months after I started in TNT Express Spain. I also found out later, years later, that I was given the position and moved out of the Headquarters because Spanish directors felt threatened to my presence and their jobs. I was told, I could have been the next Managing Director or even President of TNT Express Spain.

During my role as the Director of Warehousing and Distribution, I went from running an 8000 square meter warehouses with one large customer to designing a 16,000 square meter warehouse and having obtained several big customers which we were involved in warehousing and distributing their goods across the Spanish peninsula (including Portuugal). I was also involved in the designing of a new 16,000 square meter warehouse and subsequently became a 40,000 square meter warehouse years later. 

After two years in TNT Express Spain, I was called by an old colleague of mine who worked as the Commercial Director for TNT Express Spain and had moved to a new similar role in another company. He asked me if I could meet him for breakfast at his home on a Sunday, which I happily accepted and attended.   His wife had prepared a large English Breakfast. I was told that he had won a major contract with a large automotive company, and he needed someone to lead the project. I would be based in the United Kingdom. I would have to leave my role in TNT. Before doing so I was interviewed by the new company, and I was offered the job. After being accepted to the new job, I left TNT Express Spain with a golden handshake, meaning I received a bonus for leaving.

1994 - In my new role, I was hired as Project Manager for setting up an integrated rail logistics project running trains between Spain and the UK using the Channel Tunnel, The company invested $21 Million and I had team of people working with me to ensure every aspect of the project ran on time; with the build of the rail wagons, containers, leasing trailers and equipment, etc. Even though the equipment was a key element, other parts of the project were also critical, opening a new office in the UK, Preparing Processes, hiring people, etc. In less than a year, having joining the company in February, everything had to be purchased, complete by October (9 months) and it was.

1996 – I was promoted to General Manager of the UK, and had three other offices I was responsible for other than the office in London, one in Kent and in Liverpool. It was a small operation, and a dozen staff. My role continued to manage the new service between Spain and the UK but also was responsible for the development of other projects.  The opportunities were vast and enjoyed working on many new projects that were successful and others weren’t. In 2008 the family company I worked for was bought out by the German Railways (majority shareholder) and with new senior management I was asked to continue my role as General Manager and develop new projects in the UK and across Europe which I did and was successful. 

2021 - After almost 27 years working for the same company I decided to move on and with the experience I had gained over the years set up my own company doing the same thing. I felt working for myself I could be more flexible, work with the customers I wanted and developed project I would enjoy setting up. I could act as a broker developing new projects, which at the moment of writing this I have several major projects with the automotive sector.  I feel I should have done this many years ago when I was younger, ad even though I enjoyed working for the company I worked for I prefer working for myself.

I would like to conclude by saying, when we are young, we don’t know what we want to do or where we want to go in life and as we gain experience, try different things we find the direction we are happy with. My philosophy through my work experiences, is to work hard and go above beyond, be humble and listen to those around you which helps you on your journey and let the work you do, speak for you. .