It’s time again to highlight one of our team members and this time we’re focused on our Director of Sales, Robert Rangel. Rob’s been in the business for 15 years, and his time at Suntsu has shown us he is one of the funniest and most charismatic team members in the office.
Rob’s main nickname in the office, Disco Rob, was given to him after one of his Halloween costumes gave us a lasting impression. Other nicknames he has are Berto, Bert and Little John, but we still like Disco Rob best. I mean look at his costume…the hair, the shorts, the GLITTER! Anyway, back to our story.
As a kid, Rob wanted to be a doctor. The backstory? Growing up, he broke a few bones (no big deal), and had multiple experiences with Orthopedic surgeons. The doctors were incredibly nice, and the fact that they could fix bones felt like magic to him so that’s what he wanted to be! However, that quickly changed once he realized the sheer amount of schooling and effort becoming a doctor would entail. (Rob’s got a point here, props to all the doctors out there.)
Nowadays, Rob’s definitely all about that active lifestyle. Whether he is golfing, hiking, weightlifting, snowboarding, scuba diving, or reading (gotta keep that brain active), Rob is down for (almost) anything that keeps him active. In his spare time, he spends a lot of time with his family and friends and likes to travel or go on weekend trips to places like Vegas, Palm Springs and San Diego. He’s also a fan of smoking meat.
When it comes to fur-less babies, Rob has a cat that he cherishes more than anything. Her name is Cher, the Iconic Cat. Not to be confused with Cher, the Icon. She’s an adorable Sphynx cat and has been known to make appearances at the office occasionally.
I had a friend who owned a small Independent Distributor. I was in the construction industry leading up to 2008, and when that industry crashed, I needed to find another career path. I always wanted to be in sales so I approached him about hiring me. The rest is history.
You get to see a world that most people don’t know about. I find it interesting what projects are being worked on and how technology is advancing in the world. It’s also rewarding to be some small part of that cycle.
Being in the Director position I only work one account. Considering that’s my only one, Smart Grid makes up the bulk of my business! What attracted me to it was the fact that it is an ever-evolving space with a lot of demand and innovation.
If you’re willing to work hard and learn from others it can be a very rewarding career. I wouldn’t recommend it for someone who is looking to cruise.
Well, I had a meeting at a Contract Manufacturer in Mexico years ago. Being half Mexican and semi-fluent I was convinced that I didn’t need anything other than some printed MapQuest directions to get to the meeting.
Turns out I was very wrong. It also turns out I wasn’t as fluent as I thought. I got very lost and had a hell of a time getting directions from random people I stopped and talked to. This was before the days of free data all over the world and I hadn’t purchased any international data for my phone.
I eventually had to just bite the bullet, turn on the roaming function on my phone and utilize maps to find the location. $400 in cell phone upcharges, 45 minutes later, and very flustered, I rolled into the meeting about an hour late. My contact was very gracious, and everything worked out. While it didn’t feel funny at the time I can look back and laugh at it now. I needed some Pacificos after that!
Thank you, Rob, for all you do here at Suntsu. We’re lucky to have you as a part of our Suntsu family.
Real Estate Rob
Lakers
Disco
Safari in Africa
I was a Music Major in college
For a hangover: Mexican
For a summer day: Sushi
For a cold night: Chili
Caribbean or Vegas
“Were you watching Cops?”
(Typically said when someone is all sweaty, as a reference to Stepbrothers.)
If you want to learn more about Rob and how he can help your business,
reach out to us today or check out his LinkedIn profile.
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