Meet Mark R., who has been a Diesel Technician in Rochester for 4 months. Mark ended up at Nuss after reaching out, observed the culture for six months, and eventually came up here in December. From there he met with Al, who walked him through, explained the culture and the history, and met the managers of the other departments here and that’s all he needed.
What challenges have you faced in your career? Honestly, the biggest one is learning how to slow down so you can speed up. Learning to understand what you are working on will eventually help you evolve in your role. I try to start by piecing together systems and then from there, I learn how to use the bigger picture in understanding what I’m working with. By doing so it’s allowed me to be able to use more forethought in what I’m going to be looking for. Throughout my career I’ve had a lot of people have my back and help train me and it’s been great.
Tell me where you are from and how you ended up transitioning here: I’m from Columbia, South Carolina. Born and raised. Spent some time up here (MN) working for the railroad, and went back home for a little bit working for a Mack/Volvo dealership that’s based there. Had an opportunity to come back up here and seize it as soon as it surfaced.
How did you meet your significant other? That’s a crazy one. Years ago, I used to breed reptiles and breed rodents. And she used to be a person who bought rodents from me. And from there we started hanging out after a while, everything was compatible, we always had fun and here we are!
Do you still breed reptiles? Not as much anymore because it’s not legal here in the state.
Do you have any pets? We have three dogs, 2 Great Danes, 1 Doberman, turtles, and lizards, but that’s it for now until we figure out Minnesota.
Tell us about your family. I have kids with my ex-wife, they currently live with her, but I’m looking forward to getting them up here to see their first snow after living in South Carolina.
What do you like doing outside of work? Trail walking, hiking, going out to nature centers, waiting for the snow for snowmobiling.
Who have been some of the biggest influencers in your life? I would say my two uncles, one who passed away, kind of kept me on track when I was deviating. He helped me learn where to go, what to do, what you are thinking, and how you are making your choices.
Why did you choose to pursue a career in your field? Ever since I was a child, I loved destroying things, and as I got older, I realized I liked putting them back together. The destruction/construction is part of my wiring, the bigger, the louder the better. Going thru mechanical was very natural for me, as a teenager and then as an adult, I did that through the railroad. Started with my first dealership in South Carolina, and from there I was happy, I have always been intrigued, so I like the changes that come with learning about how things come together.
What do you like so far about working at Nuss? One thing I like about working at Nuss that caught me off guard was before I was a specialist where I was at, and now I’ve become a much more well-rounded technician, so being able to work in all systems and multiple platforms it’s been trialing, but it’s been very beneficial, very educational. Got a great team over here that’s helping me learn also.
Is there a cause that you are passionate about? Lately, I’ve become passionate about nature and wildlife preservation. I’m not a protester, but I’m definitely an advocate. Doing my part in being clean, and raising awareness.
Tell me about a professional success story that you are proud of. It might be small to some, but I think the best thing I’ve ever done is training other technicians not just in their role, but how to carry themselves, as a person and how to use it as a constructive tool in their life as well. I’ve had one person who has maintained contact with me and is doing really well and was really grateful for the little things I was able to provide.