About Gary

I was raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. My whole family is from there. After high school I went to Iowa State University where I wrestled and became a three time All-American. I graduated with a business degree in Production Operation Management.

After a little while, I realized that I didn’t want to work at a plant so I got into sales. That’s when I found an opportunity for an inside sales position with Riekes Material Handling (which is now RMH Systems) about 24 years ago. Since about 2001 I have been an outside sales rep in the material handling division in the North Central Iowa territory.

I have two kids; one is 23 years old (Marissa) who lives in Minneapolis and the other is my son (Gary), who is a sophomore at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines.

What excites you about working for RMH Systems?

I get excited to work here. I think it is kind of similar to wrestling in a way. You have a team atmosphere, but yet you are your own boss in a sense as an outside sales rep. I really get a lot of flexibility. We don’t have limitations on the size of a project we can go after, big or small. We just want to take care of our customers and provide a great service all the time.

Tom Howard (Owner and President/CEO) is very inclusive in the operation of the company. He really makes everyone feel like they have ownership; everyone is part of the system.

Also I love all of the people that work here. A lot of the employees have worked here for a long time. Some over 20 years and others even over 30 years; that has to do with the way the company is operated and how the owners of the company treat us.

What has been your favorite project to help with?

One of my favorite projects was working with Electrolux where I designed a crane system with 13 bridges on it that ran in a loop. It was used for assembling the washing machines. It had conveyors feeding in, conveyers feeding out; it had a crane doing all of the lifting. They had to meet a certain production rate of putting in a unit every 13 seconds.

What are 3 words you’d use to describe RMH Systems?

Family. Flexibility. Customer-Service.

If you could meet anyone in the world dead or alive who would it be and why?

My grandmother. She was pretty special. I was always told that I have a lot of the same traits that she had. When I was little I always used to look at her picture and wondered what she was like.

If you had to choose one last meal, what would it be?

Okay, this comes from my background – from a wrestling perspective – I would have a buffet. It will be a buffet of food from every nation in the world. The reason why is that it would never end. I could always have my favorites.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I enjoy exercising. I like to socialize. I really enjoy going to concerts and listening to bands and live music. Spending time with my kids is very important. I try to spend as much time with them as I can. I also like watching movies.