Published: November 21, 2017

Portable Storage Milestone: Happy 4-Year Anniversary to Gilbert Marquez!

Here at UNITS Moving and Portable Storage, we know our success is due to our wonderful team. The care they give our renters is unparalleled and we want to highlight their milestones along the way. Below is an interview with San Antonio team member Gilbert Marquez, who is celebrating his 4-year anniversary with UNITS this week.

Peter: How did you get involved with Lockaway?

Gilbert: They bought the San Antonio UNITS Franchise.

Peter: How long had you been working for UNITS before that?

Gilbert: Three years prior to Lockaway buying it.

Peter: Whoa, four years is a long time in Portable Storage, any industry really. You’re practically an expert at this point.

Gilbert: I wouldn’t call myself an expert, but I do love the work.

Peter: With portable storage, it’s not something everyone knows about. What do you see people using it for most?

Gilbert: To move.

Peter: To move across the city?

Gilbert: Yes.

Peter: Have you learned anything from working in portable storage that’s different than what you’ve learned from past jobs?

Gilbert: I used to work as a welder and a machinist before I did this. When I got into this kind of work, I really loved the driving and the placing of the UNITS on people’s driveways. It’s convenient. It helps out a lot. We do work a lot with restoration companies .We store people’s stuff, people’s homes, so that’s a lot of convenience for the customer, having their stuff still be at their house. They don’t have to go back and forth to the facility.

Peter: I bet it’s also nice to get outside and experience the nice weather.

Gilbert: Oh yeah. It’s nice to get out, meet new customers and help them out as best i can. Especially placing their UNIT exactly where they want it when they want their stuff back. I enjoy the work.

Peter: Did you help out with the recent hurricane Harvey relief efforts that UNITS participated in?

Gilbert: We actually still have about 22 UNITS in Victoria, Texas. They’re helping out with the restoration companies up there. One is working on a nursing home and another is working on a hospital. There’s another company that’s doing restoration on houses up there.

Peter: Those portable containers are essential for that kind of work.

Gilbert: Yes.

Peter: So you aren’t at work all the time. Do you have any hobbies?

Gilbert: Oh, like I mentioned before, I still like to weld. Haha! Actually I have a couple welding machines.

Peter: What kind of welding do you do for a hobby? Is it art or do you fix things?

Gilbert: I just make stuff. Say a tool for somebody or a bar-b-que pit or just something somebody might want. It’s just a hobby. Something to do.

Peter: That’s pretty cool. Do you live in the San Antonio area?

Gilbert: Yes, I live in San Antonio.

Peter: Have you lived there for a long time or did you move recently?

Gilbert: I’ve lived here for a long time, but I was in the oil fields for a while also. My oil field job took me to Sweetwater for a while and about 5 years ago I moved back to San Antonio.

Peter: You’re working in the San Antonio area every day. Do you have any favorite lunch spots near the UNITS warehouse?

Gilbert: I don’t exactly have a favorite restaurant. I think that’s because I never stop to get lunch, because I am always on the move. I take a break, but I don’t try to stop at a restaurant or anything. They take so long, especially when you only have 30 minutes to eat.

Peter: At the end of these, I like to ask if there is anyone on the team who you think deserves a shout out. Is there anyone on the team who has helped you out in the past and deserves some recognition?

Gilbert: My salesperson that we have working with us has done a really good job for us. You know Marc Gaudet, right? Yeah, he is my sales guy and he keeps me busy, haha! I’d also like to give a shout out to the maintenance team, Danny and Carlos, for always being there to help with unit repairs and assembly.