Orlando Garcia
Operations Manager
Account: The Kroger Company
Orlando Garcia will be the first to admit that he landed in the transportation industry by accident, thanks to some good tips from reliable sources.
His cousin was working with a recruiter for Denver Automotive & Diesel College (DADC) and suggested that Orlando sign-up for a two-year course in auto body and repair. Once there, he was “talked into” the diesel technology program but he left before graduating to join a friend who had recently landed a job at Transervice.
Orlando started with the company in 2006 as a trailer technician/mechanic in the Kroger Maintenance Facility in Denver. While he was attending DADC, he had worked at a trailer shop to get hands-on experience so he was well prepared for his first assignment.
Over the next 13 years, Orlando maintained close to 1000 pieces of equipment including tractors, trailers, refrigerated trucks and yard dogs. He considers himself very fortunate to have been able to hone his craft among veteran mechanics who taught him a great deal on the job.
From there he worked his way up to become #3 in seniority on an 18-man team and for a short time was the shop’s Union Steward.
To keep up with the technology and features of the new pieces of equipment, Orlando always took advantage of the on-site training programs conducted by manufacturers such as Bendix (brakes), J-Pro (diagnostic tools) and Todco (truck doors).
He remembers having a “big” decision to make when he was approached about moving from a Union to a non-Union management position at the facility. He eventually made that “big choice” and was named Assistant Manager in 2017.
Since starting with Kroger in 2006, Orlando had worked on-and-off with Operations Manager Ron Reid for six years. He credits Ron with having a big part in recommending him for the new position.
When Ron was later promoted to General Manager of Maintenance in 2022, he found his successor in Orlando, naming him Operations Manager of the Kroger facility in January.
“Promotional opportunities at Transervice are great,” said Orlando. “Whenever I interview potential mechanic or supervisor new hires, I stress that Transervice is committed to promoting from within and they can see that my career attests to that.”
Orlando and his wife Christina have three children: Adriana (20), Briana (15), and Johnny (11). The family enjoys dirt biking, camping, fishing, and hunting, anything they can do outdoors to get away from the city.
