In this ongoing series of “Five Questions” blogs, we ask five questions of various members of the Enterprise leadership team to get their perspective on the business.  In this edition, we sat down with Mike H., Vice President of Sales in North America.

What excites you about your role and the different areas of the business you oversee?

The people and accounts I interact with continue to excite me every day.

In my role I’m responsible for the neighborhood market – the segment that includes a network of more than 5,500 branches in neighborhoods throughout North America.

Our business has tremendous growth possibilities stemming from our ability to create a transaction that meets and exceeds customers’ expectations. As we use technology and our people to create a seamless transaction, we have the ability to expand our customer base and grow our business.

What opportunities or challenges do you see ahead of you? 

The ways we integrate technology within our network is both our biggest challenge and greatest opportunity. Customers want transactions to be mobile and seamless.

I know our customers are expecting more from us, and I believe in our ability to deliver.

Where has your career taken you at Enterprise? / What can you tell us about your career path at Enterprise?

I started my Enterprise career in 1989 in Michigan as a Management Trainee and worked my way up to Area Manager. In 1996, I was promoted to Regional Rental Manager in New York. After a year there I was promoted to General Manager in Ireland. I remained there until 2006, when I took the General Manager role in Tucson. Then three years later I was promoted to General Manager of Northern Ohio. In 2014, I was promoted to my current role – Vice President of Sales in North America.

What are your thoughts on leadership and what advice would you give to new managers?

Leadership is about preparing others for success. In providing that guidance you learn a lot about yourself, and it helps you get better at what you do – and it helps your own progress. It’s important to stay focused and always be looking for new opportunities for your employees and ways to improve yourself as a leader.

What is something people may not know about you?

I’m a sports junkie! I’m an avid follower of my Michigan teams: the Wolverines and Red Wings. I played baseball and football in college, though today I mostly stick to golf and a little road biking.