Joe Contreras, Toshiba
Early in his career, Joe Contreras’ lunchtime drive would take him past a Toshiba facility. The Texas A&M product was employed with a smaller organization, where he was involved in the PC networking hardware sector. Yet, seeing the Toshiba building in person stirred his passion for working with an industry leader. With every drive-by, the dream transformed into a steely resolve—Contreras could virtually reach out and touch his future.
Eighteen years later, Contreras is living his dream.
“What I love most about Toshiba is the people we work with,” said Contreras, vice president, Product and Solutions Marketing for Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc. and a 2018 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. “We have a phenomenal team in place that is always focused on delivering the best experience for our customers. That’s what helps set us apart in the industry from others—we’re nimble, all of our executives are accessible and I’ve been able to learn from them throughout my career.
“I’ve been through a lot of life changes during this time; I got married and had a child. There are a lot of things I’ve shared with the people here who have become a part of my extended family.”
While Contreras’ initial entry wasn’t with Toshiba’s PC division—he started in the business solutions division in September of 2000 with fax product marketing—he has found a home in Product and Solutions Marketing. Contreras has set his own personal guidelines with a four P approach to business that drives his approach: Passion (“Love what you do and do what you love”), Purpose (“Know what your contribution is to the growth and success of the organization”), Presence (“Leave a lasting impression when you meet with colleagues or clients”) and Professional (“Treat everyone as if they’re the CEO, and never lose your cool”).
Laying the Foundation
While Contreras has benefitted from a wealth of knowledge provided by innumerable executives and other key figures within the Toshiba organization, he credits much of his influence to the guidance and morals bestowed upon him by his parents, Sylvia and Lee. They were the foundation of his ambition and work ethic and provided the foundation that helped kick-start Contreras’ career.
Along the way, Contreras has gained an appreciation for the value of being inquisitive. Though introverted by nature, he has found that by asking questions, it has expanded his knowledge base and helped unearth other aspects that perhaps have been overlooked.
“It helps you take a bigger picture view of the world,” he added.
It’s been an exciting year for Contreras and Toshiba. The 2018 LEAD event was a resounding success, perhaps the best conference yet, with A3 and A4 product introductions and the announcement of a key partnership with Brother on the A4 side. Toshiba also unveiled its Elevate 2.0 platform, along with the Elevate Composer tool, and Contreras has already received a bounty of positive feedback from these endeavors.
“We’re putting a full-court press on Elevate in 2019, and we’ll continue to work with our dealers in evangelizing how that helps differentiate us in the marketplace,” he said. “It goes beyond here in North America, as they will become globally utilized tools.”
The Digital Future
That inquisitive nature will serve Contreras well moving forward as he endeavors to learn and evolve while keeping an eye (and ear) on the market while observing how people and businesses interact in the digital age. That begins, but certainly doesn’t end, with observing how his own child embraces the digital world.
“Our 11-year-old son (Tai) was born in the digital age, so learning how he interacts and communicates with technology helps me as well,” Contreras noted. “There’s a lot I can learn about what the future looks like and how the younger generation utilizes technology.”
Contreras and his wife, Moana, celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary in October. Tai’s passion for basketball, from playing in a local youth league to watching both Los Angeles NBA teams (Lakers and Clippers), has made it a family affair. Having uber-superstar LeBron James in town adds spice to the experience as well.
One of the family’s annual highlights is a ski trip to southern Utah with four other families who gather in a large cabin. This crew of 18 people makes for a fun and memorable experience.
“It’s a great time to unplug and just enjoy the outdoors,” Contreras said. “My wife and son picked up skiing four years ago, when we went for the first time, and now they’re better at skiing than I am.”
