Eric | Engineering Manager
“We get to make sure the tools are performing the way they need, and the fire departments get the technical support that they deserve. As a volunteer firefighter I know how important that is.”
During tmy interview, the team took me to an area where they had a vehicle staged inside the building. There was a spreader, a cutter, and a pump set up and ready to go. They told me they wanted me to cut up a car to see if I really knew how to use the tools—not just in theory, but in a real, hands-on scenario. So I picked up the spreader and started to remove the door of the vehicle. Instantly, I could feel the difference. I couldn’t believe how light the tool was in my hands, how naturally it balanced, how easy it was to position precisely where I needed it. I couldn’t believe how fast the arms opened and closed, how responsive it felt under load. The controlled power, the speed, the ergonomics—it was unbelievable. From that moment on, I knew that Holmatro was where I wanted to work. It was clear to me that this was a company building the kind of tools I would want in my own hands on scene—tools I would trust to help bring people home safely. My name is Eric Marquess, and I am the Engineering Manager at Holmatro US.
In it for Life
Since I was 18 years old, I’ve been a volunteer firefighter with the Reisterstown Volunteer Fire Company in Baltimore County, Maryland. From the very beginning, the firehouse felt like home. When I was younger, I spent every spare moment there—nights on the bunks listening for the tones to drop, weekends on the apparatus floor checking gear, training with our crew, and responding to calls. I loved the camaraderie, the purpose, and the responsibility of knowing that when someone was having their worst day, we were the ones they were counting on.
That experience shaped who I am. It taught me how critical it is to trust your team, your training, and your tools—because in rescue operations, seconds matter and equipment simply cannot fail. So when the job posting for Holmatro came up, I knew immediately this was something I had to pursue. It was more than a career move; it felt like a chance to contribute to the tools that were helping people just like my crew back in Reisterstown.
That’s why I am in it for life.