Welcome to the Hug Hotseat! This month’s Q&A features Joe Erler of RJE Indianapolis.
Name: Joe Erler
Title: Warehouse Manager
Location: Indianapolis, IN
1. In your opinion, what is the best day of the year?
The best day of the year is any day that I get to ride rollercoasters (see Question 6).
2. What do you love most about living in Indianapolis?
I love that I’m part of a community of close friends here. The city itself is great with what it’s known for and has to offer, such as the Indy 500, our sports teams and the Indianapolis Zoo. My kids love those things so much, but I know that what keeps me here are the communities of which I’ve been a part; like family, close friends, my church and work communities. I cannot imagine being anywhere else.
3. What are you reading right now?
To be honest, I haven’t had time to pick up a book in a while, but most recently I’ve been reading “Death by Black Hole” by Neil deGrasse Tyson. It attempts to explain a lot about our universe and how it works from a physics perspective. Over the past few years, I’ve developed novice interests in fields like particle physics, astrophysics and mathematics, so this book is right up my alley.
4. If you could give a million dollars to any organization, which would you give it to?
Joe Erler, LLC. – haha, I kid, I kid ????
As a former Boy Scout and current pocket knife aficionado, I would split it between the Boy Scouts of America and KnifeRights.org. I was a scout until I was 18 years old and soon intend to enroll my older son. The experiences I had during that time were unforgettable and I look forward to going on many outdoor adventures with my kids in the future.
KnifeRights.org is a small organization that seeks to influence public policy with respect to pocket knives and other edged tools, as well as to encourage the safe and responsible use and handling of knives. Of course, this also ties to my experiences in scouting, as it is a basic necessity in the outdoors as well as in many trades.
5. What are you most looking forward to this month?
This year we are traveling with my wife’s family up to Michigan to spend a week at the beach. We’re renting a large house and just spending time together. The week will likely be spent swimming, playing cards and simply relaxing in the sun.
6. If you could immediately teleport to any place in the world for a two-week vacation, where would you go?
Cedar Point Amusement Park & Resort – hands down. All things considered, it’s my favorite place to go. The combination of its pure greatness along with nostalgia from years of going with friends and family in the past has made it the place I’d rather be almost any time. It also helps that I love roller coasters.
7. What gets you excited to come to work at RJE every morning?
Like (I would assume) for many people, it’s a combination of many things. First off, the start of my employment here came at just the right moment, at a time when some stability was very much needed in my life. At the same time, I knew very quickly that this is where I wanted to be. It’s my first job in this industry and it turns out I really like it. I enjoy the roles I’ve had here and look forward to what’s to come. I also enjoy the people for whom and with whom I work. I’ve been fortunate enough to not have any terrible coworkers or bosses in the past, but I know the good ones when I see them and here, I see them all the time. The reason why I keep coming in, though, started at a moment from about two weeks in; one of our installers asked me how I was liking the job so far. I didn’t even have to think, the first word that popped into my head was, and still is, “home”.
