For the Frederick family, HOLT is more than a workplace. It is a shared connection that spans generations, careers, and Sunday family dinners.
Today, three members of the Frederick family work at HOLT: Richard Frederick, Service Manager 5-HOLT CAT Anna; his son, Steven Frederick, Technical Services Technician 3-HOLT CAT Irving; and his daughter, Karen Frederick, Retail Sales Representative-HOLT CAT North Dallas. While their career paths have been very different, each found a place at HOLT that matched their interests, skills, and goals.
Richard joined HOLT after retiring from the U.S. Army following a 20-year military career. During his transition to civilian life, he learned that both Cat and HOLT actively recruited military veterans for mechanical and technical roles. The opportunity offered a natural fit for his experience and work ethic, and he quickly found a long-term career with the company.
Years later, Steven and Karen followed their own paths to HOLT.
Steven enlisted in the military after high school, where he worked on helicopters before returning to civilian life. Familiar with the opportunities available through his father’s experience, he joined HOLT and began his career as a wash rack technician with Texas First Rentals. He later moved through several shop roles in Irving before transitioning into the field, where he has spent the last four years as a Technical Services Field Technician.
Karen’s journey looked different. After attending college and working a variety of jobs, including laboratory work during the COVID-19 pandemic, she realized her strengths were in customer service and sales. Looking for a long-term career opportunity, she joined HOLT as a Retail Sales Representative, a role that combines her passion for helping customers with her background in sales.
Despite their family connection, Richard is quick to point out that he never pushed his children toward HOLT.
“I didn’t encourage them to come work here,” he said. “I just told them about the opportunities and what the company was like. They made that decision themselves.”
For Karen, knowing both her father and brother had built successful careers at HOLT made the decision easier.
“I didn’t know much about heavy equipment growing up,” she said. “But seeing how much they enjoyed working here and the opportunities they had gave me confidence that it was a place where I could build a career too.”
Working for the same company has created unique advantages. Family members often serve as trusted resources for career advice, technical questions, and navigating new challenges. At the same time, because they work in different locations and departments, each has been able to build an independent career path.
“We don’t really talk about work all that often,” Richard laughed. “Maybe once every couple of weeks.”
Instead, the family focuses on spending time together outside the workplace. Every Sunday, the Fredericks gather for dinner, continuing a tradition that keeps family relationships separate from work responsibilities.
The family’s connection to HOLT reflects something larger about the company’s culture. Richard describes HOLT as a place where people build careers, support one another, and stay for the long haul.
“The values here align with our family’s values,” he said. “People look out for each other. It’s like a tribe.”
While HOLT has many family connections throughout the organization, multiple siblings working alongside a parent remains relatively uncommon. For the Frederick family, however, it feels natural. Even with their diverse career paths, they have one shared commitment to HOLT and the values that continue to bring them together both at work and around the dinner table each week.