Joe Rios began learning about security technology at a young age from his father, who at that time, installed residential alarm systems. Joe would often assist his father on job sites and this exposure was the start of his long-lasting passion to protect people and property.
With a natural knack for the security industry and a positive attitude, Joe found himself working at a commercial fire alarm and intrusion company at the age of 18. He swiftly climbed up the ranks from Installer to Lead Tech to Supervisor, it was evident he was a remarkable leader with an immense dedication to his craft. After 8 years, Joe wanted to expand deeper into security technologies outside of intrusion and fire. He found 3Sixty Integrated and started as a temp.
Joe earned his ropes on an enterprise level deployment in access control and video surveillance for the U.S. Army military base, Fort Sam Houston. His impressive performance was the start of a new phase in his career development, and he has continued to grow ever since. Throughout the past 11 years, Joe has made tremendous contributions to the 3Sixty Integrated team as not only one of the company’s most knowledgeable and certified technicians, but also as a leader who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty with his team under the scorching hot Texas sun.
Today, Joe spearheads 3Sixty Integrated’s field operations. He coordinates and manages a team of over 25 installation and service technicians. His primary goal is the strategic planning and scheduling of resources to ensure projects are effectively executed with no surprises. In addition, he is responsible for the professional development of each individual technician evaluating their technical capabilities and building plans for their continued growth.
Known to always have a smile on his face, Joe aspires to leave an impact on the lives of others. He believes that a positive attitude is the key to productivity and wants to make sure the installation and service teams at 3Sixty Integrated consistently feel appreciated and valued for their hard work. His drive for leading others by example pushes his level of excellence into the field, and it is seen through clean, high-quality deployments.
When this San Antonio native isn’t balancing resources to meet project installation schedules, you can find him jamming out on his guitar, shooting pool, or traveling to famous movie filming locations with his family. He has two beloved children and a loving wife of over 20 years.
Q&A With Joe Rios
1. Describe what a typical day looks like in this position.
A typical day starts with a short huddle with each technician. He meets with them on the daily plan, any hurdles and ensures they have everything they need to have a productive day. He then logs into SiteOwl to evaluate technician installation notes/photos and ensure project completion percentages are on track. There are also meetings and/or check ins with the production, service, and sales engineering teams on scope evaluations as they relate to resources and capabilities. He will also juggle calls throughout the day from technicians requiring guidance or help with any last-minute issues or requests.
2. What is one of the most interesting projects you’ve worked on? What made it so memorable?
In February 2018, the City of Parkland, Florida experienced a horrendous school shooting which spread urgency nationwide. With the increase in threat, the second-largest school district in San Antonio, North East ISD also felt anxious about the potential threat to their students. The district’s leadership made the determination to prioritize a project that would upgrade the district’s door, gate, and fencing access control system across its 70 campuses. They quickly issued a change order with 3Sixty Integrated to escalate this project from a 24-month installation timeline to be completed in only 5-months, by the end of summer 2018.
As the Site Supervisor on this project, Joe and his team were granted 24/7 access to campus facilities and developed a new implementation schedule to accommodate the revised deadline. It was a memorable project for Joe because of the personal responsibility he felt for protecting his community. The 3Sixty Integrated team cooperated heavily with the district’s architect to creatively develop a prototype solution for the way the gates were designed and integrated into the system. Additionally, because of the rushed timeline, Joe and his team had to perform duties outside of their scope, which included pouring their own concrete to install emergency phones.
Joe worked tirelessly alongside his team through the demanding schedule and the project was successfully completed on time. It seemed at first like an impossible task, and although it challenged the team, ultimately, it brought them closer together for a greater cause.
3. What do you like to do outside of work? Hobbies, travel, projects, etc?
His favorite activities include playing music, shooting pool and editing videos with music. As a movie buff, he considers himself a film tourist – traveling to famous movie filming locations with his family.
4. What is your favorite company memory?
Joe’s favorite company memory is 3Sixty Integrated’s Technician Appreciation Week, a week dedicated to celebrating and recognizing the company’s technicians. It’s a special time because the company’s office and leadership team come together to host activities like breakfasts and dinners for the techs. There are also video testimonials, cards and thoughtful gifts that are part of the celebration.
If you’re interested in learning more about Joe Rios or his role at 3Sixty Integrated, feel free to reach out to him at jrios@3sixtyintegrated.com.