Bill Marr is an Emergency Vehicle Upfitting Specialist based out of GenComm’s Madison location. With a lifelong passion for electronics and hands-on problem-solving, Bill brings decades of experience in automotive, audio, and custom installation to his role. We sat down with him to learn more about his career journey, what he enjoys about GenComm, and what keeps him busy outside of work.
Tell us a bit more about your past experience?
I have been involved in vehicle electronics since childhood. I was exposed to automotive wiring and electronics at my father’s independent auto repair business. From the very beginning, I had the ability to resolve complex wiring issues. This early exposure to vehicle electronics developed into becoming a car audio installer that people would seek out to perform their installation and tune their audio systems
This experience allowed me to work with a variety of clients and develop my sales and management style. As I progressed in my career, I have served in many management capacities with several different businesses. More recently, I worked for a premier company in the custom audio and video industry in sales and project management role.
What do you enjoy most about working at GenComm?
From the first time I walked into GenComm, I felt at home. It was clear that GenComm is a company that wanted to make sure employees’ work-life balance is a top priority, and everyone I’ve met is a top performer in their field. I like the fact that GenComm continues to evaluate and make changes when client and market demand changes occur.
What does a typical day look like as an Emergency Vehicle Upfitting Specialist?
My day starts with following up with GenComm’s sales team via email, phones call, or Teams meeting. I typically will check in with the installation team regarding parts for installation projects, ensuring they have the correct parts and resources, allowing them to continue to progress on their projects.
The remainder of my day includes working on new squad build packages, researching new upfitting equipment and installation practices, performing site visits with our sales team, developing parts and labor lists for automotive installation projects for our sales teams, interacting with vendors and clients, and many other various tasks.
What do you enjoy about working and living in the Madison area?
Madison’s metro area provides our family with a multitude of opportunities for work, education and leisure. Madison continues to rapidly transform from a small city to a busy metropolitan area. The number of new restaurants and activities such as farmers’ markets, concerts, and natural resources (lakes, parks, trails, etc.) keeps our family busy year-round. The Madison area also provides a wide array of exceptional educational and extracurricular activities for our kids from birth through college.
What are you most passionate about at work?
I am passionate about contributing to, and elevating, GenComm’s installation department. This includes working with our sales team, installers, vendors and management.
I find it very rewarding to be able to help bridge the gap between departments and help build a “can do” team that delivers results and exceeds our clients’ expectations. As someone who is passionate about electronics, I also enjoy supporting and sharing my knowledge with the next generation of GenComm’s installation team.
What activities do you enjoy in your spare time?
I enjoy spending time with the love of my life, April, our three children and our dog, Butters. We travel as often as possible, typically to tropical destinations. We also enjoy dining at new restaurants. Other passion hobbies include working on automobiles, designing, installing, and tuning car audio systems and home audio systems, including home theaters. I am always looking to gain knowledge through reading and hands-on experiences. Recently, I have been toying with the idea of learning to use 3D printers and laser cutting equipment and CAD software.