Foxhole-Worthy Epson Difference Maker Joe Contreras Instills Team Confidence

Joe Contreras, Epson

Of all the traits a manager can possess, perhaps none is valued more than loyalty. Nothing is more reassuring than knowing if a certain situation begins to go sour, your manager has your back. And whether you’re a soldier in a foxhole or a team member in a business setting, that peace of mind generally results in a team that would also go through a wall for its commander.

Joe Contreras understands that as a leader, you’re only as good as the team that supports you. Building up and recognizing individuals has the salutary effect of fostering creativity, inspiring new ideas and approaches, and—perhaps most importantly—motivating team members to higher levels. And like the coach of a successful football team, Contreras will be the first one to take all of the blame for failure.

“When you alleviate pressure from the tam and you’re willing to take ownership of everything that takes place within the team, it really builds trust and confidence within a team by allowing them to take calculated risks and make mistakes,” said Contreras, a 2020 ENX Magazine Difference Maker. “Oftentimes, people are afraid of making mistakes, because they’re concerned about getting reprimanded or losing their job. Knowing it’s OK to fail puts people at ease and allows them to push themselves to achieve more.”

Contreras has certainly earned the moniker of one of the industry’s nice guys during his 20-year journey in the industry, much of which was spent with Toshiba America Business Solutions. He made a bold move in early 2019, joining Epson as it embarked down the road of fomenting a commercial inkjet printing movement. In this new role of commercial marketing executive of office solutions, Contreras has guided the process of portfolio management, strategic partnerships, software integration and support, and sales and marketing programs. Whether the movement is seen as an evolution or revolution, Contreras is all in.

Sense of Accomplishment

Given his leadership tone, it is not surprising to know that Contreras feeds off of the phenomenal team that Epson has assembled. “It’s that sense of what we’re accomplishing together,” he said. “We are still in start-up mode, so being able to see what we’ve accomplished in a short period of time and seeing the business take shape so quickly has exceeded my expectations.

“I truly believe this is what will push Epson to the foreground of our industry. The organization is nimble and addressing the market, and looking to change the way it looks at print.”

A product of Texas A&M University, Contreras follows the “Do unto others…” Golden Rule, and has crafted his own leadership-based four Ps (passion, purpose, presence and professionalism) that he holds himself and his team to in its business journey. Beyond trust and credibility, Contreras measures individuals by their actions as opposed to their words.

While his career has taken a decidedly different path than the PC world he’d envisioned conquering at the onset, Contreras remains enamored with the industry and the sense of family and community it provides. His journey has been intertwined with that of fellow executive Mark Mathews, with whom he shares the Toshiba past in addition to his current endeavors with Epson.

“Mark’s leadership style is one of high integrity, open communications and a ‘team versus me’ approach, which drew me to where I am today,” he said. “He has taught me a lot over the last 20 years, but most recently, it’s how to be nimble and don’t let perfection get in the way of execution.”

Whirlwind of Activity

The last 19 months have been marked by great change in Contreras’ professional life. The organization mobilized to build the sales and marketing organization, established a dealer channel and followed through on achieving its targets in that regard. A late 2019 trip to corporate headquarters in Japan gave select dealers and industry press the opportunity to see the technology in process, followed by the inaugural Ink Boldly partner event last March. It’s all a part of the plan for world dominance, he notes, tongue firmly in cheek.

Or is it?

“In 2020, we’ve already accomplished a lot of what we set out to do,” Contreras added. “We really increased our dealer engagement through the impact training webinar series we kicked off in April. We’ve expanded our presence in dealerships with A4, we introduced a national service network program and virtual hands-on training. This month, we’re introducing our flagship A3 portfolio, the next generation WorkForce Enterprise. It’s been a busy year and we haven’t let our foot off the gas. It’s been full-speed ahead. Beyond 2020, we’re acutely focused on disrupting the industry with unique and differentiating inkjet technology.”  

How does Contreras plan on raising his game? Even after 20-plus years on the job, continuous learning is the key to further development. Contreras believes he can glean knowledge from everyone he comes into contact with…even if it’s learning what not to do. It’s his hope he can continue to share that knowledge with others.

“Sharing knowledge and teaching is where I want to improve both as an individual and leader,” he said. “I’ve been fortunate to learn from a number of executives in the industry. Imparting that knowledge to others, the future generation, s what I want to focus and continue to build upon.”

Contreras and his wife, Moana, have been married for 17 years. They have a 12-year-old son, Tai, who keeps the family engaged courtesy of club team basketball. Tai has also taken up surfing this year and has been progressing nicely.

Living close to the beach has provided a needed getaway in a year when travel has been prohibitive. The family does love Lake Tahoe, which offers a compelling combination of lake and mountains.

“We were able to spend time there this summer and recharge while still social distancing,” he added.

Erik Cagle
About the Author
Erik Cagle is the editorial director of ENX Magazine. He is an author, writer and editor who spent 18 years covering the commercial printing industry.