To mark the 20th anniversary of Mike Harrison’s career at MRE Consulting, we sat down with him to discuss his journey, experiences, and the growth he’s witnessed at the company. From his beginnings to his current role as the Human Resources Lead for MRE, Mike shares valuable insights and memorable moments from his two-decade tenure.
How did you first come to MRE Consulting?
In 2003, I was working for a marine transportation company that closed its Houston office. Luckily, my wife’s old boss connected me with Dru at MRE. I met with Mike Short at a restaurant called Massa’s Seafood Grill in downtown Houston (which is now closed), and while that lunch feels like a lifetime ago, that’s how it all started for me at MRE. It’s hard to believe my daughter was an infant and my son wasn’t even born yet when I started working here, and now they are both in college.
What was your first impression of MRE?
My first impression was that these guys were incredibly smart and organized. Mike, Shane and Dru had (and have) a clear vision for MRE and its growth, which is exciting. MRE is very effective at attracting and hiring talented resources
20 years is a significant milestone. What does this mean to you?
I never thought I would work somewhere for 20 years, but here I am. It’s a real honor and a nice milestone. The partners have kept their faith in me and helped prop me up when I needed it, and that gives me a lot of pride and confidence.
A part of me said that achieving 20 years was not a big deal, but it has turned out to be really meaningful. I received a lot of happy anniversary wishes from co-workers, which was appreciated.
What are your fondest MRE moments from the last two decades?
It starts with the people. I have truly enjoyed developing meaningful working relationships here. It takes time to learn about personalities and create a solid rapport with everybody.
I’ve put a lot of time into that and feel good about it. Next, the athletic competitions stand out for me. We used to have a series with young professionals vs. “seasoned professionals” (seasoned professionals means those generally way past their athletic prime!) I remember one kickball game specifically about six or seven years ago, I was playing first base and ran toward the dugout to make a diving catch. Amazingly and luckily, I caught the ball, but landed right on my ribs. I cracked a rib and bent a finger, and my finger is still bent to this day. It’s one of those unforgettable memories that everyone loves to bring up. I think Tiphanie Wood still has the video on her phone somewhere. Sometimes the young professionals beat us in these competitions and sometimes we got the better of them. It was always fun.
It has been several years ago, but I am proud to say that I participated in three MS 150 rides. Those are some great memories, though exhausting. Back in those days (~2009), we had at least 50 riders – all of us in our MRE jerseys plus a support crew manning four to five vehicles. I never really trained so it’s no surprise I came up short on my riding distance, but I escaped without injury.
What is your favorite part about working at MRE?
I love working with and taking care of my “clients”, which for me is our entire employee base. MRE has the smartest people I’ve met, who are also some of the coolest people ever. I think MRE has a great knack for bringing in intelligent people who can fit into project teams where they’re needed, and who are enjoyable to hang around with at social events. We’ve managed to create an environment where people are both professionally and personally connected, which is rare.
As the HR Manager, you speak to every new hire. What about MRE are new hires excited about?
There’s a lot of excitement about the work they’ll be doing. Everyone genuinely gets pumped up and can’t wait to hit the ground running! When I speak with each new hire, I always ask how they found MRE and about their interview experience. One thing I hear consistently is how comfortable and well-communicated the process is. The personal touch of going to lunch, getting coffee, and having real conversations during the interview process makes a big difference. MRE strives to make the experience personable and organized, and it seems to really resonate with our new team members.
What advice do you have for someone who is just starting their career?
I’ve learned over the years that it’s important to listen. Really hear what people are saying. Let them finish talking. Also, it is important to ask questions. That will show your interest in a conversation subject and will serve to keep the dialogue going.
What do you do in your free time outside of work?
Family comes first, and that’s what makes me tick. My wife and I will celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary in a couple of weeks. Our daughter is 21 and our son is 19. We also have our dog Lola, a six year old lab mix who is a little bit crazy but adds to the household fun. We enjoy watching Astros games, going out to eat, and of course Texas Aggie football. In the summer, I’ll be at our neighborhood pool with friends playing washers. We have mixed in a lot of Summer Olympics watching lately.
We travel when we can squeeze it in. It could be a simple trip to Galveston for the weekend or driving to the Hill Country. When my son graduated from high school, we went a little further and did a family vacation in Cabo for a week. It’s always fun to see new places.
To add in a random fun fact nobody knows, I can juggle. When I was a kid, my mom bought me a book called “Juggling for the Complete Klutz”, which came with bean bags. Even now, if you toss me three oranges, I can just go!
