GO Getter: Hugo Sanchez

O'Reilly Automotive's head of Hispanic, online and non-racing sports marketing is wearing a big hat at a young age.

Twenty-five-year-old Hugo Sanchez has come a long way from the warehouse distribution department of O’Reilly Automotive in Houston, Texas to managing the Springfield-based company’s national marketing for Latino customers, online and non-racing sports. His highly progressive position takes him around the U.S., traveling to places like L.A. and New York to peddle the company name. Just don’t ask him about that O’Reilly logo on Texas Tech basketball coach Bobby Knight’s signature sweater; that was started before his time. But yeah, he knows how cool it is.

You said earlier you went to school for psychology, how did you end up as a marketing supervisor?
Actually, I started out in criminology—I wanted to be a detective. But then I was really intrigued with the psychology courses. I really didn’t know what I wanted to do with it.

And how did you land the national gig?
I was doing the Hispanic marketing for Texas but it started getting so big they needed someone at the corporate office. But before that I was working in the warehouse distribution center while I was going to school.

That’s a pretty big leap.
I heard about the opening so I went for it. People say there’s no promotions [possible] if you’re Hispanic or young, but that’s not the truth. There are a lot of people who don’t try for stuff because they think they don’t have a chance… but that’s not the case. If you work hard and pursue your goals, you can achieve anything.

Is there any way you market differently to the Hispanic community? Is there some cultural sensibility that’s different that you try to appeal to?
No, not really. A lot of people stereotype the Hispanic population. We just try to get the [O’Reilly] name out there. We do a lot of language stuff—bilingual fliers, Spanish radio, newspapers. We also sponsor concerts, grass roots tournaments and sporting events and a lot of Latino festivals like Cinco de Mayo.

…just an another excuse for me to drink…
(Laughs) and Fiesta Patrias. They get to see bands they’ve only heard on the radio—you know, so we do a lot of those.

Whatever happened to that Oh Oh Oh Oh Reillyyyyyy jingle? It always secretly made me laugh.
They’re still on.

You’re pretty young to be wearing such a big hat —do you ever feel any pressure because of your age?
I think in general young people strive to prove that they’re worthy and deserve to be at the position they’re in. I’m moving up fast, you know, just trying to get up the corporate ladder.