Eric: Still Pitching After All These Years, No Matter What I’m Doing

April 27, 2010 at 9:30 am

Eric Raich, Fleet Account Executive, Fleet and Commercial Operations, GMC

My GM career started at the end of my baseball career. After growing up in Compton, Calif., and graduating from Dominguez High School, I went to the University of Southern California (USC) on a football scholarship. I played baseball at USC, too, and it wasn’t long until I really wanted to just play ball – baseball, that is.

Although I was on track with a business administration degree, I decided to sit out my junior year and become Major League Baseball (MLB) eligible in 1971 for the 1972 draft in January. I was the number one pick of the First-Year Player Draft and went to play for the Cleveland Indians.

The best part is that I met my wife during my first MLB spring training in Arizona. During a St. Patrick’s Day party hosted by one of the Indians’ owners, I met her and within seven days after meeting Eileen we were engaged. We’ve now been married for 38 years and have three children, Jennifer, Ryan and Leah, and have two grandchildren, Avery and Elias.

My first game in “the show”: My first big league game was against what would be the 1972 World Series Champions – the Oakland A’s. I went seven innings with no decision, which means I wasn’t awarded the win, but the team won the game. It really was the best first game.

My MLB stats: My first big league win came against the California Angels in Anaheim, against Nolan Ryan. Luckily, I gave out 58 passes to my family, friends and whoever else would watch me play so I had quite a few “fans” to help me celebrate.

Even though I tore my right rotator cuff in 1975, I continued to play with the Indians until 1978 when I was picked up by the Baltimore Orioles and finished my career with them. Then it was on to my next opportunity – that’s when GM “drafted” me. GM needed a sales guy at the GMC Factory Truck Center in Ohio and I guess I was the best fit for their roster. I’ve been a GMer ever since.

My GM stats: From 1979 to 2008, I exceeded all of my GM sales objectives as a medium-duty fleet account executive, medium and light-duty commercial account executive and commercial sales manager. A third-party organization also once ranked me as one of the top five fleet account executives in the country.

Our recent Stanley Steemer win is one that I’ve worked on for more than 10 years. It feels good to know we’ve matched them with a great cargo van that meets their special needs and also comes with an excellent powertrain warranty. It really was the 100,000/5-year transferable Powertrain Limited Warranty that synched the deal.

That was definitely another career highlight and there’s more to come – I’m not quite ready to hang up my spikes with this team.

Merritt

Apr 27th, 2010

Its nice to see a fellow Trojan athlete on the GM team. Thanks for sharing your story!
Jan Satterfield

Apr 27th, 2010

back in 1960 my daddy bought a 1956 cadillac, it was pink and black and had the gas tank filler in the one of the head lights. Those are my memories from why back then. My daddies Cad was his pride and joy. He never even graduated from high school. He lied about his age and inlisted in the army and was sent to the south pacfic during WWII. Where he became an ambulance driver. My dad came back alive and he swore on GM cars, so when he finally got his used CAD in 1960, I have never seen a happier man in my life.
I bought my Cad in 2005. I still own it. Crimson red, my favorite color.
I could be a very dissatified customer as I did happen to buy one of those rare lemons. I have paid more in repairs than the original car cost but I know I was just unluckly, you know when you put all you left over money in Vegas in a dollar slot and come up with nothing? but I must admit GM has helped me offset some of all my repair costs. Would any other company do that?

Buying a car is a roll of the dice. I lost, but I still GM cars, as my daddy did. I would really love to buy a new cadillac. As soon as I pay off my repair bills I sure will. There is no other car as smooth and comfortable as a cadillac. I really needed one after I had had both my hips replaced twice in like the last 6 years. Those heated seats were a god send. The Driver side seat heater went out about a month ago lol like everything else, and that was another $600 but those seat releave my pain. And I am only 50? Birth defects have caused both my hips to replaced twice but stuff happens.
I hope to one day own a really good cad with both heated and cooled seats and steering wheels.

So after all I have stated and I am still a die hard fan of GM Cads, who else can you trust? lol

They are bad and they are wonderful, and I will always buy GM. I just hope next time I am not one of the 10% with lemons.
Mike McGarry

Apr 28th, 2010

I grew up in Cleveland from 68 till 77 and I’m sure I saw you pitch! My neighboor (who was a Zone Manager for Pontiac) took us to many many games! He was from Boston, so most of the games were Indians-Red Sox. Keep on sellin and Go Tribe!!
Robert Hoffmeister

Apr 29th, 2010

I have had the pleasure of working with Eric when I started my career with GM at the Cleveland truck Center back in 1985. Eric is not only a good friend, but the most knowledgable Truck guy I have ever met. He sold the Product because he knew exactly what the people needed, and I never once heard a complaint from any customer that worked with Eric.

It was another Cleveland sports loss when he hurt his arm but a great win for General Motors. Thank you Eric for helping me in my early career, and for being a great friend. You are a great family man, and a true professional.
Lisa Leone

Apr 29th, 2010

Sweet story Eric! Thanks for all your hard work in winning the Stanley Steemer account for us!
Barb Frank

Apr 29th, 2010

I first met Eric while he was at the Cleveland Truck Center. I was working on my college thesis and he was a great deal of help. Glad he is still part of OUR team!
Craig Bark

Apr 30th, 2010

Eric, after reading your story, I just had to check my collection of baseball cards from when I was a kid, and of course, I found your card in the pile. Nice to have a story to go with it. Wish you were around to sign it, but it looks like you’re a state away.
Craig @ GM
Pete Maguire

May 3rd, 2010

I worked with Eric in Cleveland in 1985, glad to see he is still getting the job done for us as he always has.
Fred Engelbrecht

May 3rd, 2010

It is good to see that some of the good guys are still with GMC Truck.
I remember that Eric was always appreciative of the Medium Duty guys at Pontiac.
Also, that I was impressed by the size of his hands,
an all around great guy.
I retired in 1996 and now live in florida.
Chris Cutter

May 5th, 2010

I tell friends and relatives about your baseball stories that you told us when we were Medium Duty Commercial Managers and they always get a big laugh. I am so glad that you are still doing well and working to keep my pension alive. I pray that you and your family continue to have good health.