SAN ANTONIO – After more than five decades as a truck driver for Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, Hector Gonzalez is preparing to say goodbye to his “home” away from home.
On July 23, Gonzalez officially marked 55 years of service with Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages — a milestone that also makes him the company’s longest-tenured employee. He officially retires on Sept. 26.
Gonzalez said he remembers his first day on the job “like yesterday,” which was in July 1970.
“I filled out the application, and they asked if I was ready to start. I said, ‘Sure, I’m ready.’ And I started that same day,” he said.
Over 55 years, Gonzalez has driven more than 1.4 million miles, averaging about 100 miles a day. Along the way, he has built strong relationships with coworkers and customers — something he said kept him going all these years.
“I love working for Coca-Cola. I love being a big truck driver. I love going out into the field, meeting new people, building rapport with customers,” he said.
Gonzalez is more than just a loyal employee — he’s a family man. Just six months after starting at Coca-Cola, he married his wife, Nancy. Together, they’ve built a family that includes three children, nine grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.
“I started working for Coke Southwest in July of 1970. And in January of ’71, I married my sweetheart,” he said proudly. “And we’ve been together ever since.”
Gonzalez is now the lead driver for special events and remains a source of inspiration for younger employees.
“One of the managers once told me he saw my original application,” Gonzalez laughed. “There was a question: ‘How long do you plan to work here?’ I wrote, ‘for a long time.’ And I’m still here.”
So what’s next for the man who’s spent over half a century on the road? Gonzalez tells us he plans to spend more time with his family, maybe pick up the grandkids from school, and take it day by day.
“I love my job,” he said. “And when you love what you’re doing, it comes easy.”
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