Where Are They Now? Jarrod Jennings

In work and in life, Dublin graduate Jarrod Jennings lives by one philosophy. “Treat people like people,” he said. “Be kind. That’s the biggest thing.”

Jennings graduated from Dublin High School in 2006, and went to Tarleton to study criminal justice. “I always kind of liked helping people and that kind of seemed like a good avenue to get into doing that,” he said.

To make ends meet during college, he took a job working the night shift at FMC (now TechnipFMC) as an assembler. He was scheduled from 3:30 in the afternoon until 2 a.m. Balancing his work with classes wasn’t always easy, but he enjoyed the job.

“It was good money and I was moving up,” he said. “By the time I graduated college I was a machinist, so I was actually manufacturing the parts. And at that point, I was like, ‘I would like to move up in the company and do something in management.’”

So after graduation, he stayed on at FMC. Over the next decade he continued to move up through the company. He even went back to school to earn a second bachelors in industrial management. Now, he’s a production facilitator at FMC, and supervises a team of more than 10 workers.

In his new role, he helps the team make sure that they meet production goals. “My main function is to be the first line resource for the people I supervise,” he said. “I ensure they have the proper tools, training, and support to do their job.”

Moving into management has been an adjustment for Jennings. “There’s a learning curve to it,” he said. “Most of it is having a good working relationship with people. If they know what they need to do and you communicate well with them, most of them are happy to do the work.”

Jennings currently works the night shift, but hopes to transition back to day shifts eventually. “You’ve got to put in your dues on an off shift before you get the prime position,” he said.

He has no plans to leave FMC any time soon. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said. “I’d like to keep moving up in the company, get a good feel for this position and grow in it, before maybe moving up to another one.”

When Jennings gets time off, he enjoys spending time with his wife of nearly ten years, Shelby Jennings, and their seven-year-old daughter Harley Jo. “We play video games together and go bike riding and things like that,” he said.

Jennings also enjoys playing Warhammer, a tabletop game with a fantasy theme. “It’s kind of like model cars, but it has soldiers and stuff like that,” he said. “You assemble those and paint them and then there’s a game you play with everything.”

Jennings’ parents, Ronnie and Winona Jennings, still live in Dublin. His father owns Ronnie’s Tire Shop, and his mother is a retired teachers aide.

Watching his father run the business has been an inspiration to Jennings throughout his life. “[My dad] is always willing to help somebody out,” Jennings said. “Anybody can call at any time of night and he’ll hop in his truck to get them off the side of the road. He’s a selfless person.”

To future Dublin graduates, Jennings offers the following advice: “Don’t be a jerk, and treat people like you want to be treated,” he said. “It will come back around.”

Editor’s Note: This column chronicles what Dublin graduates have done since high school. If you have any suggestions for other grads, email publisher@dublincitizen.com.