Dan Rico, a senior security engineer at Truveta, a Seattle-based health data company, channels his passion for speed and stress relief through a surprising hobby: remote-control car racing. Growing up in New York, Rico credits his father, a Microsoft Certified technician, with sparking his interest in engineering and the need for disconnecting from work.
Rico’s passion began at age 13 when he started working at a local hobby shop, immersing himself in RC planes, helicopters, and cars. Moving to Seattle five years ago, he reignited this hobby, seeking an escape from the demanding pressures of his cybersecurity role.
Today, Rico competes in 1/10 and 1/8 scale stock cars, both nitro and electric-powered, at Die Hard RC Park in Snohomish, Washington. He’s even involved in designing and constructing race tracks and enjoys contributing to the racing community, frequently assisting other racers with their “pit crew.”
More than winning, Rico values the sense of camaraderie and the opportunity to apply skills honed in racing to his cybersecurity work. He describes the constant adjustments and problem-solving required in both fields as “incident response without actually responding to incidents.” This hobby provides a vital balance, allowing him to maintain focus and apply lessons learned to his professional life.
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