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As one of six children, born in Monterrey, the capital of Nuevo León, Mexico, and raised in Texas, Dora Rodriguez admits she grew up in a pretty busy Hispanic family. She had little idea what she wanted to do as she got older, only that it was important to do something she enjoyed and could provide financial security.
“I wasn’t entirely sure how I was going to get there,” the director reveals. “Early on, I didn’t think college was the right path for me. But I always had a strong sense that my future would involve working with people or stepping into a leadership role.”
Rodriguez thought that meant she would either be a business owner or in a job in service to the community. That led to early roles in hospitality and human resources.
“When I entered the corporate world, my initial role was with an environmental company in a receptionist capacity. That opportunity served as my entry point into the oil and gas industry, where I transitioned into working with the HR team,” Rodriguez recounts. “It gave me an opportunity to gain exposure to HR and to build on what I truly enjoyed: working and supporting people.”
Over her career, Rodriguez has made stops at companies like Tenneco Energy, El Paso Energy, Sysco, Cooper Industries, HealthLink, IBM, Enterprise Products, Spectra Energy, and Enbridge, developing her skills in corporate recruiting and management.
“In every role I’ve held, I’ve been drawn to organizations with a start-up feel, places where I can make a meaningful impact, whether in shaping the talent acquisition strategy, enhancing candidate engagement or supporting team development,” the director explains.
So, when Rodriguez was contacted about her current role at The Friedkin Group seven years ago, the opportunity intrigued her because the company had yet to establish a true talent acquisition space.
Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Texas, The Friedkin Group is a family of brands spanning automotive, entertainment, hospitality, investments, and sport. “The company had just launched their first website before I started, and it was still a very well-kept secret within the region,” Rodriguez notes.
The Friedkin Group being a private company presented a unique opportunity to shape the strategic approach to how talent acquisition could contribute. Rodriguez was drawn to the story of the company and saw the potential to make a meaningful impact, enhancing the candidate and associate experience, and supporting the team in evolving and growing into what it’s become today.
“In every role I’ve held, I’ve been drawn to organizations with a start-up feel, places where I can make a meaningful impact.”
Dora Rodriguez
One of Rodriguez’s biggest accomplishments at the company was developing the direction for the talent acquisition space, which included the tech stack, details on measuring experiences, and building out programs for team success.
“It began with a strategic assessment of our existing processes,” the director recalls. “We identified some immediate wins and transitioned to iCIMS as our applicant tracking system. From there, we automated interview scheduling and streamlined processes across the entire recruiting cycle. These enhancements allowed us to implement additional tools that freed up the team to focus on higher-value work.”
Overall, it shifted the team from a highly transactional talent acquisition model to a more strategic advisory approach, positioning the team to elevate the company’s presence and recognition within the talent marketplace.
For instance, around five years ago the company rolled out the FUN (Friedkin University Network) program and unveiled its veterans network program. The Friedkin Group established its outreach efforts and built out the sourcing framework.
The initiatives Rodriguez and her team have implemented to shape their talent brand have become increasingly visible to candidates, as reflected in their feedback through the team’s surveys. They conduct a comprehensive survey journey that spans the entire talent lifecycle, from the initial point of application to measuring quality of hire up to two years post-hire.
“Feedback is collected from candidates, hiring managers, and associates, providing a 360-degree view of our impact,” Rodriguez explains. “This approach elevates our understanding of how we influence the business, the broader community, and the individuals we aim to attract and engage through our employer brand.”
In 2025, Friedkin is embracing a period of innovation, actively optimizing key business functions while looking ahead to what’s next. The company is exploring how advancements in data and analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning can drive smarter decision-making and operational efficiency. With technologies like generative AI, agentic AI, and platforms such as ChatGPT, the Friedkin Group is identifying new ways to enhance performance and elevate the customer experience.
“I always had a strong sense that my future would involve working with people or stepping into a leadership role.”
Dora Rodriguez
Rodriguez leads a group of ten, with each team member leading one component of the overall mission or system. It’s a collaborative team where everyone brings something different to the table.
“My philosophy is to truly understand and recognize each member’s passion, what excites them, what they value most. I actively seek opportunities to connect those passions to meaningful and impactful work, ensuring they feel purpose-driven and engaged in what they do,” Rodriguez says. She goes further to explain that it’s rewarding to witness someone expand their capabilities and embrace opportunities beyond the conventional talent acquisition workload, contributing more broadly to the team’s success.
Rodriguez is involved in numerous organizations, such as the Greater Houston Partnership, and is a big champion of mentorship. She believes nurturing others has played a key role in her own success.
“Mentorship has been a constant throughout my entire career,” Rodriguez shares. Beyond the workplace, she supports and guides her own children and their friends as they navigate important life decisions. She’s also actively involved in her church and community, offering support to those who need it.
Married for thirty years to her supportive husband, a commercial pilot, Rodriguez is the proud mother of three sons, ranging in age from eighteen to twenty-six. The director cherishes spending her free time with family, but admits she’s working on finding new hobbies to help her unwind and take her mind off work.
“What I truly love about the job is the people. Their openness, support, and collaboration make it a rewarding and energizing environment,” Rodriguez shares. “I take pride in creating a supportive environment for others. Maintaining work/life balance is very important, and knowing that my work has a meaningful impact on the team makes it all the more fulfilling.”
Survale is a talent feedback platform that uses real-time surveys to gather feedback from candidates, recruiters, and hiring managers, helping organizations optimize the hiring process. It offers both integrated solutions—connecting directly with applicant tracking systems (ATS)—and non-integrated options for flexible deployment. Survale automates surveys at key hiring stages, delivering actionable insights through dynamic dashboards. This enables companies to enhance candidate experience, uncover hiring inefficiencies, improve recruiter performance, and strengthen employer branding. HR and talent acquisition teams use Survale to drive data-informed decisions, improve communication, and support diversity and inclusion throughout the recruitment journey.
