Carlos Bes Comeras joined the Embry-Riddle men's tennis team in the spring of 2006 and competed for the Eagles for four seasons. The Zaragoza, Spain native was a four-time All-Conference selection and was undefeated in conference play in his first three seasons wearing the Blue and Gold. A three-time NAIA All-American, Bes Comeras was selected as the 2008 ITA/NAIA Player to Watch and was named the ITA/NAIA Senior Men's Player of the Year in 2009.
 
Bes Comeras also excelled in the classroom. He was a two-time Academic All-Conference honoree and NAIA Scholar-Athlete and was named to the ITA Scholar-Athlete roster three times. He was also selected as a 2009 First Team Academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) in 2009. Bes Comeras was awarded the Steve & Vicky Ridder Scholarship, as well as and Embry-Riddle Champions of Character scholarship in 2007-08. He graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Software Engineering in 2009.
 
Bes Comeras and his wife Melissa reside in California.
 

Why did you choose Embry-Riddle?
During my first conversation with Coach Paschal, he made it clear that ERAU's academic program was top notch and the tennis team was one of the best in the country in NAIA at the time. After that conversation it was easy for me to choose ERAU over other universities. And I'm very glad I did!
 
What's your fondest memory about your time as an ERAU student-athlete?
There is no specific moment that stands out from the rest. My whole 4-year experience at ERAU is a wonderful memory that I will cherish for the rest of my life

Who had the biggest influence on you during your athletic career?
Before my time at ERAU, my father, Jaime, and my coach, Pablo, had the biggest influence on my tennis career. My father used to be a professional soccer player, so he knew how to motivate and push my brother and me on the tennis court as we were growing up. Our coach Pablo did a great job at making me mentally strong and getting the most out of my abilities as a tennis player before my time at ERAU.
 
At ERAU, Coach Paschal and the entire team had a great influence on my athletic career. I learned and strengthened many values by being around a team with such high standards. As an example, over 11 years after my graduation, I still remember the five core values of being a Champion of Character from the top of my head (respect, responsibility, integrity, sportsmanship and servant leadership). They were deeply ingrained in me during my time at ERAU thanks to my coach and teammates.
 
What do you remember most vividly about your time at ERAU?
I remember all 4 years very vividly: practicing with the team, competing, having dinner with my teammates, attending study hall sessions with other athletes, supporting our basketball and volleyball teams at the ICI Center… Oh, and Coach Paschal telling us once in a while in the middle of practice: "Everybody on the line at court #1…". Those "gut-busters" are definitely unforgettable! :)
 
What would you say were your greatest athletic and academic accomplishments during your time at ERAU?
Academically, I was proud to graduate with a 3.87 GPA. As an athlete, I was most proud of being part of such a wonderful team of people, students and athletes. And individually, the five athletic accomplishments I'm most proud of are:
 
As a Senior (2008-09):
o   NAIA/ITA Senior Men's Player of the Year
o   Ranked #1 in ITA/NAIA national doubles poll (with Jan Hoekzema)

As a Junior (2007-08):
o   NAIA/ITA National Player to Watch of the Year
o   Steve & Vicky Ridder Award to the best "student-person-player"
o   Champions of Character Award for demonstrating quality character traits
 
What was your favorite non-athletics activity at ERAU?
I remember very fondly the community service activities we did as a team to help those in need. Seeing the impact we were able to make during those events was very fulfilling.
 
What did you do right after graduating from ERAU?
After graduating from ERAU, I drove across the country all the way to Orange County (California) where I have lived since. I started teaching private tennis lessons while looking for a job in my field of study, software engineering. It was 2009, so we were in the midst of the economic crisis and it was a challenging time to find a job. Eventually, I accepted an offer from PwC (Pricewaterhouse Coopers) to work in cybersecurity consulting, specializing in Identity and Access Management. During my time at PwC, I leveraged many skills and values from my time at ERAU, which helped me tremendously in learning other professional skills, such as managing others and leading consulting teams.
 
Tell us a little bit about what you're doing now.
In 2016 I founded Soleox, a software company where we help other businesses save time and money by building custom software solutions to automate and streamline their business processes. I have been serving as Soleox's CEO for over 4 years now.
 
 If different than your first role, how did you make the transition to your current position?
My transition from working as a Cybersecurity and Software Innovation Manager in PwC to founding and running Soleox was fairly smooth because all the skills I had learned during my time at ERAU and PwC gave me the knowledge and confidence necessary to embark in my new adventure as an entrepreneur.
 
How did your experience at ERAU shape your career path?
My experience at ERAU gave me all the tools I needed to make a smooth transition into the real world and have a successful start in my professional career.
 
What are some lessons you learned at ERAU that have served well in your life after college?
I learned many lessons at ERAU that still serve me very well 11 years after my graduation, but the two that are most present in my daily life are:
o   The more you put into something, the more you will get from it.
o   Actions speak louder than words.
 
What advice do you have for ERAU's current student-athletes?
Enjoy, work hard and absorb everything you can from the opportunities you are given at ERAU. Every single day you have a chance to get better at what you do.  When you do something, put your best effort and attitude into it and the results will speak for themselves. And then, when you graduate, you will realize that your transition into the real world will be far easier for you than for the average person.