Interview with Mark Ridgway

An In-Depth Interview Into the Life of Our Employees How long have you been with KTR U.K.? It will be 5 years that I have been with KTR this May What did you do before working with KTR? My sort of background was working with aerial work platforms, machines that were designed to let people work at heights, which were mainly used for construction or maintenance in large production facilities. What is your favourite part about working with KTR? The diversity of what we do and what we get involved with, the type of projects. You could be working on a Crop Sprayer one day and the next you could be working with large Gen Sets. This is what makes it very interesting - the variety of organisations we work with. Now let’s talk a little about your life away from KTR. Do you have a family at home? Yes, I have been married 22 years this year and I have two beautiful twin daughters who are 14 in June. They are a huge part of my life and make everything worthwhile. I have an excellent family and am very lucky to have them What is your favourite part about being a father? They keep me young to be honest. We started having a family quite late in life and the kids are now at an age where they are involved in the latest music and movie scenes. They keep me on my toes with technology as I am not always the best with those types of things. My daughters are very switched on. Sometimes I will do Power Point presentations, they will come in and suggest that I include different things like music or some animation. It really surprises me to think how knowledgeable they are about those things. They definitely keep me on my toes, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Do you have any special hobbies at home? Yes, I am really, really good at losing golf balls, I think I am the best in Sheffield. I truly enjoy golfing and love to play when I get the chance. Tell me something about yourself that may surprise somebody? I enjoy cake decorating. I do not do it all that often, but my mom used to do it for years and years, and my two daughters have kind of taken it up themselves. They are quite good at it. Each year they enter a cake decorating competition at school, which they generally win it. So, at times I will try to help them a little, I have learnt that I am quite good at making roses and I am quite good at piping. I am pretty sure if I told my mates at the golf society that they would take the mickey out of me. What would be your most amazing adventure to go on? Before we had the girls, my wife and I took a year off and we went backpacking. Which was something we always wanted to do. We travelled east to places such as Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and we spent 3 months in India. It was an amazing adventure to go on, one I will never forget. I think Vietnam would have had to be the most amazing spot I had seen. It was just spectacular, the country side, the history with the Vietnam War and just the people. The people are so friendly and have got nothing but will give you everything. It’s quite an amazing culture. I have always loved riding bikes and used to do it a lot more than I do now. I always dream of doing the Route 66 sort of thing. Just taking a Harley and enjoying the open road and all the sites. What is your favourite music group? I would have to say Foo Fighters and Journey, which are from my younger days. One of my biggest regrets is that I never got the chance to see Journey, when Steve Perry was the lead singer. What is it you like to do after work to just relax? I love to have a glass of wine or a cold beer. I am doing dry January right now, which unfortunately I have failed miserably at. Me and the wife had a bottle of wine between us. Ah well, there is always next January! I also enjoy picking up the guitar and playing some songs myself. I can’t say I play it the way it should be played but it is something I enjoy doing in some relaxing time at home. What do you feel everyone should do once in their life? To be honest, I think people should travel, it really opens your eyes to different cultures, different religions. At times we tend to be slightly biased with our way of life but when you are actually living with these people you tend to see life from a different perspective. It helps you look at your life from a different point of view, your work routine and the things you do every day. It’s nice to take yourself outside of the everyday and see what else this world and other people have to offer. Sometimes you realise you do not need to have a flashy car, the biggest house. You really see what is important in life. Leave me with one quote, what would it be? “Carpe Diem” …. Enough said!

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