In any business, no matter how successful, it’s easy to forget the men and women who have dedicated years of service to their company. All too often, long term employees are relied upon for their skills but rarely celebrated.
At Expertec, we don’t do that.
In fact, we’re here today to celebrate!
Our Sales Team Leader, Rod Ridewood, is celebrating his ten-year work anniversary this year and we decided to put the spotlight on him, so to speak. In addition to being one of two team members that are celebrating ten years’ service with Expertec, this is Rod’s first job! That’s right – Expertec hired Rod right out of school. It looks like he might be here to stay!
Back in those days, Rod wore a lot of hats. Installations, marketing, sales, purchasing, you name it, Rod did it. As a matter of fact, most of the time, he did it before he was asked to – simply jumping in and solving a challenge. The irony is the work ethic that made Rod successful in those days is the same one that now allows him to so easily grasp the many nuances of our business from all points of view. His experience makes it easy to envision how a truck or van can be outfitted to perform to the standards a customer needs and how long such an installation will take allows Rod and his team to provide a solution and a schedule that works for his customers.
After a decade of service, what keeps Rod coming back? After all, in this highly digital age, seasoned professionals seem to come and go. What is it about Expertec that has inspired Rod to stay with one employer for his working career?
“Simple, I love the culture and the team we’ve created. Over the years, I’ve been able to help the company to expand and grow and, in that time, I’ve also been able to create hundreds of relationships – with clients, vendors, and even the people I work with. It’s more than a company, it’s a family and not every business can say that about themselves.”
Rod continued, “At the same time, there’s also an element of excitement, taking an empty, bone-stock vehicle and transforming it into one that is so perfectly suited for the job our customer needs. The creativity that we, as a team, use to take from idea to reality – it’s just fun!”
Now, after a decade of service, Rod Ridewood is looking forward to the next 10 years. “One of the biggest pieces for me is envisioning how big we can grow Expertec. Not only in terms of the geography, but in terms of how we broaden our products. We’re seeing revolutionary changes in the industry with respect to connectivity and remote working and we’re seeing companies explore old ideas in radical new ways. Honestly, it’s a great time to be in this industry and in our region.”
In the coming years, Rod’s goals include the continued expansion of Expertec throughout western Canada as the premier outfitter and upfitter of vehicles for the trades and fleets.
People like Rod Ridewood exemplify long term service in companies like Expertec. They are not only critical to the success of any business; their hard work is appreciated immensely.
Thank you Rod, for all you’ve done, and we look forward to the next ten years!
