Background and Career
Tony was fairly late into IT. He spent the first few years after leaving school working in the construction industry. At the time, it was what all his school friends did, so he decided to follow suit. So if you need an extension built, please don’t give him a call. In fact, for anyone local to Sheffield, the Meadowhall Shopping Centre was the last construction site Tony worked on in 1990.
Like most industries in the early ’90s, construction was hit hard by the recession. So for a few years, Tony worked as a croupier in a local casino in Sheffield. The plan was to work in Vegas or perhaps on cruise ships, but unfortunately, this never materialised. During this time, he discovered an interest in computing, so he decided at the age of 24 to take the brave step of moving back into education. After a couple of years, he eventually graduated from Sheffield Hallam with an HND in Computing and was fortunate enough, through the word of a close friend, to secure a year’s placement with a local systems integrator. This placement turned into a permanent position, and that’s where he cut his teeth working in software development on turnkey solutions within the steel, power, and oil and gas industries.
Evolving Landscape
The process control industry can at times be a stressful environment to work within. After just a few years, Tony would be responsible for leading teams in the design, development, testing, and commissioning of systems across various industry sectors. This often meant late nights and prolonged periods away from home. Something had to change, and Tony was fortunate to secure a position within a large multinational company with offices close to his home, working on what was at the time cutting-edge technology in the shape of .NET and BizTalk Server 2004. Everything beyond that is pretty much a blur, but it’s fair to say that Tony has been embedded within the integration space since the early noughties all the way through to the current day.
Live to work
It’s fair to say that outside of work, Tony likes to keep himself both mentally and physically fit. Given the area in which he lives, there’s plenty of access to the great outdoors. All of his family, partner Karen, and children Lewis and Francesca enjoy getting out of the door. They can often be found either walking or cycling within Derbyshire or the surrounding areas. After which, a spot of lunch at a local pub provides the perfect way to end the day.
Unfortunately, last year (2024) Tony was involved in a serious accident while out on his bike. Several broken ribs and a punctured lung meant he had to spend a number of months recovering at home. This was particularly difficult for him to manage both physically and mentally, but thankfully, with the support of family, friends, and work colleagues, by October he had fully recovered and was able to beat Alistair at their traditional Scottish golf break. Trust me, that’s no mean achievement.
2024 also saw Tony finally conquer his fear of flying. Yes, I know, we have all tried to explain how safe air travel is ☹. This meant he was able to enjoy a 10-day break in Gran Canaria with his long-suffering partner, Karen. The first time the pair of them have ventured abroad together since the 1990s. Hopefully, they can now start to explore a few more exotic places in and around the globe…
To learn more about the people and stories shaping arrt, explore our previous Spotlight On features with Steve and Alejandra, and keep an eye out for future editions highlighting inspiring individuals both within and beyond the company. You can also visit our news page for updates on our latest projects and team highlights.
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