Testimonial from Jean-Marie BONTEMS
Director Infrastructure Unit
"I finished my electromechanical studies on the 30th of June, 1976; on the 17th of August that year, I started my career as a fitter in TEI, one of the three companies that gave birth to Technord. Today, I have a dual role: I manage contacts with our customers for electrical installations, and I lead five operational teams - some fifty people in total - in infrastructure."
My boss trusted in me
"My boss trusted me. Few months after being hired, I started evening classes to have a diploma in electromechanics - automation track, with his encouragement - at that time, the company specialised in electricity, but the automation domain interested the director. Then, I became a designer in the research department, then project manager before heading up the research department."
An extraordinary adventure
"What followed was an extraordinary adventure. The company diversified itself. It took risks in adopting new technologies. It invested, recruited and trained people. And management's vision, coupled with a mutual enthusiasm and trust, led the company to where it is today. We now have technical references that we would never have imagined 20 years ago. This is a source of pride and development for all the team members."
A challenge and a passion
"In the meantime, I became sales manager, then TEI administrator. Getting orders was always a challenge and a passion for me, whether it was in advanced or traditional applications. Selling a small circuit breaker to a friend at a barbecue rejoice me as much as signing a new big project !" (laughs)
Learn and move ahead
"Today, the adventure continues. The company continues to invest in new technologies, without losing its friendliness and its good mood. It is something I have always appreciated here: the confidence. The right to make a mistake. If there is a problem, we do not seek out the guilty party: we go deeper to find the cause and put a procedure in place in order to avoid relapses. This is how you learn. This is what allows you to take a chance, show your willingness to do something well. To help the company to move forward and to move forward with it."
