Getting To Know You TSS Manager
Getting To Know You
By Tammy James, Senior Marketing Executive, December 2019
Welcome to the Fourth edition of our monthly 'Getting To Know You' features, celebrating the diversity and wide range of skills and expertise within Nuaire. This month Tony Breen, TSS Manager of 30 year's faces our tricky Quizmaster...
What do you do at Nuaire and in what circumstances would someone come to you for something?
I’m the manager of the Test Support Service department. The team and I test products under development as well as existing products, allowing us to provide the technical data to the business for use in literature and fan selector, amongst other things. I am also proud to represent Nuaire on many UK organisations, including the Fan Manufacturers Association and, Smoke Control Association. I am a member of several BSI committees, European committees, working groups and I’m also the current chair of the ISO TC117 group.
Do you enjoy representing Nuaire at an industry level?
I do, it makes it more exciting! I started in 1992 when I helped to write the first standard on noise testing of fan coils and it developed from there. I was a very active member of the FMA, subsequently became chairman of the SCA and then joined the UK Fan Committee (MCE/17). I was later asked to be chairman of MCE/C17 and the international committee in 2014. It certainly keeps me busy!
Who has influenced you most when it comes to your approach to work?
There was a Russian called Stakhanovite, who was a celebrated coal miner. His incredible work records set an example for other workers in the Soviet Union. If you were a Stakhanovite, you were known as exceptionally hard-working, productive and consistent, which is what I strive to be.
Can you tell us about a work-related accomplishment that you’re proud of?
It was my involvement in the Type D development. It was a brand new lab, it allowed us to test axial fans, and we achieved AMCA certification for the first time.
What is the biggest misconception about your position?
That I don’t do very much! We walk into a locked building with restricted access. There is a lack of knowledge of what goes on in the test lab once the doors are closed. That being said, we welcome visitors to tour the facility, whether they are internal staff or our customers.
Who inspires you?
My daughters.
…and wife, of course!
If you could swap places with anyone in Nuaire, who would it be?
I’ve got the best office in Nuaire (apparently). I am quite happy and content where I am.
What’s the most challenging thing you’ve worked on during your time here?
Keeping the department running as efficiently as we can, especially with the increased requirement for new product testing, witness testing and one-off client-specific tests
You’ve worked here for over 30 years! What is the best thing about working at Nuaire?
The sense of community.
