At TDE, we enjoy getting to know our people, not just their jobs. In the first of a series of employee interviews, we met with Heat Exchanger Business Lead Trevor Ward, as he described his ‘Day in the Life’ both on the job and off.

I’m originally from Fort Vermilion, a small town in northern Alberta. I joined the TDE team in November of 2021, and have been in the industry since 1995, working specifically with heat exchangers.

After graduating high school in Athabasca, I attended SAIT where I earned diplomas in Aeronautical Engineering Technology and Mechanical Engineering Technology. I was lucky enough to land my first job right out of school at Exchanger Industries in Calgary, Alberta.

Getting an early start

I always like to arrive at work early. In my current position with TDE, I’m usually at the office by 6:30 a.m. so that I can get up to speed with emails, plan my day and co-ordinate activities for my team.

I work out of our Heat Exchanger Machine shop, where we share space with the purchasing group. I really enjoy my co-workers, as they are a fun group of quality people who bring a special energy to our building. I think I’d really miss them if we someday moved to separate digs.

At our shop, we prepare and drill out components that are then shipped to the fabrication shop for assembly. The work we do is very dynamic, the tasks changing almost hourly. It’s one of the aspects of my job I enjoy the most because no two days are ever the same. I can be working on mechanical designs one minute and wearing safety boots helping in the shop the next.

Something I particularly admire about working for TDE is the opportunity for growth. You get to utilize your full skill set, and your thoughts, ideas, and what you bring to the team are valued. It also feels good to work with a company that is so innovative and dedicated to sustainability and the environment. Historically, the use of heat exchangers is not very environmentally friendly, so I especially appreciate the company’s forward-thinking, utilizing heat exchanger technology in carbon capture projects, green initiatives like wood rendering and as a means of gaining gases for use in alternative energy solutions.

Mentors showed the way

Throughout my career I’ve always had people to look up to and learn from. When I worked in Calgary I received invaluable guidance from Peter Martens, who encouraged me to put pen to paper when solving problems.

I also love the work-life balance that working for TDE provides. With two young daughters and a new puppy, our home’s a busy place. We enjoy sporting pursuits; my daughters are involved in Tae Kwon Do and swimming classes.

Aside from that, I’ve always enjoyed woodworking, and we’ve been building a cottage near the town of Rochester where we can retreat for weekends and holidays. We’re also planning a road trip to Disney World in Florida. I expect it’s going to be an interesting 5-day journey getting there by car.

Living your core values

TDE’s core values resonate with me both professionally and personally. Our safety culture is extremely important to me, reinforced by my own early experience of being suspended in a harness 26 feet in the air. You might say my safety awareness was ‘heightened’ by that experience! If I could describe the TDE culture in one word, it would be integrity. It aligns perfectly with my personal convictions of living up to what you say and being true to oneself.

Life is good, work is good. Looking back over the course of my career, If I were to leave a message for my younger self I would say ‘keep focused’. I’ve found that’s the key to achieving success in most everything, both in work and in life.