‘I’ve been blessed to work with fantastic people, and I will miss them all greatly’
Two long serving leaders at a Hull manufacturer have called time on their careers after spending close to a century at the business. John Glanville and Debbie Skalli are looking forward to a well-earned rest as they bring down the curtain on nine decades at Ideal Heating.
John, Ideal’s chief information officer, first joined the business in 1977 as a computer operator and, over the course of nearly five decades, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the firm’s technology strategy. From pioneering the adoption of mobile communications, to spearheading advancements in cloud computing and artificial intelligence, he has positioned Ideal at the forefront of technological innovation.
Meanwhile, Debbie, Ideal’s HR director has spent 41 years with the firm, helping to support the progression of countless employees. They will both be succeeded by promoted colleagues.
Reminiscing on his past 48 years at Ideal, John joked that his career almost ended as quickly as it began, when he unknowingly parked his car in the space of a senior colleague on his very first day.
He said: “In my interview, I was asked to load a tape into one of the computer room tape drives. I failed the test! Luckily, they looked beyond that, saw something in me, and I got the job in the Computer Operations department.
“I was fascinated by technology and problem solving and have been very fortunate throughout my career to have been involved in some amazing advancements and innovations. This job has also taken me to America, India, Belgium, France and beyond. I’m incredibly grateful for that.
“I’ve seen so many milestones – from staff receiving mobile phones, and the introduction of cloud-based IT, to more recently the introduction of AI. The challenging opportunities have always been there for me.
“Whenever I’m asked what has kept me here for almost 50 years, it’s a really simple answer – it’s the people. The people I’ve worked with have been amazing and I’d like to thank each and every one of them for their support and guidance over the years. I’ve been blessed to work with fantastic people, and I will miss them all greatly.”
In his retirement, he says he will enjoy more time to spend with his family and on his hobbies – from playing the piano and sailing, to motorcycling, tinkering with cars, and playing golf.
Fellow retiree Debbie’s introduction to Ideal came through her father Terry Howells, who was formerly the company’s technical director. After starting out in the health and safety team, she completed professional qualifications and progressed to become health and safety manager. She transferred to lead the learning and development programme, and then moved to HR before becoming responsible for all three disciplines.
She said: “Ideal Heating was a very different place when I joined the company. Back in my early days, the company was just focused on boilers. We had two foundries and associated machine shops, making cast iron and aluminium castings, a large steel press plant, assembly lines with overhead conveyors, a blacksmiths shop and crate-makers.
“Over 40 years, the shape of our business has changed. Significant investment has been made on site, transforming the working environment.
“When you look at our product portfolio today, and the technologies we now have across the Groupe Atlantic UK Division, it really has been a remarkable evolution. John and myself have been a small part of the story at Ideal, but we’ve seen some of the biggest changes in the company’s history.”
“My time at Ideal Heating has, quite simply, been a lot of fun. My career has been diverse and this is a business that never stands still so it is always interesting, challenging and rewarding.”
“In the end though, it is the people I have worked with that have kept me here. I have worked with a very special team of people and wish them all the very best for the future.”
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