Meet Diane Gardner, the managing director of a company which deals in recycling.
Mrs Gardner spends her days surrounded by trucks, waste paper and heavy machinery on a factory site. It’s a man’s world, but it’s a world Mrs Gardner has conquered.
WN Security Shredding, based on Shifnal Industrial Estate, was set up 25 years ago. Mrs Gardner has been working at the family-run business since 1996 and has been MD since 2007.
She said: “When I took over there were a few things I wanted to change, a few processes I wanted to put in place.
“Now when people come into the yard they are amazed and say you can tell there is a woman managing director because everywhere is so tidy.
“We have all our certificates on the wall and they are in order of when we achieved them, we have all the accreditation we need in this industry and even those we don’t need, we go above and beyond so we can show how important this is to us and we are doing it properly.
“This was just my priority, one of my goals. I think it is vital.
“It is appreciated by people. People look at the office, see our certificates and just say ‘wow’.”
The firm provides security shredding for all types and size of business. Shredded paper goes to be recycled into kitchen roll and toilet paper but it also recycles cardboard.
It has seven employees, one of which is Mrs Gardner’s son Scott. Her husband Dennis has retired but is still a director and often pops by the business.
Although most are men, over the years there have been female employees and currently Scott’s fiancee Chantelle Price works part time while completing an apprenticeship.
Scott, 31 of Ketley Bank, said: “Bar one job I have always had female leaders so it’s not really been any different for me.
“Working with my mum is no problem, we do have arguments but we have both got the same common goals.
“It is not just someone I work for. It is the business which we both want to drive forward so we work well together, it is a shared passion.”
A large number of staff members changed when Mrs Gardner took over. She wanted to make sure that all staff were able to do all the jobs, if they are in the factory they need to be able to drive the trucks or vans as well.
And her all round approach, she believes, has helped establish a good relationship with employees.
“We are all friends, we all get on,” she added.
“It is not a ‘you will do what I say’ situation, we work together and if there is an issue we talk it through.
“If someone stood there shouting at me I would not engage with it, but if we talk it through I’m more responsive.”
But this is not a job Mrs Gardner ever saw herself in. The former Business Studies student at Telford College of Arts and Technology had a varied working life as a sub postmistress with her own shop in the village of Preston-upon-the-Wealdmoors on the edge of Telford. She then became a secretary at the village school before moving on to Shirehall to work for Shropshire County Council.
She said: “I didn’t ever see myself as a managing director of a company.
“It just shows where life can take you and I love my job now, I wouldn’t change it for the world.
“I don’t really think of this as a man’s industry, it is just work and where I love going each day and helping people to be secure and abiding by data protection law.
“I have learnt so much since starting here and I look forward to new experiences and challenges each day.”
Since launching in 1989 WN Security Shredding has helped businesses in a culture of identity theft and fraud, it takes the worry out of disposing of confidential waste.
And because of that, you need someone you can trust.
Mrs Gardner has built up an experienced, accredited, trusted and efficient security shredding company. It makes you wonder if being a woman has helped her succeed as much as she has. After all, would a man run the business in the same way?
Editor is the team behind Love Shrewsbury keeping you up to date with news and events.
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