Blair Pearce. Employee of the Year.

It’s always great to see someone’s success rewarded but when their reaction is also one of humility and gratitude, it’s even better. This was certainly the case when Blair Pearce was announced as Sullair Australia’s Employee of the Year for 2022. “It was a huge surprise because I just felt like I had been doing my job. You’re not really looking for gratification and praise every time you come to work, you’re just here to do your role and you hope you’re doing it right.” Of course, the Sullair Australia Senior Leadership Team felt differently and chose to recognise Blair as the employee who had gone the extra mile for the customer and consistently lived Sullair’s values of trust, respect, integrity, and a pioneering spirit.

Blair first started with Champion (now Sullair) in 2002 after completing a refrigeration mechanic apprenticeship in the late 90s. His first job was in marine refrigeration and air conditioning before finding out through word of mouth that Champion was looking for a Service Tech in the Brisbane office. “I was a Service Tech for about 4 or 5 years then went into a Service Business Consultant role for a couple of years after that, before moving into a Service Technician’s role in 2014.

“I knew the Service Manager at the time and because I knew the company, the products, and the business model it was an easy fit to come back”, explains Blair. He remained in this role until July 2020, when the Service Manager position in the Brisbane branch became available. “It’s a busy role and it’s definitely different and there’s always plenty to do”. Blair’s day-to-day involves all aspects of running the Brisbane branch. “It’s great when you’ve got a good team behind you and a good bond with everyone in the office. We’re all on the same page, we work together, and I believe if you treat everyone with respect equally you get that back”.

Blair feels very content in his position and sees himself staying in the role for some time. It’s a great company to work for and they really do look after you. Product development has changed a lot from when I started and it’s great to see what the Service Techs are working on now. It’s only going to get better with the newer machines and so on”. For now he’s focused on making sure the branch is running smoothly and everyone feels satisfied and engaged in their work. “I like the problem-solving side of things. Often the techs will come to me with issues and sometimes you get really curly problems to solve that make you think. When we all work together to nut it out and fix it, there’s a real feeling of accomplishment in the team”.