Splashtacular Spotlight - Drew Ford

At Splashtacular, we are fortunate to have a dynamic, talented group of individuals working for our waterslide company. We believe that our employees are more than just employees of our waterslide company, they are family. 

Our team works hard day in and day out to help bring top of the line equipment and rides to waterparks across the country and they deserve to be recognized for their efforts. We will be sharing a Splashtacular Spotlight once a quarter to acknowledge our team’s hard work and help you get to know us as more than just a waterslide company.

Today, we are introducing you to our sales manager, Drew Ford. Drew has been with us for just shy of a year and has been a fantastic addition to the Splashtacular team. Drew is an energetic, passionate member of our waterslide company and we count ourselves lucky that he decided to join our family. 

Below Drew shares a glimpse into his life at Splashtacular and beyond!

Current Residence: Currently living in Louisburg, KS, and renovating our future family home

Splashtacular title: Sales Manager

How Long Have You Been With Splashtacular and What Initially Drew You In? I have been with Splashtacular since July 2019 so almost a full year. I started learning about Splash when I was working for a SaSS company; I was initially working with some of the team on project software. Those initial conversations really began the introduction and vetting process for both parties. The more I learned about Splashtacular, the more I loved what they were doing and became intrigued by the industry.

What does a day in life look like? I spend a lot of time digging into projects, making calls to potential or long-term partners, and trying to learn as much about the industry as possible. In my first year, I have learned that this industry and my role are contingent on relationship building and that is always at the forefront of what I am doing.

What is your favorite thing about working at Splashtacular? I love the people, both my internal team and the partners I have had the privilege to meet. It doesn’t hurt that my 7 and 10-year olds think what I do is pretty cool.

What is the most challenging part of your role? I think educating clients about certain specifics can be challenging. I spend a lot of time working through the value conversations and I like trying solutions that will balance their budget, expectations, and still deliver the most play value.

Where do you see Splashtacular in five years? I think we have built our reputation on a really solid footing by focusing on being Innovators of Fun and by being service-oriented. We are doing so much to advance our products and looking for ways to improve, that I think we only get bigger and better from here. I really love seeing our new approaches and new ways to create safe, immersive environments for patrons everywhere.

What is your best Splashtacular memory? This is an easy one! With only 90 days under my belt, I got to visit Hobbs, NM to see the CORE facility and participate in the NM Parks & Rec Conference. I was absolutely blown away by the facility and all the work that was done in the natatorium. I had seen a few pictures of this incredible facility, but they didn’t do it justice. The amazing effects in this facility really came to life when the parks team held their party in the natatorium. Our features and theming came alive with the music at the party; attendees and other project team members were able to enjoy their work firsthand and I loved being able to watch.

Three Words to Describe Splashtacular: Fun, Family, and Forward-Thinking

What was your first job ever? Fresh out of college I was working at a day reporting center meaning that people who were released from prison would come to see me and get hooked up to GPS monitoring. I learned a lot about humanity at that job and I am thankful to be working in this fun industry now.

Favorite Hobby: I own and run a karate studio which fills most of my free time. Teaching and working with my students is an incredibly humbling experience for me, it keeps me grounded and focused on self-improvement. 

Favorite Sports Team: I am a KU alum, so Jayhawks all the way. I’m also a big KC Chiefs and Royals fan as well.

Favorite Food: I will eat pretty much anything, but you can never go wrong with a burger and a beer.

One Fun Fact About Yourself: While in college I took a semester off to work my way through the resort industry in Jamaica. I spent a few months facilitating events and parties for resort guests while enjoying the island life. I made some incredible memories and learned a lot about what it means to focus on the end-user for any project or sales effort.