My Yorkshire: Michael Ord, new business and marketing director at Qualsys

Michael Ord is new business and marketing director at Qualsys, a Sheffield-based quality management software provider with BT, Honeywell and Sodexo among their customers.

Where do you live/where are you from?

Fulwood, Sheffield.

What is your favourite place to visit in Yorkshire and why?

The best thing about where I live is that the Peak District is just outside my door and the center of Sheffield is within walking distance. I can go climbing, biking, or walking at any time.

What is still on your “to do” list in the region?

Spend more time exploring the Dales.

What is the most memorable meal you’ve ever had in Yorkshire?

Too many to single just one out! In Sheffield, it depends on the occasion; from Street Food Chef, the best burrito outside of Mexico City.  You can never go wrong at Ashoka on Ecclesall Road or Pizzas at Proove in Broomhill. At work we try to finish early on a Friday to head to Cutlery Works for a Pho Bowl and a Lukas (craft ale).
These days I spend most my spare time in wellies in the park; so child and dog friendly is the name of the game – had plenty of memorable, cold and windy Sundays with family and friends in the Wagon and Horses at Millhouses.
We are blessed in having the Peaks on our doorstep. If I close my eyes, my favourite memories all involved picnics watching the sunset overlooking surprise view. My girls (wife and two young daughters) sharing their sandwiches with the dogs and wiping away cake and banana with an old glove…

What is your most Yorkshire trait?

Owning a whippet. Putting Henderson’s on everything.

Favourite piece of trivia about the region.

The oldest professional football club in the World in Sheffield, founded in 1857.
And if Yorkshire was a country, it would have come twelfth in the last Olympics!

What is your favourite cultural icon to come out of Yorkshire?

Jarvis Cocker

Worst experience or thing about Yorkshire?

Despite worthy efforts from public bodies, retail is really struggling in city centres across the region. To be fair, I think this a global trend, but unlike Leeds, Manchester and London who have large urban populations, much of Yorkshire is a ‘collection of villages’ who are pretty self-sufficient but don’t have the purchasing power to support a thriving retail centre. I think the future will see smaller, more residential-focused city centres surrounded by logistics centres for e-commerce. Actually, that may be a good thing as when rents fall the quirky independent scenes will flourish, much like Kelham Island is doing in Sheffield at the moment.

What is one thing you’d steal from Lancashire (or other UK regions) if you could?

Premier League football team! As a county we are woefully under-represented – hopefully next year we will have two more teams in the top division.

What is the most overrated thing about Yorkshire?

Nowt! If anything, we are too depreciating and that has held us back in the past.