This is the first in a series of interviews with DesignSpark members, picked at random (almost) by the DesignSpark management team. First on the block is markm or Mark McMorran, as he's known in the real world, CEO/CFO of Cyclone Industries in Loughborough.
DS: What do Cyclone Industries do?
MM: We manufacture IT solutions for Schools and Colleges. Our core business is the product ‘Live Register’ which is a Biometric system and can be used for Attendance, Cashless Catering, Access Control and Application Logon. We also develop software for scanning documents into SIMS (a popular school MIS).
DS: What does your role at Cyclone Industries involve?
MM: As the Managing Director it might be easier to answer the question ‘What doesn’t your role involve?’. The main part of my time is sales support which would be anything from visiting potential customers and showing them the product through to end user training. I also like to be in control so do all my own bookkeeping and accounts. We are a small company so no one gets to say I won’t do that!
DS: What do you hope to get from DesignSpark and why is it relevant to you?
MM: I hope to get some advice from people when I reach my limit of understanding in electronics. My background is software but from time to time we have to develop hardware solutions to either create a new device or to bring a project in on budget. In the past we have designed boards to integrate our cashless catering system with vending machines which use a non RS232 protocol (9 bit – yuk) so we designed a converter to interface with a standard RS232 port on our embedded PC.
DS: What do you feel you bring to DesignSpark?
MM: I now have a good understanding of the process of PCB design and manufacture – I can create my own board layouts and gerber files for production. I also have a good understanding of the Atmel SOCs which I may be able to use in assisting someone just starting out.
DS: When you're not at work, does engineering/design play any part in your downtime?
MM: I was going to say no. Then I realised I’m spending a lot of spare time building a Victorian style greenhouse to my own design. My wood-working skills are definitely improving.
DS: Can you give me one interesting fact about yourself that you think might surprise us?
MM: Apart from the third nipple… Only kidding. I used to want to be an airline pilot and flew solo in a Cessna before I passed my driving test [for cars].
DS: What is the square root of minus 1?
MM: Aha. +i and -i
DS: Is there anything I have forgotten to ask you or anything else you would like to add to this interview?
MM: How far can you run into a forest?
Mark Cundle
To echo Dave's comments, thanks for being the first candidate for a grilling.
Oh and in answer to your last question...halfway (then you start running out again!).
David Tarrant
Mark, thanks for being brave enough to be the first to be interviewed. It's interesting how many engineers are into planes. I too wanted to be a pilot when I was kid and flew solo in a powered (Venture) glider when I was 16. Exams and life then came along and I only drive four wheels solo now!