Our People

At the heart of SMS are the people who help us provide a world class service. We believe that the future of SMS is down to the people behind the scenes making sure deadlines and business objectives are met.

Meet Our Management Team

James DinnageEngineer Manager (South)

I first joined SMS in 2002, and have been with the company for over 18 years. My main responsibilities are overseeing the water PPM teams (South) with help from the supervisors and also working closely with the Account Managers, HR and Directors.
I'm a plumber by trade, and carry out various PPM tasks for the company. I also help run a large contract in Reading and help ensure all the engineers based from the Harwell office are trained to the high standards that the company demands.

When off duty

James "enjoys" supporting Everton if he's not out with the family
Millie SandfordService Delivery Manager

After a career in education, I joined the company in February 2023 working in the coordination team, and quickly fell in love with the work and the company culture. I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about the business and its operations, gaining valuable insights into the coordination and support aspect of the company. I later returned in 2024 as the Service Delivery Manager, managing a team of nine individuals.

When off duty

Millie loves keeping up with politics, and listening to Taylor Swift!
Lee Bainbrigge Chief Marketing & Sales Officer

I joined the company in 2014 as a Business Development Manager, focusing on sales and marketing to drive growth. I identified market opportunities, built client relationships, and collaborated on marketing strategies, enhancing my understanding of customer needs. My efforts contributed to the company’s growth from 80 to 230 employees, boosting sales and brand visibility. Promoted to Chief Marketing and Sales Officer, I now lead the development of strategies aligned with company objectives, leverage data-driven insights to strengthen our market position.

When off duty

Lee can be found watching or playing sports and creating art
Karen FullerTalent Manager

I joined in April 2023 as Talent Partner, responsible for talent acquisition and employer branding. As we experienced rapid growth and business boomed, I was promoted to Talent Manager. I now head up leadership development programmes, enhancing talent management strategies and strengthening our employer brand. As a leader in talent acquisition and talent development, I am passionate about championing the hiring of top talent, promoting career growth, and elevating the industry’s capabilities. My work enables me to highlight the incredible expertise of our professionals in the water industry.

When off duty

Karen loves spending time with her family & friends, travelling the world, and caring for the 2 horses they look after.
John MeeAssessor Technical Manager

SMS employed me in 2013 to carry out Legionella Risk Assessments that were part of national contracts, in the Midlands/North of England and Scotland. The workload in the region grew quickly and soon SMS Midlands was born, which I now manage. I also manage the Legionella Risk Assessment Department following SMS's UKAS accreditation.
I am trained and experienced in LRA of cooling towers and swimming/spa pools. SMS carry UKAS accreditation to ISO:17020 for these which I manage and maintain.

When off duty

John prefers to be on two wheels
Jordan AllsopRegional Manager - Midlands and North

I joined SMS Environmental in 2013 as an engineer, responsible for carrying out onsite maintenance. We then opened our Midlands office, which required a coordinator to schedule and book engineers' works, along with carrying out general office duties so I decided to have a change of scenery. Then, offering more of a challenge and progress and after some additional training, I took on the role of Regional Manager/Account Manager for the region.

When off duty

Jordan likes to wander the hills with her pooches
Gavin HarrisManaging Director

I joined in 2003 as an engineer, and got my hands dirty again, having moved from a sales role. Once I'd got my old skills back I was out of the van and back in the shiny shoes. I progressed to sales manager, I then progressed to Sales Director where I had the opportunity to further my education with a DBA at Henley Management College. I had the opportunity to become a shareholder which in light of the fact sales were flying in I took. I'm now MD and I'm proud of unique company culture we maintain despite the increasing growth year on year.

When off duty

Gavin enjoys coaching his local juniors football team
Toby MaddoxChief Operations Officer

I joined the company in 2007 as a trainee engineer and within that time I have carried out various job roles within the company including, engineer, senior engineer, risk assessor, account manager and now area manager. Now my main responsibilities are to look after various key accounts within the company and manage a team of account managers.
I have managed compliance within the healthcare, local authorities, councils, housing associations, schools and universities sectors.

When off duty

Toby enjoys a bit of footie or swinging his clubs
Mike CrookCEO

I joined in 2011, following a Masters degree, sponsored by SMS, in Water and Wastewater Engineering. My role has always focussed on Account Management. I have been involved in a number of high profile projects for our clients to deliver safe and sustainable solutions to Legionella control and water hygiene issues, as well as providing comprehensive training courses in Legionella Control and Water Hygiene Management. I joined the Board in 2016 and since then my role has included the management of operations across all our offices in the UK.

When off duty

Mike likes spreading the word on Country Music, which is slowly but surely taking over our offices across the Country!
Paul CarriganBusiness Development Executive

I joined the company in September 2018. My objectives were to establish and grow SMS operations across Scotland. I'm please to say that in a short space of time the engineering team continues to increase along with out capacity to fulfil works and with the increase in long terms contracts the length and breadth of Scotland. We've won contracts in every sector but in particular within FM and local authorities who demand the attention to service delivery we can provide.

When off duty

Paul plays drums in a band, swims to keep fit and watches football.
Stuart GrantRegional Manager - Scotland

I have recently joined SMS as a Regional Manager and will lead operations throughout Scotland. I bring 17 years industry experience to the already excellent SMS Scotland team; from risk assessing to head of operations via customer service and technical management. I am very proud of my people and account management skills and aim to establish a flourishing region through client and contract growth with a talented, efficient and happy team.

When off duty

Stuart spends his time with his family, reading, watching the footie and keeping up with Scottish politics.
Paul GeraldieRegional Manager - North East

I’m thrilled to introduce myself as the new regional manager at SMS Environmental. Building relationships with both staff and customers is at the heart of my approach. I truly believe that strong connections lead to successful collaborations and better results for everyone involved. My passion for what I do drives me each day, and I’m committed to fostering a positive and productive environment.

When off duty

Paul spends most of his time with his family, and watching his local football team Sunderland FC.
Jason PhilipRegional Manager Wales and South West

I oversee regional operations, focusing on exceptional service and effective team management. With over a decade of industry experience, covering service delivery, risk identification and contract management, I am dedicated to driving growth and maintaining top-quality client relationships. Despite being with SMS for a short time, I am committed to upholding our high-quality service standards and exceeding client expectations.

When off duty

Jason spends time with his family and friends, tackling DIY projects, playing football and making regular trips to London to watch Arsenal, as a season ticket holder. #COYG
John LeesDirector

I joined SMS in 2008 as a HVAC engineer, quickly taking on the management of the department and developing it to quadruple revenue, progressing to board member in 2014, since then i have continued to support all areas of the business in a technical and project delivery capacity and am accountable for several departments within the organisation, currently focussing on developing the water treatment division nationally and working with the teams to maintain our high engineering quality and standards across all disciplines.

When off duty

John enjoys family time including our one eyed Rottweiler X, Roomer. And enjoy learning new things, i have a pathological hatred for DIY but seem to end up doing a lot of it!

Our Success Is Thanks To Our People

If you’ve experienced services delivered by other providers before SMS Environmental, you’ll instantly recognise a difference to our approach. Our staff are committed to maintaining long term partnerships and go the extra mile to deal with any request. And, for the peace of mind you deserve, we offer transparent ways to track the progress and quality of any service we provide.

In the beginning....

John Sandford CMIOSH and Nick Hearn founded the company in 2001 with the simple vision of establishing a company that delivered on a first class service through the quality of product and the professionalism of their employees.

John has since become a chartered occupational health and safety consultant, headed up the SMS Risk Assessment team and led SMS to become the 1st full service provider to gain UKAS Accreditation to ISO17020 (UKAS Accreditation Number - 8563) for Legionella Risk Assessment. He has undertaken the UKAS Assessors and Lead Assessors course to enable external auditing of any health and safety management system.

Nick continues to play a leading role in the development of the SMS engineering team and has become a passionate advocate of improved training in the industry, committing SMS to the Watersafe scheme and developing educational partnerships to deliver practical training facilities to staff and the wider public.

Investing in our future

At the heart of SMS is the people who help us provide world class services. We understand as a business that the future of SMS is the people behind the scenes making sure deadlines and business objectives are met. Our engineers work tirelessly every day and make sure our customers are happy and satisfied with the services that we offer. This is why we heavily invest in the people who make the organisation successful because they are the future of our company.

An organisation's culture will influence human behaviour and human performance at work. Poor safety culture has contributed to many major incidents and personal injuries.

Health & Safety Executive - http://www.hse.gov.uk/humanfactors/topics/culture.htm

Combining smart people with smart technology, SMS offers an intelligent, transparent and competent service. We strive to see things from our customers' point of view and put ourselves in their shoes.

If you think you might like to join us at SMS please visit our careers page for the latest vacancies and details on how to apply.

SMS Careers

Q3 Core Value Champions

August 2024

Be Human Champion: Tommy Morrison Legionella Risk Assessor

About Be Human Champion: Tommy

Tommy is a Legionella Risk Assessor at SMS Environmental, and an integral part of the workforce.

This Person is Featured Because...

Tommy demonstrated the importance of empathy and human connection in the workplace. While performing his duties as a Legionella Risk Assessor, Tommy took time out of his busy schedule to support a tenant in need. His willingness to go beyond his job responsibilities and offer assistance during a difficult time exemplifies the core value of being human and making meaningful connections. Tommy's actions highlight the impact of kindness and care in fostering a positive community and workplace environment.

August 2024

Excellence winner: Tom Maybury Account Manager

About Excellence winner: Tom

Tom is an Account Manager at SMS Environmental, and is a very valued team member!

This Person is Featured Because...

Tom's commitment to excellence shines through in everything he does. During a recent site visit for a prospective client, an employee at the site expressed their admiration for Tom's professionalism and the thoroughness of the information provided. Tom’s attention to detail and his ability to deliver clear, helpful insights left a lasting impression on the client, reinforcing SMS Environmental’s reputation for excellence. His attitude towards consistently delivering high-quality service is a model for all.

August 2024

Going Above Winner: Phil Cockcroft Water Treatment Supervisor

About Going Above Winner: Phil

Phil is a Water Treatment Supervisor and manages a team of water treatment engineers.

This Person is Featured Because...

Phil truly exemplifies the spirit of going above and beyond. When faced with a critical workload in his region, Phil made the selfless decision to cancel his holiday to ensure all necessary work was completed on time. His dedication to his role and commitment to his team is truly commendable, demonstrating his unwavering responsibility and dedication to the company’s mission. Phil's actions ensured that the high standards of SMS Environmental were upheld, even under challenging circumstances.

August 2024

Finding the One Percents: Aarti Kahlon Invoicing Coordinator

About Finding the One Percents: Aarti

Aarti is our Invoicing Coordinator, and looks after client invoicing. She is an integral part of the finance team.

This Person is Featured Because...

Aarti has shown exceptional initiative and innovation in her role as Invoicing Coordinator. When faced with invoicing challenges for a client, Aarti took it upon herself to identify the issues, research potential solutions, and develop a formal proposal to resolve them. She not only presented her solution to the client but also provided ongoing support throughout the implementation process. Aarti's proactive approach has strengthened client relationships and showcased her ability to think creatively and act independently to solve complex problems.