Staff Spotlight: Jozef Fečko

Our next staff spotlight episode focuses on Facilities Manager, Jozef Fečko.

Jozef was born in Poprad, Slovakia with skis on his feet. Working in the hospitality sector would have seemed a world away growing up for Jozef. He said, “If you are born in Poprad, a town that acts as a gateway to the mountains, you are thought to become a Skier or Ice Hockey player.

Despite Jozef’s current role, his path began on the slopes. Jozef spent most of his childhood winters in the mountains with his father working on a ski lift. When he was not on the slopes, Jozef was always around aircrafts due to his father being a pilot. It is still a lifelong dream of Jozef’s to become a pilot. “Maybe when my children grow up, I would love to become a sports pilot”, he told us.

In his pastime, Jozef’s father would restore old wooden acrobatic gliders. In fact, a model that he restored called the LF-107 Lunak, was one of only 75 ever made. Together, with their restored gliders, they would travel around Europe attending vintage rallies every summer.

Jozef’s active lifestyle did not stop there. Jozef’s mother was a singer and Jozef learnt how to play the guitar so that they could perform together. He said “In all honesty, I learnt to play the guitar so I did not have to wash the dishes. This worked well, my mother washed the dishes and I played the guitar!”

As Jozef got older he began to compete in Acrobatic Skiing. Unfortunately, Jozef sustained an injury which did not allow him to Ski professionally anymore. Rather than resting on his laurels, Jozef picked up country dancing to keep himself active.

Academically, Jozef studied Hotel Management and Marketing. It was a young dream of his to become a hotel manager. Soon after Jozef decided the venture down a different path and chose to concentrate on the facilities side of hospitality instead.

Jozef moved to England in 2004, met his wife and they started a family. Jozef explained, “with my wife being Hungarian, myself being Slovakian and my children British, it felt right to make our home here”.

Jozef began life in England working in various hotels in many different roles including Bartender, Waiter, Receptionist and Auditor. After that Jozef worked within his local authority for 12 years before joining Roffey Park in 2018.

Jozef told us “The reason I applied for Roffey Park was due to a combination of my previous experiences and the skills learnt working in the Hospitality and Facilities sector. That is why when I saw the advert, I knew it was right for me.”

Jozef explained his role certainly keeps him on his toes, but that he thoroughly enjoys it. “My job is my hobby; every day is different. For example, this morning I started with a bit of plumbing, followed by helping on reception, then a bit of gardening and finishing up on the roof fixing a leak.”

It is the constant activity and variety of application that Jozef thrives off, in work and in leisure. If Jozef is not working then he is playing football with his children, trampolining, cycling and even seeking thrills on high-speed rollercoasters. It is this admirable energy, drive and positivity that has been a constant throughout Jozef’s life and is what makes him a vital part of the Roffey Park team.

Categorised in: Company News