Meet Stuart Collier, IT Manager at Tentec, where he combines nearly three decades of experience with a hands-on approach to technology, helping drive innovation, automation, and digital transformation across the business.
Now that you've met Stuart, let's hear directly from him. From challenging misconceptions about IT management and embracing new technologies to developing award-winning retro video games in his spare time, Stuart shares the experiences, interests, and passions that have shaped his career.
So, Stuart can you tell us about your role, and what is a common misconception about it?
With 28 years at Tentec, this role goes far beyond the title of IT Manager. Combining deep technical knowledge with a strong understanding of business needs, the focus is on making systems work smarter for everyone.
From driving the company to a near 99% paperless environment to automating processes across departments, the goal is simple: improve efficiency and keep everything connected.
Working in a small team of two means staying hands-on across both hardware and software. By developing all systems in-house, everything is fully integrated, eliminating duplicate work and keeping data flowing in real time.
How do you keep up to date with new technology?
I love keeping up to date with new technology especially anything that can be applied within our facility. I spend time trawling technology websites, as well as speaking with friends in the industry who share insights into new tools and systems they’re using.
One of our most recent implementations links our in-house reception system to generate QR codes for visitors, allowing them to access specific doors without the need for physical key fobs making the process more efficient and secure.
What are your interests outside of work?
I like to keep busy in my downtime. In the past I’ve written a YA book (and recently started the second), and I’m a member of the 501st Garrison attending charity events as a Stormtrooper at weekends.
My main interest is games programming. I’ve been involved in the retro remake scene for over 30 years, bringing classic 8-bit games onto modern systems with updated graphics, music, and gameplay.
More recently, I’ve been developing for the Commodore 64, writing and releasing new titles within extremely tight constraints essentially building full games in less memory than a modern icon file. It’s a challenge I really enjoy.
It’s something I originally wanted to do back in the 80s but instead went into application programming. Now, I get to do both and even release games physically on tape, just like back in the day.
We heard you’ve designed and released a computer game, can you tell us more about it?
"In 1984, Impossible Mission was released a groundbreaking game and one of the first to feature digitised speech. For many, the line “Another visitor… stay a while, stay forever!” is instantly recognisable."
The game was a huge success, selling hundreds of thousands of copies and being ported across multiple systems, with a sequel following in 1988. Fast forward 40+ years, and the current copyright holder approached me and my long-time collaborator, Trevor Storey, after seeing the 15+ titles we’ve released asking us to create a new follow-up. No pressure!
I tend to do most of my coding late at night, usually between 10pm and midnight when everything’s quiet, I’m at my sharpest, and (with my wife in bed!) there are fewer “can you just…” interruptions.
So far, it’s been our highest-profile project, with fantastic reviews, and something I’m incredibly proud of (https://www.eyecon64.com/).
