Here at Commerce Sync, we believe a company is only as good as the employees who build it. We’re proud to have an incredibly talented team and we’d love for you to get to know some of our employees a little better.

Meet Steve Ridley, VP of Operations

What do you do at Commerce Sync?

I oversee the Operations team, with responsibility for infrastructure and application management. At its most basic level my job is to ensure our products are available and functioning at peak performance for our customers, and that our people have the technology they need to be productive.

What’s your best/funniest work memory?

My favorite work memories always center around helping build exceptional teams and watching them grow to contribute both independently and collectively to the success of the business.

My funniest memory in recent times was at the end of an office move. Everything was just about in place and we were poised for a trouble-free cutover to our new office, when our one and only screwdriver broke as we were installing computer equipment. You would not believe how challenging it was to find a suitable replacement in downtown Denver - what a wild goose chase that was!

What is your favorite thing about working here?

I have the pleasure of working with such incredibly talented and fun people, which makes it much easier to come to work every day! I also really enjoy having a wide swath of responsibilities, as well as the level of unpredictability inherent in Operations – not always knowing what you’ll be working on tomorrow, much less an hour from now tends to keep things exciting.

Tell us something unique about yourself.

I have a guitar in my hands at every opportunity, and have been writing and recording my own music for as long as I can remember. After hours of left-brain activities at work, it’s great to have a creative outlet that keeps me grounded.

What’s your favorite Denver neighborhood?

I’ve always loved lower Downtown (LoDo), especially given we’re right in the middle of it and there’s so much to do here, but it’s really exciting to see what’s happening in River North (RiNo) recently. The number of new restaurants, breweries, art galleries, music venues - you name it - is incredible! I can’t keep up with everything happening there.

Which mobile app do you use the most?

Believe it or not - iPhone Voice Memos. I have literally thousands of musical ideas in Voice Memos. Maybe not the best app for the purpose, but I’ve been using it so long I’m pretty much committed, and it beats carrying around a microcassette recorder like I used to do.

I also rely heavily on Maps, Evernote, and of course the camera.

What would you sing at karaoke night?

I wouldn’t.

But if I was forced into it, singing one of my own songs would be great! Unfortunately there isn’t a karaoke bar in the world playing any of my songs, so that’s a non-starter. So I suppose it would have to be “These Days” by Foo Fighters or maybe “Misty Mountain Hop” by Led Zeppelin.

What’s the best vacation you’ve ever been on?

Well that depends on whether we’re talking about BC (Before Children), or AD (After Diaper days)!

My wife and I used to spend a lot of time traveling the Caribbean – two standout destinations for me have been Bonaire and Saint-Martin.

With our children, Costa Rica has been a standout. Enjoying surfing, wildlife, and just hanging out at the beach with the whole family is hard to beat!