W.D.M. Limited, the Bristol-based highway asset management specialists, have announced the death of the Chairman of the company, John Leslie Gardiner.
John, who was 78, had been unwell for a while and died peacefully at St Peter’s Hospice in Bristol. He’d taken over as chairman of W.D.M. Limited in 1999, following the death of his father, Leslie Gardiner, MBE.
WDM® is privately owned by the Gardiner family and John was the second generation to run it. The third and fourth generations are already working at the Company.
John joined WDM® as an 18-year-old and completed an engineering apprenticeship. He started at the bottom and worked his way up from the shop floor, becoming Managing Director in 1992.
During his stewardship the Company grew substantially, successfully starting survey work in New Zealand in the mid 90’s, where it continues to work with the NZ government to the current day.
More latterly, the Company has expanded still further into the USA and is recognised as a world leader in the testing of road surface friction.
As well as being the UK’s leading survey vehicle provider, they are the only licensed manufacturer of the SCRIM® road survey machine and the UK’s largest survey contractor. They also provide equipment, software management solutions and consultancy services worldwide and have vehicles in more than 18 countries.
When he was 16, however, John had another love – music! He joined a Bristol rock band, Lee and the Decoys, as a drummer and the band attracted a big following – they were a support band for some of the best known artistes back in the 1960’s. His other interests away from the Company were playing golf and watching cricket.
For the last decade, John was also interested in boating and went on to own three yachts, all of which he named after his father. All were moored down at Torquay and the final one was named Leslie G III.
For the past 20 years John was married to Maureen, but from a previous marriage he had four children. His son Chris is currently Managing Director of WDM®
John’s funeral will take place at 2.45pm on Tuesday, 2 May, at Westerleigh Crematorium. Donations will go to St. Peter’s Hospice.
