The final award presented on Wednesday 4th March was Mentor of the Year, given in memory of Jon Fone. Jon was one of Xtrac’s most well‑loved characters and a valued member of the grinding team before his unexpected passing in 2025. We were honoured to welcome Jon’s mum, Shirley, and brother, Nick, to present this inaugural award.

This year’s Mentor of the Year is Souad Haji‑Said, recognised for her outstanding commitment to developing others across the business. Souad has delivered extensive on‑the‑job training and led workshops for multiple departments, including Mechanical Design, R&D, and the Build Shop, covering subjects such as Introduction to Python, Systems Engineering, Actuator Calibration, and Clutch Calibration. Delivering training to audiences with varying backgrounds, skill levels, and technical knowledge requires a thoughtful, tailored approach, and Souad has excelled in doing so. Much of this training has been self‑initiated, with Souad identifying knowledge gaps and taking it upon themselves to create and deliver high‑quality material. Investing personal time to teach others, without being asked, reflects a level of dedication and generosity setting a true mentor apart.

The runner‑up, Jose Ventura, also exemplifies the spirit of the Mentor of the Year Award. A longstanding member of the quality and metrology team, Jose brings over 30 years of engineering experience to his mentoring, particularly supporting apprentices and new colleagues. Known for his positivity, professionalism, and willingness to help, he consistently goes above and beyond, taking ownership of his work, driving continuous improvement, and building confidence in precision and quality across the team. Highly respected throughout the business and recently recognised with a quality PACEY Award, Jose’s commitment to people development and collaboration makes him a thoroughly deserving recipient of this honour.

Congratulations to Souad and Jose on their well‑deserved recognition.