Senior IT Specialist Keijo Nissinen

My duties vary a lot, touching on helpdesk tasks and all kinds of projects. You could say I’m an “IT caretaker”, since I’m involved in pretty much everything we do in the field.

When I started at Genelec in June 1997 – as an IT Support Technician – I had no idea how significant this workplace would become for me. Looking back, Genelec has actually been part of my life since childhood.

I was about 10–12 years old when my friends and I cycled to Genelec's factory in Luuniemi, Iisalmi. I knew they made loudspeakers there, but I didn’t know much more about the company, nor did many other people in town at that time. To us kids, the place was mysterious.

We heard rumours that the factory was throwing away old speaker drivers. We gathered our courage and went to visit the factory. The production manager at the time, Väinö, received us in the lobby – and yes, under the table there was a box containing unwanted drivers. He gave us a few to take home. To a child, they were real treasures, and we enthusiastically built loudspeakers with them.

Another strong childhood memory of mine is of Iisalmi Library's listening room. They had Genelec loudspeakers, a turntable and a soundproof room that anyone could book. I often went there after school to listen to music. I still remember the sense of amazement from hearing music so cleanly and clearly, as if I were in another world. That was my first real experience of the Genelec sound.

When I joined Genelec, there was about 50 employees. We had no actual IT role, and computers were used only in a few places. So, in the early days, I also did a lot of work with product development. I arrived at Genelec largely thanks to chance, courage and connections to the right people. I was about to graduate from vocational school as an ICT installer, and I didn’t know which direction to take – whether to continue my studies or start working. My teacher and mentor, Timo Haiko, suggested I call Genelec. He knew the company and its co-founder, Topi Partanen, and thought I would be a good fit for them.

I took his advice, picked up the phone, and called Topi directly, even though there were no open positions. During the phone call it quickly became clear that they wanted me to join, and a few days later, as soon as school ended, I started in the product development team under Topi’s supervision. In the years to come, I learned a great deal of valuable technical knowledge from him. It was the time of the IT boom, and work would have been available anywhere, but at Genelec I immediately felt that my skills had a purpose and a place. That’s why I stayed, and I have never regretted that decision.

My first years at Genelec were full of learning. At one point I needed to join the army, after which I returned again. Since there was no fully defined IT role at the time, I did everything that required an extra pair of hands. I worked in the product development team, built the first acoustic measurement points for production, and I learned the basics of acoustics under the guidance of Co-Founder Ilpo Martikainen and Electro-Acoustic Design Scientist Ari Varla. Those early years hold my most unforgettable and important career memories – ones that have shaped me as both a professional and a person.

One day, shortly after I had started at Genelec, Ari came into the product development area and asked me to come outside with him. I had no idea where we were going, and since I was still new, I followed along excitedly but also a bit nervously. In the backyard there was an old dead pine tree, our 1030 loudspeakers, lots of cables, measurement microphones, and a large laptop that looked more like a suitcase than a computer. Ari handed me a pulley winch and told me to throw it over a branch of the tree. I had no idea what was going on. I even briefly thought I was being tested or that this a practical joke for a new employee.

It was no joke. Ari calmly explained that by lifting the loudspeaker up you can get a clean measurement, where the ground doesn't affect the results. I sat on the grass with the rope in my hands, making sure the speaker wouldn’t fall. That moment broke the ice between us, and we became acquainted. That’s when I realised that even though Ari was a legendary figure in the field, internationally known and highly respected, he treated me as an equal – even though I was young and inexperienced. Apparently, in his eyes, I was just the right kind of person in terms of competence and potential. Today, our measurements are now made in an anechoic chamber inside the factory, but that old dead pine tree still stands proudly in the yard.

After that day, Ari took me along to many projects. He handed me a book on the fundamentals of acoustics, invested his time in me, and taught me things I could never have learned anywhere else. In addition to work, we talked about life, choices, and ways of thinking about technical problems. He challenged and encouraged me at the same time. I saw sides of Ari that many people didn’t know – he was caring, thoughtful and warm, and he genuinely wanted to help a young colleague grow. We became good friends and spent time together outside of work.

Ilpo was another crucial person for me at Genelec. He became almost a father figure. He was the kind of person who created a sense of warmth, care and safety around him. He never gave the impression that he was in a hurry or that something was too trivial. He always had time for me. He encouraged me to continue my studies alongside work, reminding me that “learning never hurts”, and that advice has carried me far. In addition to work, we talked about food, hobbies and life in general. I learned an enormous amount from him – not only about technology and work-related matters, but about how to look at the world. Many of his lessons are still with me today, and I’ve passed them on to my own children as well.

These three people – Ari, Ilpo and Topi – were like real-life superheroes to me. They created the foundation on which I grew into a professional. They included me, listened, advised me, and trusted my abilities, even though I had only just come of age. Thanks to them, I learned that, at Genelec, experience is not the most important measure – enthusiasm, the desire to learn and working together are.

Nowadays, my workday begins by going through emails and news, such as current bulletins from the Finnish National Cyber Security Centre. Cybersecurity threats need to be monitored daily so that I can react quickly and inform the organisation when necessary. After that, the day takes on a life of its own. I might start with installations, continue with server and cloud service management, make purchases, guide users, participate in system maintenance, solve urgent problems, or jump from one meeting to another.

My work is constant prioritisation, and often maintenance and changes are done in the evenings or on weekends to minimise disruption to users’ daily work. I work in a hybrid model and really value having that opportunity. It’s good to retreat home for meetings and tasks that require concentration, while at the factory I handle things where physical presence is important.

The role involves a lot of procurement. Both at work and in my free time, I favour long-lasting and responsibly manufactured products, and from an IT perspective I constantly consider the sustainability of data storage and space utilisation solutions.

What I especially like about my job is that I get to work independently and express myself through technical solutions. Although my work is technical, it is also very social. I’ve had the opportunity to get to know colleagues all over the world, and some of them have become close friends. Genelec offers an environment where the role is broad and the days are varied, and that is exactly what has kept me going all these years.

Many moments have stayed with me. There have been visits to the factory by numerous artists, bands, and world-famous stars that have felt almost unreal, company celebrations and small everyday incidents that still make us laugh years later, and also quiet moments, when you just feel that you’re doing meaningful work and helping colleagues succeed.

I’ve lived around Iisalmi my entire life. I’ve never considered moving elsewhere. My roots are here, as are my family, friends and my whole life. My wife, Sanna-Riikka, also works at Genelec, and my family includes two adult sons, a middle-school-aged daughter, and a long-haired chihuahua called Rimi. I spend my free time riding an ATV, enjoying music and movies, cooking, and tinkering with my almost classic-aged Mercedes. These hobbies provide a good counterbalance to my work.

Here, I’ve been able to grow as a professional and as a person in a way that wouldn’t have been possible without the people around me. I’m grateful for the trust, support, and sense of community that have allowed me to walk this path – and for the fact that I can continue my journey here, together with others.

Greetings from a colleague

I’ve known Keke for almost three decades now, and a lot of good memories fit into that time. We’ve spent many unforgettable sauna evenings and Christmas parties together, which are nice to reminisce about every now and then.

Keke is extremely skilled and helpful in his work. It’s good to know that help with IT problems can always be found in-house. I’ve relied on his solid IT expertise in my free time as well. It’s comforting to have a friend you can call when your own skills aren’t enough.

Keke also has a lot of knowledge about how various other electronic devices work, and he's been kind enough to consult me about those too.

We have something like an irreplaceable mutual assistance agreement, which is more valuable than any money could be.

Your colleague, Marko Rönkä