It’s a little known fact that aside from the employees that are based in our head offices in Canada, China, Spain, and the UAE, we also have employees that are located all over the world. They help us make sure that every WhiteWater installation is finished not only on time, but to the highest standards as well. Milko Cakic, one of our Attractions Install Advisors is based in his hometown of Drniš, Croatia, but frequently flies all over the planet to oversee WhiteWater projects. From one corner of the globe to another, small-town boy Milko often finds himself visiting big, bustling cities in far-flung countries, all in the name of work.

Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I was born and live in Drniš, Croatia. Croatia is a Mediterranean country, the birthplace of inventions like the necktie, mechanical pen, parachute, the dactylography method of identification, and the torpedo. It’s also the birth country of Nikola Tesla, the legendary inventor. My hometown is a small place with a population of less than 3000, so working at WhiteWater is pretty awesome, as I get to travel to major metropolises such as New York or Moscow. My biggest passion by far, is cars and Formula One—I’m a huge Ferrari fan!

What do you do at WhiteWater?

I am an Attractions Install Advisor, a job that I would describe as being the “eyes and ears” of Project Managers and Project Engineers. I deal with daily installation requirements together with office support to deliver quality installations and finished projects. My responsibility is to ensure that at the end of the process, our clients have a thorough understanding of our products, so they can get the highest possible value from them.

What do you love about working at WhiteWater?

One of my favourite things at WhiteWater is that the word “unexpected” is constantly getting new meanings! Just when I think that there aren’t a lot of new possibilities in water slide design or places where water parks can be built, we create and build more incredible products and projects!

I have to say that it’s also cool to be walking down the street in some random place like France, and seeing an advertisement for a cruise ship on which we built water slides, especially if you were the part of that project! I’m sure that all those things wouldn’t be possible without all the different and amazing individuals that WhiteWater is made up of.

What’s your favourite WhiteWater product?

We have so many amazing products and some of them I still haven’t tried, but if I have to name one of them, it would definitely be the Mat Racer! It’s the perfect thrill slide, with its forward position, adding to the excitement and fun! Plus, its competition aspect just makes it my favourite water slide.

What’s on your bucket list?

Since I just want to live in the moment and just seize the day, I would say that I don’t even have a bucket list!

Do you have a hidden talent? Tell us about it!

I would prefer other people to name my talents, but if I have to do it, I would say that it’s my positive attitude and stubbornness (if that can be considered a talent). Working on different projects in so many countries can be challenging, so being positive makes things so much easier. On the other hand, I believe that my stubbornness can sometimes be frustrating for my environment, but it helps me persevere in what I’m doing, and deters me from being a quitter.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

This question reminds me of a quote: “People overestimate what they can achieve in a year, but underestimate what they can achieve in 10 years”. As with everyone else, I have my goals, but it would be wrong to limit myself to specific thing. I definitely see myself riding WhiteWater water slides and trying to enjoy every single day for the foreseeable future, though!

What do you do outside of work? What’s your favourite past time?

When I travel, I usually try to go to the gym, go for a run, or just do some kind of a workout after a day on site. When I get back home, I spend time with my family or explore some less familiar places in Croatia with my girlfriend. It might be hard to believe, but when you travel most of the year, you end up knowing Las Vegas or Barcelona better than some places in your own country.

What is the most interesting place you’ve visited and why?

New York! Part of that comes from my fascination with tall buildings and big cities, but for me, New York, with its unique “energy” is totally different from any other place I have visited. When talking about biggest surprises, I would say that Japan (especially the city of Osaka) was the biggest discovery for me. Traveling there for the first time, I didn’t know what to expect, but my experience ended up being simply amazing.