Maartje Praag

My name is Maartje Praag, Personnel and Organization employee at E&R Classics. I studied MEAO-CE and in the past I worked as an intermediary at an employment agency. After that I worked for 10 years as an executive secretary at the Forensic Medicine of GGD Hart voor Brabant in Tilburg. I have been working at E&R Classics since the very beginning.

My very first car was a red Citroën 2CV, of which I even still know the license plate! I was very proud of my French convertible and I drove it everywhere. I even took it on holiday to the south of France.

My dream car is a 1957 Chevrolet Corvette in two-tone baby blue with white paint. I also think a red and white Austin Healey 3000 MK3 is a beautiful classic car!

Suppose you had to give someone a lift. Who would that be and why?
Bibian Mentel. She was a three-time Paralympic Champion and a four-time Para-World Champion. This woman has meant a lot to me. Her optimism, loving life, her resilience and love and appreciation of mankind. It has been a support for me during a difficult time.

What is your best car related memory?
Well “best”… I now can have a laugh about it; the moment the wind got under the roof of my Citroën 2CV after a night out. In the middle of the night on a belated dark road, the roof of my car, including the entire tailgate, flew away in a single second. It was a bit of a shock, but luckily I could still find half the car in a dark ditch.

What makes a working day at E&R Classics so much fun for you?
I can hardly put into words the pleasure I get from my work. It is really a joy for me to be able to go to work every day and to be surrounded by all the beautiful classic cars. From the very first minute I have seen the company grow together with my husband Ernest and workshop manager Ron. It is unimaginable what we have been through together and I am very proud of who we have become as E&R Classics.

I see our employees as my “own children” and I think it is very important that everyone feels comfortable in the workplace. Together we form a team and we are on the same page. I therefore think it is very important when a new colleague is hired that he or she fits into the team. I also really enjoy the variety in the work, and believe me, no day is the same at E&R Classics.