3 January 2000

APPOINTMENTS TO THE LOCAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT UNIT BOARD

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Sir Reg Empey, MLA, today confirmed the appointment of four new members to the Board of the Local Enterprise Development Unit. The current Deputy Chairperson has also been re-appointed.

The four new members are Mr Preston Barnard, Mr Thomas Montgomery, Mr Colum O’Farrell and Mr James Stewart.

Mr Barnard is the founder of Radius Plastics Ltd, Banbridge and has held senior positions in various other companies. He does not hold any other public appointments.

Mr Montgomery was involved in setting up the leading Northern Ireland computer software company, Kainos Software Ltd. He also founded and was Managing Director of Lagan Technologies Ltd, providing software for telecommunications and banking markets worldwide. He has recently set up and is Managing Director of Amacis Ltd, which produces e-Commerce software. He has served two terms as a Director of the Software Industry Federation and was on the Telecommunications Sector Working Group for the Strategy 2010 review. He holds no public appointments.

Mr O’Farrell is the founder and partner of the Portadown painting firm Deluxe Group, which specialises in theme work in export markets. He was runner-up in the 1997 British Midland Entrepreneur of the Year Awards and a recent President of the Northern Ireland Master Painters Association. He holds no public appointments.

Mr Stewart is at present General Manager at Leckpatrick Dairies (Golden Vale). His career has included a Managing Director post with O’Haras Bakeries Ltd, and he held a number of posts over 20 years with Goodyear Tyre Company. He has particular interest in human resource development. He is a Non-Executive Director of the Northern Ireland Quality Centre and is also a member of the Eastern Health and Social Services Board (for which he receives a remuneration of £5,000 per annum).

None of the appointees has carried out any significant political activity in the last five years.

Mr Montgomery, Mr O’Farrell and Mr Stewart are appointed from 1 February 2000 and Mr Barnard from 1 March 2000, each for a 3 year period. They will receive an annual fee of £4,000.

The existing Deputy Chairperson of LEDU, Mrs Teresa Townsley, has been re-appointed for a further three year period commencing 1 January 2000. The Deputy Chairperson receives an annual fee of £6,085.

Mrs Townsley is currently Joint Managing Director of the MTF Group. She is also a member of the Board of the Health and Safety Executive for which she receives £4,102 per annum.

 

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Local Enterprise Development Unit (LEDU) - Northern Ireland’s Small Business Agency - was established in 1971 to encourage enterprise and to promote small business development. It is a company limited by guarantee and operates under the sponsorship of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment by virtue of Article 30(1) of the Industrial Development (NI) Order 1982.

The other LEDU Board members are:

Mr Eamon McIlroy, Chairperson

Mrs Teresa Townsley, Deputy Chairperson

Mrs Mary Breslin, Member

Mr Charles Jenkins Member

Mr David Dobbin Member

Mr Victor Haslett Member

Mr Kevin Martin Member