Once again many of the best and brightest of the north west's transport professionals met for The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) North West Annual Awards for Education and Excellence, sponsored by CAST UK. The 2012 awards took place on 22nd June at Cranage Hall Holmes Chapel, Cheshire.
Underlining the professional status of the awards, Beverley Bell, recently appointed Senior Traffic Commissioner, chaired the judging panel. Beverley has been a staunch supporter of the awards since their inception in 2008, delivering the first keynote speech, as well as being on previous judging panels.
The winners of the 2012 awards were:
Student of the Year; sponsored by Triscan Systems Ltd
Dionne Reid, Manchester Metropolitan University
Young Manger of the Year; sponsored by DrivingLink Ltd
Alex Cassidy, Norbert Dentressangle
Industry Best Practise; sponsored by Tachograph Analysis Consultants Ltd
Network Warrington
Environmental Improvement; sponsored by The Stobart Group
Findel Education
Service to the Industry Award, sponsored by White Arrow Logistics,
Cllr Andrew Fender and Paul Reyner FCILT
The event was hosted by BBC North West presenter David Guest, and again lived up to its reputation as one of the friendliest and entertaining in CILT's events calendar.
The awards were keenly contested. Commenting on its award for Industry Best Practice, Network Warrington's Managing Director, David Squire said: 'We are delighted to have received this award, from such a prestigious body. The judging panel were impressed by our submission, which described the company's modernisation process, and showcased some of the results that the company is already seeing, such as achieving customer service excellence and winning green bus fund funding to assist in the purchase of our first diesel - electric hybrid buses.'
Also presented was the Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Kammac PLC, to Andrew Palmer FCILT.
Andrew is the Group Managing Director of Suttons Transport Group. Andrew has successfully turned three businesses around and driven them forward through a combination of robust controls and business development, using a combination of integrity; tenacity; commitment; stamina and a sense of humour.
The keynote speech, delivered by Chairman of CILT(UK), Neil Ashworth, formerly Supply Chain Director of Tesco.com, highlighted the successes of north west region transport and supply chain professionals. Neil is a graduate of the University of Manchester and he revealed returning to the area is always like coming home.
He praised the professionalism of practitioners in the region; and looked back on a busy year for CILT, not only in the north west, but also nationally.