Industry Personality of the Year
Aaron Frogley
Company: Sig
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Paul Conboy
Company: Beers Timber & Building Supplies ltd
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Paul started at Beers Timber & Building Supplies ltd working as a yard operative. Over the years Paul has worked his way up to Managing Director or the company. Paul has helped Beers grow from a 3 branch organisation into a company which boasts 8 branches as well as 6 MBS Plumbing & Heating depots. Paul has been a Category Director with the NBG buying group and is now the Timber Category Director with Fortis after a stint as Roofing Category Director.
Paul is very well known and respected throughout the industry and on a personal note Paul has been a big influence in bringing me along to become a Director at Beers Timber & Building Supplies.
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Andy Cam
Company: Cosywarm Plumbing & Heating Ltd
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Popular for his “That’s why I love Plumbing’ catchphrase, Andy Cam has a huge following on his social media platforms where he posts funny and informative videos aimed at saving installers time, money and effort.
Andy also hosts Fix Radio’s “The Plumbing and Heating Show”, the UK’s only mainstream broadcast show dedicated to the heating and plumbing sectors (airs on Wednesday afternoons from 3pm and repeats from 10pm the same evening). View a link to the radio show here: https://www.fixradio.co.uk/on-air1/the-heating-and-plumbing-show-with-andy-cam/.
Alongside running a successful Sheffield-based plumbing and central heating company that has been established for over 30 years, Andy is also heavily involved in charity “Warriors of Warmth”. WoW! believe in offering free heating efficiency advice to charities using trade donations from experienced and charitable installers across the UK. Using projects and social media they also aim is to spread community spirit and support to new trade entrants.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CosyWarmPlumber
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i_love_plumbing/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@i_love.plumbing
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-cam-04349a95/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@andycam-iloveplumbing1749
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Ian Walker
Company: James Burrell Builders Merchants
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Ian has worked for James Burrell Builders Merchants for 18 years and his service and commitment to the company from the very first day he started right up until today is second to none. As an external representative of the company, he is the face that many of our customers and suppliers know and he goes above and beyond to make sure they experience the very best of what James Burrell has to offer. He fully represents the company no matter where he is or what he is doing and he is an exemplary figure to those just joining or starting their career in where you can get to with hard work and determination. His love and passion for the job is something which is evident in everything he does and he truly makes sure that’s known to his customers. Nothing is ever too much trouble and he would always be a phone call away, no matter the time of day. He truly deserves to win Industry personality of the year as he really is one of the biggest and best personalities across the industry as a whole.
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Simon Rance, Sales Director
Company: TIMCO
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Sales Director Simon Rance’s business ethos is completely focussed on supporting customer businesses, enabling them to compete with national operators. This is accompanied by his unique ‘TIMCO hug’ – an umbrella of industry specific support packages designed to drive customer growth in a competitive market, through provision of expert advice including product, sales, marketing and merchandising.
Simon leads a 20-strong team of Regional Business Consultants (RBCs) which continues to advise customers on both market and product range analysis. They are also able to provide best practice guidelines gained from experience in the sector, enabling them to produce bespoke plans for each TIMCO customer.
This function is backed up with a dedicated, experienced merchandising function which implements a professional, customer focussed in-store and events experience. Working alongside the RBCs, the Sales Support Team implement stands and point-of-sale (POS) as well as recommending store layouts to help customers sell more products.
Over the last 12 – 18 months, Simon has also recognised internal talent by appointing two Regional Business Managers and a National Accounts Manager to provide further support for our 5000 independent merchants across the UK and Ireland. Simon shares the same vision as its customer base of being independently minded; always developing new ideas and services as well as adapting and changing to suit the needs of merchants in an ever changing landscape.
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Lee Gillman
Company: Mannock
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John Gaunt
Company: Knauf Insulation
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Just doing this for a laugh in my swan song
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Rachel Fryers
Company: Merritt & Fryers Ltd
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Over the last 12 months Rachel has given a remarkable amount of her time both in person and in business to the industry. She is extremely passionate about the industry, its role in the construction sector and its people.
Rachel is the Managing Director of Merritt and Fryers, a 2 branch supplier of building materials based in the North of England established in 1935. As well as the day to day requirements of managing the business over the last 12 months, she has overseen the expansion and redevelopment of their Barnoldswick branch, significant reinvestment in their main Skipton branch heavyside yard (a complete rebuild) and the introduction of both a new purchasing and sales team. It is the continual and growing support and investment for the wider industry, however, for which Rachel has been proposed for this award, including:
• Board member of the BMF
• Executive Board member of the buying group NBG
• On the Management Committee of the IoBM
• Chairman of the IoBM Charities Trust
• A Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Builders Merchants
Rachel believes it is important for her team to be engaged in the industry as part of their personal development and actively supports and encourages their involvement, whether it is through regular training, career development through the LEAP apprenticeship programme, attendance at various forums, supporting key roles within NBG and engaging with suppliers through hosting trade and branch events and attendance at trade shows. She is a passionate Mentor to persons both within her company and through the IoBM mentoring platform.
In the last 6 months Rachel has successfully engaged with the local college construction programme introducing the next generation into the world of building material supply and established a basis for continual interaction.
She believes in her own continued personal development being key to supporting others and has in her spare time, recently completed a Cambridge University course in sustainable business management.
Rachel is proof that no matter what size of business you have, you can have a voice in the industry and that anyone can make a difference. She continually drives change and embraces challenges with endless enthusiasm, the only downside to this nomination is Rachel won’t see herself as an ‘Industry Personality’.
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Pamela McCulloch
Company: City Plumbing Supplies
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Pam always goes over and above for everyone at city plumbing from Directors to Branch Colleagues. Pam also manages a lot of charity fundraising and is always at the end of the phone to help with ANYTHING she can. Overall this women is a superstar!
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Frank Elkins
Company: Travis Perkins
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Amazing service to the industry and a thoroughly nice guy.
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Ian Dean
Company: Marshalls
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Amazing service within several major manufacturing organisations supplying into the industry
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Kerrie Kincade
Company: NBG
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Their is no one with a bigger personality than Kerrie! Her contributions to the industry have been significant including a huge amount for charity, she truly deserves recognition for her outstanding achievements.
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Kevin Fenlon
Company: RGB / Independent Builders Merchants Group
Supporting Statement:
Please see attachment .
Kevin Fenlon
Having just stepped back to become a Non-Executive Director at IBMG Kevin steps back from an illustrious and fulfilling career and now is the perfect time for him to be recognised and ‘awarded’ for his fantastic contribution to this industry and both a local and national level.
Kevin joined the industry in 1986 as a Sales Representative for Bradfords Building Supplies, having cut his teeth so to speak, at a bespoke joinery manufacturer in Somerton, Somerset.
He went on to hold the position of Assistant Branch Manager within Bradfords, Branch Manager at Grahams BM, Territory Manager at supplier/manufacturer Durox Blocks, before taking on a role of Sakes and Marketing Manager back in the BM sector, for Rawle Gammon and Baker (RGB) where his career spanned over 25 years, and where he finishes as Chief executive.
Kevin drove massive growth through ambitious change management within RGB, making it one of the leading independent businesses in the UK.
Over the years Kevin has been an active ‘ambassador’ for the builders merchanting industry and even had a stint as a BMF Director.
He was an active ‘board’ member of the WBM and CBA buying groups and instrumental in the formation of the Fortis Buying Group, whom RGB were one of the founders of, where he held numerous positions of responsibility and influence.
Probably one of his proudest and most notable achievements was leading the Family and Management buyout of RGB Building Supplies in 2015.
Within RGB and more latterly IBMG he is a true leader of people with a unique and enviable ability to build solid loyalty through the respect he earns.
Well known throughout the supplier sector and wider builders merchant industry, he is regarded as a true professional, who conducts himself with the utmost integrity, honesty, and professionalism.
He is a natural nominee to be recognised by the industry for which he has given so much to.
If you need further information, or background and endorsement please do not hesitate to contact me.
Kind regards
Andy Gamble
M: 07891 333825
e: andy.gamble1364@gmail.com
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Mike Beard
Company: Encon Insulation
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Mike is a well-recognised figure in the merchant industry with a career spanning over 40 years working with leading manufacturers such as Superglass and Aggregate Industry, and for the last 10 years with Encon Insulation in distribution.
Mike is also a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Builders’ Merchants and most recently he was nominated among the Top 100 Supplier influencers, as voted by merchants. This latest accolade recognises Mike’s positive influence in the building materials industry and with the customers and teams he works with.
Mike is incredibly passionate about the industry and supporting the development of his teams, working closely with them as mentor and leader. A genuine and honest individual who is known for his professionalism, knowledge, integrity, positive outlook, approachable nature and longstanding relationships with merchants and leading figures across the sector.
Mike always goes above and beyond to support customers and his team. He is selfless, preferring to help and promote the work of others, which would make this award even more deserving. It would recognise his genuine personality and contribution to the industry over the years and be much deserved.
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