The commitment and dedication of four industry stalwarts was recognised yesterday (Tuesday 16th July 2013) as this year’s prestigious British Security Industry Association Chairman’s Awards were presented by Association Chairman, Geoff Zeidler.
The awards were presented at the Association’s Annual Lunch at the London Hilton on Park Lane, in the following categories: Contribution to the Industry, Contribution to the Community, Contribution to Training and Contribution to Standards. Personally selected by Geoff Zeidler, each of the winners was selected in recognition of the significant impact that their career-long contributions have had on the UK’s private security industry.
Details of the winners are as follows:
The Chairman’s Award for Contribution to Standards was presented to Stewart Taylor of Cooper Security. As the Chairman of the BSIA’s Security Equipment Manufacturers’ Section’s Technical committee for almost a decade, Stewart’s contribution has extended further afield to include lobbying and negotiation at British, European and International levels of standards committee. Ahead of his retirement at the end of this year, her was selected for this award as a token of the high regard he is held in by the industry.
The award for Contribution to Training was presented to Mike Britnell, Acting Chief Executive of Skills for Security. Reflecting on the recently forged partnership between Skills for Security and the BSIA, Mike has played an integral role in making this move a success, using his wealth of security industry experience to facilitate an effective restructure of Skills for Security, and a smooth transition process as the BSIA welcomed the sector skills body firmly back within the remit of the industry.
The Chairman’s Award for Contribution to the Community was presented to Owen Stanley of Securitas Security Services Limited. Owen’s personal experiences of family illness and the loss of loved ones have fuelled a passion for fundraising, and his tireless dedication to helping others through the organisation of charity events has led to more than £10,000 worth of contributions to various good causes, including Cancer Research, Help for Heroes, RNLI Lifeboats and Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Finally, the highly-regarded award for Contribution to the Industry recognises those individuals who have made a career-long commitment to the ongoing success of the private security industry. This year, the award was presented to Julie Kenny CBE DL of Pyronix Limited, the most recent Immediate Past Chair of the BSIA. Julie has been a formidable driving force behind the BSIA’s continued strategic development, and her vision for the Association’s future has resulted in the delivery of a more streamlined structure and brand new constitution, ensuring that the BSIA is a truly 21st century organisation that is now fit to fulfill its members’ needs well into the future. A member of the Association’s Council for 20 years, Julie’s commitment to the BSIA – and the security sector at large – has truly changed the landscape of our industry.
Companies interested in BSIA membership can find out more about the many benefits of belonging to the Association – including the annual award presentations – by visiting http://www.bsia.co.uk/join-the-bsia