Six new director appointments to Lancaster & District Chamber’s board

Lancaster & District Chamber of Commerce has appointed six new directors to its board.

They are Sarah Harrison, Centre Manager at Marketgate Shopping Centre, Lancaster; Tarnia Elsworth, Director at TP Financial Solutions; Daniel Barry, Director and Co-Founder of North Star Projects; Lynne Gillen, Export Manager for Lancashire at the Department for International Trade; Bob Hart, Owner, Rosebank PR & Communications; and Siobhan Courtney, Managing Director and Experienced Legal Recruiter at The Eventus Recruitment Group.

“I am delighted that your Chamber welcomed 6 new non-executive Directors at our recent AGM,” said Chamber President, Jon Powell. “They will add diversity to our board, bringing a wealth of sector expertise in retail, public relations, logistics, recruitment, international trade and financial services. We are growing Chamber membership and growing the board, it’s another positive sign that the Chamber has a bright future. It is an exciting time to be part of the Chamber as we work tirelessly connecting, supporting and representing the voice of local businesses.”

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Biographies of new officers:

Sarah Harrison (nominated for Non-Executive Director)

Centre Manager at Marketgate Shopping Centre, Lancaster 

Sarah has been a centre manager at Marketgate Lancaster since July 2018, she is currently a Director of Lancaster BID and also sits on the committee at The Bay Tourism Association. Prior to her role at Marketgate, she was also the centre manager at Arndale Morecambe Bay for just over 2 years, where she was also a Director of the then newly formed Morecambe BID.

Sarah has over 20 years of experience in the leisure and retail industry, starting her managerial career at one of the UK’s leading betting companies. She has worked at two of the most iconic venues in Blackpool, The Blackpool Tower and The Blackpool Winter Gardens and Opera House. Two places that hold many special memories for her. Prior to her role as a centre manager, Sarah spent 6 years managing large flagship retail stores in Manchester.

In Sarah’s spare time, she is a keen theatre goer and enjoys attending live music events. Sarah lives in Blackpool with her fiancée and 2 children.

Tarnia Elsworth (nominated for Non-Executive Director)

Director at TP Financial Solutions, Morecambe 

Tarnia is Director of local financial advice firm, TP Financial Solutions. She advises business and personal clients on their insurance needs, and TPFS support locals with their pensions and investments. Tarnia is passionate about Morecambe and the surrounding areas and is keen for local businesses to support local business. As a keen member of Lancaster & District Chamber of Commerce, Tarnia was pleased to take a more active role in the Chamber by joining the board and supporting the ethos of local support. Tarnia’s family live in Morecambe and enjoy spending time in the marvellous Morecambe Bay. You’ll find them either on the prom, or cheering on the mighty shrimps (Morecambe FC) in their spare time. Tarnia is a visible and approachable member of the board, so please do take the time to say hello, and if you have any questions about your membership, Tarnia will be pleased to help you out, and point you in the right direction.

Lynne Gillen (nominated for Non-Executive Director)

Export Manager for Lancashire at the Department for International Trade 

With over 20 years’ experience, Lynne started her international career specialising in market research and developed a “centre of excellence” for the Chamber of Commerce network. Having carried out commercial research projects in over 90 countries, Lynne has an excellent understanding of the issues companies face when exploring new markets.

Working for the Department of International Trade, North West and The Growth Company for over 10 years in advisory and management roles, she has a skill for developing new opportunities across all sectors.

Currently one of the Northern Powerhouse, Levelling Up Export Managers and seconded to Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, she has been working on the Internationalisation Strategy and Export Plan for the county.

Lynne is a full member of the Institute of Export, has a MSc in International Business and Management, with Distinction and has recently been recognised as a woman of impact by Lancashire Business View.

Bob Hart (nominated for Non-Executive Director)

Owner, Rosebank PR & Communications 

Bob is the owner of Rosebank Public Relations and Communications Ltd. After graduating from Lancaster University, Bob trained as a journalist and worked in the regional press in Lincolnshire, Lancashire and Cumbria for 12 years as a reporter and editor.

Moving into the world of marketing and public relations, Bob worked in the higher education sector for eight years before establishing his independent PR and communications consultancy.

Rosebank PR & Communications supports organisations in a wide range of sectors including the NHS, charities, software/tech, education, professional services, and more with media relations and internal communications strategy and operational delivery.

Bob lives in Lancaster with his family, and in his spare time is an avid cyclist as well as a hiker, climber, reader and music enthusiast.

Daniel Barry (nominated for Non-Executive Director)

Director and Co-Founder of North Star Projects 

Daniel Barry is the Director and co-founder of North Star Projects a Supply Chain and Logistics consultancy. After working in numerous roles and running projects within the supply chain and logistics sector, North Star Projects was established to bridge the communication gap between clients and services and bring a reality and simplicity to the mystery behind “how stuff gets around”. Dan fell into the world of logistics quite by accident. Through a natural inclination toward problem solving and being proactive which was a good fit in the industry, logistics and supply chain has become a labour of love for Dan in helping bring one of the worlds most undervalued sectors to the forefront. Delivering projects from various sectors and within specialisms gave a foundation and tremendous knowledge across the sector from leading the UKs first 2-man home delivery service for Amazon, through to project managing paint warehouses, chemical production facilities, garden distribution centres, and worldwide aerospace component and whole engine supply chain and distribution networks.

Dan went to Lancaster University, and like so many others who fell in love with the area, never fully left and instead lived and worked in both Lancaster and Morecambe alike. After a period away from Lancaster, he returned with his family to live and establish North Star in Heysham, with not only business aims, but a true ethos to ensure the community benefitted as the business did. Dan introduces the company as a “small consultancy in Heysham”, which is true in mind but North Star now provides services of all ranges to clients in the local area, UK, France, Norway, Germany, USA, Canada and beyond. Despite this, North Star has kept true to its ethos and have been a proud supporter of the Winter gardens restoration, a business protestor in providing the funding to establish art along disused sites on Morecambe front, and now an ambassador to Escape2Make, a local charity supporting 11-18 year olds. To further pursue this ethos, it’s fantastic to join up with the chamber board and assist in bringing about the strategic aims of businesses and communities at this level.

Siobhan Courtney (nominated for Non-Executive Director)

Managing Director and Experienced Legal Recruiter at The Eventus Recruitment Group 

Siobhan owns a recruitment firm called Eventus Recruitment Group where the head office is in Lancaster city centre and a second office in Cheshire. Having worked within professional services recruitment for nearly 25 years Siobhan is delighted to be back in her home County of Lancashire for the last 9 years.

Siobhan is passionate about placing local people into local and regional firms and is also expanding her Lancaster based office on an ongoing basis.  Prior to working in recruitment Siobhan taught a cognitive based rehabilitation programme at Wormwood Scrubs!

As a bone cancer survivor Siobhan spends much of her spare time raising funds and awareness for the Bone Cancer Research Trust (BCRT) and spending time with her two daughters, husband and cockapoo.