Current Occupation: Former Kingdom Group Chief Executive
Where Studied:Kirkcaldy Technical College, Glenrothes College, Fife College
Fife College has played a very important part in my life, enabling me to study and gain skills and qualifications over a twenty-year span which I have used to progress a very successful career. I am proud to have completed five courses over the years, two full-time and three part-time.
In 1974, I left school and was keen to pursue a career in hotel management - the Hotel Management course offered me the opportunity to study locally and helped me secure work as an Assistant Hotel Manager with a national hotel chain in Largs (Tennant Caledonia). From here I moved into a few different roles, including working for the Co-op and Shell and completing a day release course in Business Administration along the way.
I knew that to progress into a management role I would need to gain some higher-level qualifications and so joined the full-time HND Business Studies course in 1983. From here I did a Post Graduate Diploma in Industrial Administration in 1986 followed by a BA in Administration Management 10 years later where I was awarded Student of the Year.
My qualifications enabled me to progress on to working as a Corporate Planning Officer with Kirkcaldy District Council and then on to work with Kingdom Housing.
I spent 36 years working for Kingdom and the qualifications I gained help me to progress from an Administrative Officer to Group Chief Executive.
I have had many career highlights over the years and I’m proud to have managed the development of over 6,500 new affordable homes to meet a range of housing needs for people in Fife while growing the group as an employer of over 500 people.
Since retiring I recently re-trained as a swimming teacher. I am a huge ambassador for pursuing qualifications at college, not just at the start of your career but throughout your life – it’s never too late to learn something new!
