West Midlands leaders recognised in King’s Birthday Honours
West Midlands business leaders are among the individuals recognised in the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours.
Tina Costello, chief executive of the Heart of England Community Foundation, has been awarded an OBE for services to charity and voluntary organisations across the West Midlands and Warwickshire.
She said: “Everyday it continues to be a genuine privilege to work for the benefit of communities in the region where I grew up and still live. I am overwhelmed at receiving such prestigious recognition for leading a charity that I love and truly believe in.”
Ed Russell, who rose from carer to chief executive in a 30-year career with Warwickshire company WCS Care Group, also receives an OBE.
He said: “This is so amazing that work inside the UK’s care homes is being recognised in this way. I still remember my first day working as a carer, and now being able to challenge the UK and wider care sector is a privilege, looking differently at how we do things.
“Innovations like circadian rhythm lighting and acoustic night-time monitoring are but two of a long list of sustainable improvements which will make care homes of the future better for us all.”
There are also OBEs for Sue Bent, who was the chief executive of Central England Law Centre for 18 years before her retirement in 2022, and former Coventry North East MP Colleen Fletcher, who has just stepped down after nine years in Parliament.
MBEs have been awarded to Quanta Dialysis Technologies co-founder Prof Clive Buckberry, Midland Metro Alliance’s head of engagement and skills Rose Rees, and Susan Robson from National Grid and the Women’s Engineering Society.
