News in Brief – Tuesday, February 12
ENGAGE Mutual Assurance, the Harrogate-based friendly society, has promoted its marketing director, Karl Elliott, to its board of directors.
The 35-year-old joined the marketing team at Engage in 1999 and has been marketing director since 2004.
During Mr Elliott's time at Engage, his responsibilities have included the re-branding to Engage Mutual Assurance, as well as the delivery of a number of key products and distribution partners.
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AN AUSTRALIAN businessman who now lives in Yorkshire says it will be easier to communicate with his mum down under after winning a Blackberry in a charity initiative.
Richard Pate donated a mobile phone to Leeds-based telecommunications systems provider Pioneer Communication Solutions as part of a phone amnesty to raise cash for Physcap, a West Yorkshire-based charity dedicated to improving the quality of life of severely disabled children.
The 38-year-old's analogue Marconi handset was the oldest mobile phone to be donated, resulting in the prize.
Around 50 old handsets have been collected at Pioneer and in boxes located at various businesses in Leeds. They will be re-conditioned for onward use by people in the third world – with proceeds from the sale of the handsets being donated to Physcap.
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DIGITAL communication and marketing specialist Gecko, of Leeds, is expanding its operations by opening new offices in Richmond, North Yorkshire, as well as a site in Edinburgh.
The North Yorkshire office will be headed by Gecko's sales director, Steve Anderson, who will be joined by account directors Paul Kettlewell and Claire Mitchell.
The site will be used as a sales arm for the business, which was formed in 1998 and has 24 staff, as well as to service Gecko's client base.
Gecko's Edinburgh office is headed by account director Vicky Grant, who moved from the Leeds office to establish the company's presence in Scotland.
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WEB developer Netconstruct has launched a new website aimed at encouraging more women into employment in the science, engineering and technology (SET) sectors.
The website for the Bradford-based UK Resource Centre for Women in Science Engineering and Technology (UKRC) aims to bring more women into areas of the workplace that have traditionally been the preserve of men.
The UKRC, through its website, works to tackle the low numbers of women working in science, engineering and technology, providing a central source of expertise, data and information on women in SET in the UK.
David Bentley, managing director of Leeds-based Netconstruct, said: “The new UKRC website provides a range of information and services to help women enter the workplace in the areas of science, engineering and technology. The site also provides a mentoring service, skills improvement services as well as research, news and events.”
