Bill Jermey - BSc, CSci, FIFST, F. Inst. M.
Having started a 4 year degree course in Food Technology, Bill became sponsored as a Unilever Management Trainee, progressing through product development to production management and senior site management, most of the time working with meat or meat products. In his last full-time position as Managing Director and Chairman of Butcher & Baker Foods Ltd, he led a successfully expanding company through several phases. He also led a management buy-out of that business in 1998 and then sold it in 2003. Having carried out some one-off consultancies after selling the business, Bill was asked to take over as chair of The Meat Training Council (now the Food and Drink Training and Education Council, or ftc), a registered charity which he serves as the honorary Chief Executive. He is also the chairman of the main subsidiary, FDQ Ltd. This year, ftc have been successful with a BIS/UKCES Employer Leadership project, working with SME’s in the food sector. They are also providing technical support for the successful Butchery Apprentice Trailblazer projects. Bill is also the Chairman of The Institute of Meat, and a Fellow of the Institute of Food Science and Technology, sitting on their Education and Careers Committee. He is a Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Butchers, and sits on the Court as an Assistant. Bill was President of the British Meat Manufacturers’ Association from October 2000 until October 2003, and chaired the steering committee with the British Meat Federation which led to a successful merger of the two associations. He remained a Trustee/Council member of the new Association until May 2014, and remains an Honorary Member. In Addition, he is a commercially qualified Ocean Yachtmaster, acting as volunteer Skipper and Instructor with The Rona Trust, a sail training charity which takes teenagers of all backgrounds deep sea sailing in large yachts, as well as deaf and visually impaired people. He was a Chairman of the Trust’s 2009 Tall Ships’ Transatlantic Race campaign, and was Captain of the 68 foot ketch Rona II, completing 5 weeks’ aboard in Halifax. |
Simon Dwyer - Seafox Management Consultants
Simon is a senior executive with board level experience. Prior to co-founding Seafox Management Consultants, he worked with leading international shipping & transport organisations. Simon has a working knowledge of the seafood sector and is a member of the Seafood Grimsby & Humber Group cluster board with a focus in trade related matters. Simon has a strong insight into HE & FE education and governance. He is North East Lincolnshire's government private sector development & growth lead on food & seafood matters and a member of the wider regional government Agri-Food Board member. Simon is a Committee member of the aspiring Cleethorpes Town FC supporting business sponsorship and income development. |
George Hooper - GCH Fishmongers
George Hooper, 21, is a Director and Fishmonger at his family business GCH Fishmongers, in Bedfordshire. The shop provides a selection of fresh fish sourced daily from Newlyn, Grimsby, Billingsgate, Scotland and Wales. As director of the company, George has hands on experience in buying and selling product and is gaining a solid understanding of the business running process. Recently, George was
named the youngest winner of the British Fish Craft Championships in 2015 at the age of 19, where the best of the UK's fish craftsmen demonstrate their skills in a range of exciting competitions. As a young professional in the seafood industry, Hooper recognizes the importance of life-long learning to maintain skills and develop new ones which will lead to further opportunities for growth and advancement in the seafood industry. George says: "One of the key skills that you learn quickly when training to be a fishmonger is how to communicate effectively. For me, being able to speak to customers is probably the most crucial part of the role, as is being confident enough to have faith in your ability - whether in relation to species knowledge or knife skills. It's a great feeling when you are able to go above and beyond to meet the customer expectations and deliver great results."
George Hooper, 21, is a Director and Fishmonger at his family business GCH Fishmongers, in Bedfordshire. The shop provides a selection of fresh fish sourced daily from Newlyn, Grimsby, Billingsgate, Scotland and Wales. As director of the company, George has hands on experience in buying and selling product and is gaining a solid understanding of the business running process. Recently, George was
named the youngest winner of the British Fish Craft Championships in 2015 at the age of 19, where the best of the UK's fish craftsmen demonstrate their skills in a range of exciting competitions. As a young professional in the seafood industry, Hooper recognizes the importance of life-long learning to maintain skills and develop new ones which will lead to further opportunities for growth and advancement in the seafood industry. George says: "One of the key skills that you learn quickly when training to be a fishmonger is how to communicate effectively. For me, being able to speak to customers is probably the most crucial part of the role, as is being confident enough to have faith in your ability - whether in relation to species knowledge or knife skills. It's a great feeling when you are able to go above and beyond to meet the customer expectations and deliver great results."
Lee Cooper - Seafish
Lee Cooper is Seafish’s National Learning & Standards Manager for the onshore sectors of the UK seafood industry. With more than 26 years’ experience in learning and development at Seafish, Lee is responsible for a UK wide network of Seafish approved onshore training providers. He is the managing partner for the Seafood Training Academy and he sits on all four Seafood Training Networks as a partner. Lee also manages Seafish’s engagement with 14 fish and shellfish apprenticeship providers, several awarding bodies, trade associations and other organisations regarding learning and development. Outside of Seafish, Lee’s interests include seafishing, old cars, astrophotography and fun with molten metal. |
Audrey van Oostrum – Nova Scotia Fisheries Sector Council
Audrey discovered human resources while enrolled in related courses such as Industrial and Organizational Psychology while attending Saint Mary’s University, sparking an interest in the field. Once receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology Audrey moved on to complete the Advanced Diploma of Human Resource Management from the Nova Scotia Community College Waterfront Campus. The program focuses on all aspects of human resources including recruitment, retention, training, compensation, benefits, organizational development, and much more. Upon receiving her diploma in June 2016, Audrey immediately began employment with the Nova Scotia Fisheries Sector Council and obtained membership with the Human Resources Association of Nova Scotia. Having grown up on her Father’s apple farm she was ecstatic to be involved in the primary industries and to see similarities and differences between agriculture and fisheries. As the Human Resources Project Officer, Audrey provides HR guidance and assistance to many seafood processing plants in Nova Scotia. She has been working on developing tools for management such as application forms and telephone reference guides, as well as creating job descriptions for all positions at each company. These steps will aid in the success of future HR developments, such as the training/orientation programs, performance management and employee bonus and recognition programs that are part of the strategic plan for improving attraction and retention within the sector. |
Peter Norsworthy – Pisces Consulting Limited
Peter is the President of Pisces Consulting, and previously President of Tavel Limited. Since 1986, members of the Pisces team have provided Atlantic Canadian clients in the seafood sector with a broad range of services. The seafood sector is very dynamic and the services provided by Pisces continue to evolve to meet clients’ needs. Currently, Pisces offers services in many disciplines, including financial, scientific, engineering, management, processing and marketing. Staff have participated in more than 1,000 consulting assignments for clients including three levels of government, educational institutions, processors, harvesting associations, processor associations, banking institutions, insurance adjusters and receivers. |
Ben Wiper - Cedar Bay Grilling Company Ltd.
Ben joined the management team at Cedar Bay Grilling Team in January 2015 as part of the company's preparation for a large expansion of export volume to the US market. During this time, the company has experienced sales growth of over 300% and improved its gross margin by 5% and profit margin by nearly 8%. The Cedar Bay team has been able to meet the demands of rapid growth through a strategic debt restructuring, increased plant automation, and solidifying its labour force and production team. Cedar Bay Grilling was the 2016 NSBI Export Achievement winner for the province of Nova Scotia and anticipates continued double digit growth, largely in exports, for the foreseeable future. |