Members & Trustees
Cookstown Enterprise is overseen by and experienced committee:
Chairman – Trevor Wilson
A manager with the locally based Lafarge Cement manufacturing company, Trevor is also an elected representative of Mid Ulster Council and a member of its Development committee.
Trevor has been a board member since 1991 and has extensive knowledge of the organisation and its objectives as well as bringing valuable local knowledge through the many networks with which he is associated.
In his second term as chair he continues to promote Cookstown Enterprise as a model of good practice within the Northern Ireland small business support network.
Vice Chairman – Michael McGuckin
Former Chief Executive of Cookstown District Council and has over twenty years’ experience of serving on the Cookstown Enterprise board.
Michael has vast experience of local government affairs as well as successfully managing a large and complex local government organisation.
He has a good awareness of local economic development issues and the needs of small businesses throughout Northern Ireland. He has a sound knowledge of corporate governance legislation as well as human resources requirements.
Directors
Stanley Best
For in excess of 35 years he has been successfully operating a large family owned estate agency business based in Cookstown.
Another founder member and director of the company who brings valuable skills experience and local knowledge of both the commercial and residential property markets across Mid Ulster.
As required he sits on the Property Subcommittee to assess property development opportunities. His company also provides specialist property consultancy services as and when deemed necessary by the board.
Peter Cassidy
Former local district Councillor with Cookstown District Council. Long term member of the local SDLP party and has been a director of CEC for approximately 15 years.
Peter specialises in representing clients at medical and industrial tribunals and he has acquired a great depth of knowledge in employment law and related subjects which he volunteers to the board of CEC.
Elizabeth (Liz) Kearns
Liz has an Honours Degree in Business Studies as well as a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resources Management.
She has 30 years’ experience in HR Management which commenced in retail and progressed to the manufacturing industry within in both small and larger organisations. Liz left her position as Human Resources Manager at Emerson, Cookstown in June 2020 and joined the Board of Cookstown Enterprise Centre in May 2021.
Among her key skills are business planning, people engagement and development, health and wellbeing and implementing continuous improvement initiatives.
Gwyneth Evans
Gwyneth Evans commenced her career as a history teacher in the Northeast of England and had the privilege of serving as Head of History, and Vice Principal (Academic).
Gwyneth was the founding Principal of Bede Academy, appointed in 2007, she had the privilege of establishing and developing one of the first all-through schools in the country. Gwyneth was appointed as the founding Principal in 2009, a post which she held until 2018
Driven by a passion to ensure that all children are provided with an outstanding education underpinned by a Christian ethos regardless of background, she saw the Academy grow and young people develop personally and academically securing outstanding results.
Gwyneth returned to her native homeland, N. Ireland, to take up the Principalship of Cookstown High School in 2018. Her educational interests include leadership, learning and teaching and professional learning.
Gwyneth accepted an invitation to join the Board of Directors of Cookstown Enterprise Centre in 2022. She brings a range of skills which are valuable to the work of the enterprise centre.
