Tharsus Group celebrates excellence during 2024 at the Chairman’s Awards night
At Tharsus, we believe that how we work is just as important as what we achieve. Our people drive our success through their passion, creativity, and commitment to doing the right thing, every day.
We recently celebrated our annual Chairman’s Awards with our sister company Universal Wolf, recognising outstanding achievements and contributions across the organisation. The awards highlight exceptional individuals who embody the company’s Vision and Mission while upholding our core values Aim Higher, Think Wider, and Work Together.
The Chairman’s Awards serve as a platform to acknowledge team members who have gone above and beyond in their roles, demonstrating innovation, leadership, and dedication to excellence. This year’s ceremony showcased remarkable achievements across multiple categories, culminating in the prestigious overall Chairman’s Award.
Why We Do the Chairman’s Awards?
To recognise excellence
We want to honour those who go above and beyond in bringing our values to life.
To inspire others
By showcasing best practices and innovative thinking, we aim to motivate everyone to keep raising the bar.
To strengthen our culture
We believe a strong culture of collaboration, trust, and ambition is the foundation of our success.
The Category Winners
Photographed from left to right: Ryan Illingworth, Jenny Humble, Brian Palmer, Sophie Laidlaw, David Malecki, Steve Reay
The Category Runners-Up
Photographed from left to right: Ryan Healy, Gary Clough, Micky Innes, Brian Palmer, Nicola Brotherick, David Batey, Mark Nicolson, Gerry Loobey
Vision
Recognises individuals who contribute to setting an impactful vision or strategy that drives the business forward. These are the people who see opportunities others don’t and inspire us to aim for new horizons. In this category, Jenny Humble (Tharsus) secured the top honour for her innovative supplier day initiative, which demonstrated strategic thinking and excellent stakeholder management. Micky Innes, (Universal Wolf) was named runner-up for his impressive customer engagement and innovative design solutions.
Mission
Celebrates those who consistently do the right thing, whether for colleagues, customers, or suppliers. These individuals put integrity, responsibility, and empathy at the heart of their actions. The Mission category saw Steve Reay (Universal Wolf) claim the winning position for his crucial quality control intervention on a project, while Ryan Healy (Universal Wolf) was recognised as runner-up for his dedicated after-hours support.
Aim Higher
Highlights those who push boundaries and demonstrate bravery in striving for outcomes beyond expectations. These people show what’s possible when we refuse to settle for the status quo. Aim Higher celebrated David Malecki (Tharsus) as the winner for his outstanding NPI management and customer onboarding while Gary Clough (Universal Wolf) was awarded runner-up for his exceptional achievement in becoming a qualified responsible Weld Coordinator in record time.
Think Wider
Acknowledges individuals who challenge the norm with creative, innovative thinking. They see the bigger picture, propose new ideas, and solve problems in fresh, efficient ways. In the Think Wider category, Sophie Laidlaw (Tharsus) emerged victorious for her crucial electrical testing work on our VersaTile system. Nicola Brotherick (Tharsus) and Kelly Spilsbury (Tharsus) were jointly named runners-up for their proactive quality management on a key customer project.
Work Together
Applauds people who embody selfless teamwork, offering unwavering support to colleagues and customers alike. They’re the glue that holds projects and teams together, ensuring shared success. The Work Together category recognised Ryan Illingworth (Universal Wolf) as the winner for his exceptional leadership on a key project. David Batey, Gerry Loobey, and Mark Nicolson from Tharsus shared the runner-up position for their collaborative problem-solving approach.
Special Recognition
The ceremony also celebrated the achievements of four outstanding colleagues completing their apprenticeships: Oscar Mann (Tharsus, Engineering Management), Nathan Mould (Universal Wolf, Mechanical Engineering), James Anderson (Universal Wolf, Engineering Technician), and Evan Metcalf (Tharsus, nominated for Apprentice of the Year), highlighting the company’s commitment to developing future talent.
Overall Chairman Award Winner 2024
A Leader, Innovator, and Team Builder.
The evening’s highest honour, the Overall Chairman’s Award, was presented to Kelly Spilsbury, Tharsus Materials Manager. With over six years of service, Kelly has demonstrated exceptional capability and leadership, particularly in her strategic roles across material planning, store management, and strategic purchasing.
Some of Kelly’s key achievements in 2024:
- Leadership: Kelly has built and shaped strong teams, taking on responsibility for Stores Management and Purchasing.
- Adaptability: She jumped into project management roles, making critical decisions that kept customers happy and projects on track.
- Collaboration: Kelly worked tirelessly with colleagues across the business, helping them solve problems and develop new skills.
- Impact: From major cost negotiations to last-minute quality fixes, her efforts have repeatedly led to positive outcomes for both Tharsus and our customers.
Kelly embodies our core values – Aim Higher, Think Wider, Work Together and we can’t wait to see how she continues to influence Tharsus’ future success.
Thank You
To everyone nominated, thank you. Your efforts make us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the challenges ahead.
Congratulations to all finalists, runners-up, and winners!