Congratulations are extended to Tom Eakin who has been awarded ‘Family Business Director of the Year’ as well as runner-up in the ‘Overall Director of the Year’ at the UK IOD Director of the Year Awards 2011 held recently.

Open to directors from across the business spectrum, the IoD Director of the Year Awards UK selects regional winners from across the UK to then compete for the overall title. So having won the Northern Ireland award for ‘Family Business Director of the Year’ back in December 2010, Tom was then shortlisted for the UK award.

And on Friday 23rd September he joined the UK finalists at the Lancaster Hotel in London for an afternoon of celebration with award host Michael Portillo, where Tom Eakin was crowned the overall winner in the Family Business category, despite tough competition.

Given the current economic conditions, the judges were looking for individuals who have continued to prosper. They were most impressed with how Tom has developed the Eakin Group of Companies from a manufacturing start-up in 1974 to a 4 company organisation employing more than 200 people.

Commenting on the Awards, the Northern Ireland Minister for Employment & Learning, Danny Kennedy, said “Excellent leadership, provided by well qualified managers, is central to our vision for skills and today’s winners demonstrate the outstanding talent which exists among Northern Ireland’s business leaders. By nurturing these skills, businesses – and indeed Northern Ireland – will reap the rewards of competitive advantage and long-term economic success.”

Congratulations to Tom on a well deserved achievement!