DIRECTOR of IT applications at Ransomes Jacobsen Ian Rooke has taken over responsibility for IT at both the Ipswich-based turf maintenance equipment manufacturer and its sister company Jacobsen Inc, based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

DIRECTOR of IT applications at Ransomes Jacobsen Ian Rooke has taken over responsibility for IT at both the Ipswich-based turf maintenance equipment manufacturer and its sister company Jacobsen Inc, based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Mr Rooke began his career as an apprentice engineer before transferring to the IT department. During his 25 years with the company, he has provided strong leadership and direction to the Oracle technical and development team.

He was lead project manager for the successful Oracle upgrade which provided the foundation for the company's customer and supplier on-line applications.

He was also the lead project manager for the introduction of I-Store, which enhanced the electronic customer portal for advanced parts ordering, order status, registration and warranty claims. Most recently, he led the project team on the new Ransomes Jacobsen global website which went live in February.

Mr Rooke will report to Gary Cantrell, the vice president and chief information officer for Textron Corporation, which owns the brand, and Dan Wilkinson, president of Jacobsen Inc.

He lives in Ipswich with his wife Michelle and their son, Tony. He enjoys outdoor sports, is a keen mountain bike enthusiast and a member of both the England Rugby and Leicester Tigers supporters' clubs.