A site manager from Suffolk is celebrating after winning a prestigious national house-building award.

Nicos Charalambous, site manager at Taylor Wimpey’s Concept development at Red Lodge, near between Mildenhall and Newmarket, beat off stiff competition from more than 13,000 entries to be honoured with an NHBC (National House-Building Council) Pride in the Job Quality Award.

The award, which is one of 68 won by Taylor Wimpey site managers around the UK, recognises Nicos’s dedication to building high-quality homes for new homebuyers and ranks Concept in the top 3% of developments across the UK.

Pride in the Job quality awards are presented following a stringent judging process by NHBC inspectors who perform spot checks and continuous assessment of developments throughout the year.

Nicos said: “This award recognises the hard work of the whole team at Concept who all take great pride in ensuring that the homes we build are completed to the highest possible standards. I’m delighted to have reached this stage of the competition and to be recognised by the industry in this way.”

Bryn Maidman, managing director for Taylor Wimpey East Anglia, said: “Nicos’s quality award is thoroughly deserved and we’ll all be supporting him as he progresses through to the regional heats and hopefully to the grand final in London.”

: : THE founder of Suffolk-based Hearing Care Centre has beaten hundreds of other companies to be shortlisted in the Nectar Small Business awards. Karen Finch is just weeks away from the final of the Entrepreneur of the Year category which is judged by a panel of experts including iconic businesswoman and star of BBC 1’s The Apprentice, Karren Brady.

The competition carries a prize of £2,000 cash, 50,000 Nectar points and the prestigious title. What’s more Karen will be invited to the Nectar Business Round Table event, in September, where she will meet and get business advice from lead judge Karren Brady.

Single mum of two Karen Finch created the Hearing Care Centre 15 years ago to offer hearing tests, sales of hearing aids and other related equipment to those who prefer not to use the NHS. Karen’s company quickly opened satellite centres in doctors’ surgeries and health centres around the Suffolk area. In the last two years it has invested more than £200,000 in larger premises in Ipswich and taken on more staff.

“I’m delighted to be shortlisted in the Nectar Business Small Business Awards,” she said. “One-in-six people suffer from hearing loss and we are so grateful to be able to offer our services to not only the older generation but to the young generation too.

“Attending the round table and being able to get first hand advice from the likes of Karren Brady about my business would be really valuable in taking us to the next level. The £2,000 prize money and 50,000 Nectar points will be used to produce a range of products to ensure the company’s future provides job security for its employees,” she added.

The Hearing Care Centre will now be judged by a panel of business experts, including Karren Brady, Nectar marketing director James Frost, Brakes marketing director David Hughes and Chris Li, founder of Luxury For Less and last year’s winner of the competition.

: : INDEPENDENT invoice finance provider Bibby Financial Services (BFS) has strengthened its senior management team with the appointment of Sharon Wiltshire as managing director for its East Anglian businesses.

Sharon is responsible for managing the performance of three regional businesses, maximising the level of funding provided to SMEs in these areas. Having joined the invoice finance industry in 1987 and BFS in 2001, Sharon brings more than 25 years of experience to the role. More recently, Sharon was seconded to BFS’ European team where she held the role as regional director.

Commercial director Edward Winterton said: “Sharon is a highly experienced and dedicated senior executive with excellent knowledge of the invoice finance landscape. We’re delighted Sharon is now heading-up our East Anglian businesses.

“With senior management, strategic and operational experience, Sharon brings a wealth of knowledge to the role and her commitment and enthusiasm will enable us to expand the level of funding support we offer to SMEs.”

: : EAST Anglian housing association Suffolk Housing has appointed Karen Moore as its new corporate services director.

Karen, 51, has been promoted to the new role from her previous position of corporate services manager, which she held for nearly three years. She will take responsibility for ICT, human resources, customer services, business support, marketing and communications. Karen also joins the company’s leadership team, which sets Suffolk Housing’s strategic direction.

Karen brings 20 years of housing industry experience to her new role, ranging from Ipswich Borough Council to senior positions with Flagship Housing Group and Chelmsford-based housing group, CHP. Karen also ran her own business for six years.

“I am really looking forward to my new role at Suffolk Housing and the challenges and opportunities it will bring,” said Karen, who lives in Bury St. Edmunds.” She added: “My focus will be on ensuring that the corporate services team delivers first class services for both our tenants and our staff.”