South West College: Appointment of Governing Body includes Omagh Enterprise’s Nicholas O’Shiel

Employment and Learning Minister, Dr Stephen Farry, today announced the appointment of members of the Governing Body of South West College.

The Minister has appointed six new governors and re-appointed three existing governors, whose terms of office had come to an end. The appointments take effect from 1 August 2011 and each is for a period of four years.

Confirming the appointments, the Minister said: “Colleges have an important role in supporting businesses, communities and the Northern Ireland economy by meeting their education and training needs.

“These appointments will ensure a qualified and committed Governing Body is in place to provide strategic leadership for the next four years for the provision of this important local service to learners and employers.”

A Further Education College’s Governing Body is responsible for securing the efficient and effective management of the College, agreeing and monitoring its strategic direction, appointing its senior staff and ensuring that the College acts as a responsible employer.

The new governors are: Mr Seamus Devine, Mrs Margaret Martin, Mr Gerard O’Hanlon, Mr Michael Skuce, Mrs Monica McGeary and Mr Derek Weir. The governors who are being re-appointed are: Dr Mark Kelly, Mr Nicholas O’Shiel and Mrs Diane Stevenson.

The position of governor is not remunerated. These appointments are being made by the Minister following a public competition conducted in accordance with the code of practice of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, Northern Ireland.

Notes to editors:

1.  These appointments were made on merit and political activity played no part in the selection process.  However, the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires the political activity of appointees to be published.

2.  A selection panel, which included an Independent Panel Member considered the suitability of all candidates and recommended suitable candidates to the Minister.

3.  Mr Seamus Devine

Mr Devine is a Production Accountant and has worked in the media and creative industries for the past eight years. His main responsibilities are financial and project management. He is a fully qualified Chartered Management Accountant. Mr Devine lives in Omagh. He has carried out no political activity in the last five years and does not currently hold any other public appointments.

Mrs Margaret Martin

Mrs Martin was principal of St Catherine’s College in Armagh. She is currently the chair of the Sacred Heart Educational Trust in Dublin, member of RAFT (Restorative Action Following the Troubles) in Armagh and a member of the national executive of Trócaire. She was chair of Foras na Gaeilge / The Language Implementation Body, has been a board member of the Southern Health and Social Services Board, a member of the Taoiseach’s Taskforce on Active Citizenship, a member of DENI’s post primary review, a vice chair of CCEA and a member of the council of Raidio na Gaeltachta with responsibility for monitoring educational output and reflecting the views of listeners in Northern Ireland. Mrs Martin lives in Dungannon. She has carried out no political activity in the last five years and does not currently hold any other public appointments.

Mr Gerard O’Hanlon

Mr O’Hanlon is founder, director and a senior consultant of Stredia Limited, which is a company offering a management information system to improve company performance. He has previously worked in the outdoor activity sector and owned a tiles and flooring business. Heis a past president of Omagh Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a member of Omagh Business Forum Ltd, the Omagh Economic Advisory Board and the Irish Central Border Area Network Joined Up Development Group. He was chairman of the Ballygawley Street Ceili Festival in 2004. Mr O’Hanlon lives in Ballygawley. He has carried out no political activity in the last five years and does not currently hold any other public appointments.

Mr Michael Skuce

Mr Skuce was a public servant for 30 years with extensive experience of implementing reform in public services. He has carried out no political activity in the last five years and does not currently hold any other public appointments.

Mrs Monica McGeary

Mrs McGeary is owner and manager of Source Business Leads for over ten years, formerly known as IMM. She has previously worked as a director of international operations and a director of client business development with the Frantz Group in Wisconsin, USA. She is part of the Tradelinks Mentor Panel providing market entry support for businesses across Northern Ireland and the Border Counties. She is also a mentor for Enterprise Ireland’s client companies servicing mainly Dublin to Galway Northwards. Mrs McGeary lives in Edendork, Dungannon. She has carried out no political activity in the last five years and does not currently hold any other public appointments.

Mr Derek Weir

Mr Weir is Head of contracts, patents, and licences at Queen’s University Belfast. He has extensive experience of higher education and business. He has previously worked as an innovation services executive at the University of Ulster, a technology executive in Invest NI and in senior positions in a number of engineering companies. He holds a Masters of Engineering from Queen’s University Belfast and is currently a parent governor of Cookstown High School. Mr Weir lives in Cookstown. He was a member of the Democratic Unionist Party until April 2007 but has carried out no political activity since that date and does not currently hold any other public appointments.

Dr Mark Kelly

Since 2003, Dr Kelly was the principal scientist/engineer responsible for commercialisation of research into high frequency electronics at Queen’s University Belfast. This year he has become the CEO of LamhRoe Ltd a spin out from the High Frequency Electronics Group at Queen’s University. LamhRoe Ltd are involved in Microwave and mmWave systems for the space and communications markets. He has had extensive experience in the telecommunications field for over 20 years, with spells at the European Space Agency, Philips and semiconductor companies in the US. He has also co-founded and subsequently sold a high-tech start-up company and has gained insights into technological development and industrial needs in many countries. Dr Kelly has been a member of the South West College Body for the past four years. He lives in Omagh. Dr Kelly has carried out no political activity in the last five years and does not currently hold any other public appointments.

Mr Nicholas O’Shiel

Mr O’Shiel is chief executive of Omagh Enterprise Company. Nicholas received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise 2008 for his contribution to enterprise and entrepreneurship and was an Enterprising Britain Awards Northern Ireland Finalist in 2009. He was instrumental in the development of a Technology Incubation Centre that houses 15 knowledge-focussed businesses employing 75 people. He holds a Doctorate in Management from the University of Ulster, Belfast and a Masters in Management from Trinity College, Dublin. He completed an International Philanthropy programme with Trinity College, Dublin and the American Management Business Internship Programme run by the US Department of Commerce and the International Fund for Ireland. He also completed the Enterprise Development Programme run by the Dublin Institute of Technology and Cranfield University. Nicholas is a former President of Omagh Chamber of Commerce, former Chairman of Omagh Business Forum, a Board Member of the South West College, a member of the Institute of Directors, a member of the Chartered Institute of Management, a member of the Royal Society of Arts and former Vice-Chairman of Enterprise Northern Ireland. He has carried out no political activity in the last five years and does not currently hold any other public appointments.

Mrs Diane Stevenson

Mrs Stevenson has been an Assistant Director in the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) since 2007. Her previous career has been in the rural sphere, as an Agricultural Adviser, the Farm Director of Loughry College, and the Manager of a dairy development team in Fermanagh and Tyrone. Mrs Stevenson is a church elder, the Chair of the community-based initiative of the North Fermanagh Policing Forum and a member of the Board of Governors of the Enniskillen Collegiate Grammar School. She has also been a member of the South West College Governing Body for the past four years. She has carried out no political activity in the last five years and does not currently hold any other public appointments.

4.  All media enquiries should be directed to the Department for Employment and Learning Communications Branch on 028 9025 7466. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.

Source: delni.gov.uk