Strabane businessman John Friel has vowed to "level the playing field" between small and big businesses following his re-election for a 10th successive term as northern Ireland regional chairman of the Federation of Small businesses (FSb).
Mr Friel, who has been involved in manufacturing for more than 30 years, has extensive first hand experience of the challenges facing small businesses in 2014, and has committed to ensure that the FSb will continue its work in protecting the interests of members. "As always, the FSb will deliver benefits to our members that give them, as individual business owners, the sort of support and strength that is normally associated with the biggest companies," he said. "We have 200,000 members across the UK including 7,000 in northern Ireland, and I will continue to work to make their voice heard. "As well as providing business support services to our members, the FSb will remain to the fore in reminding decision and policy-makers of just how vital small businesses are to the local economy, campaigning to improve the operating environment for local firms." He said that, amid early but slow signs of economic growth, the FSb would continue to promote the message to all levels of government about just how vital small and micro businesses will be in leading the economy back to steady recovery. The FSb region's annual meeting also saw other long-serving members reelected, with Wilfred Mitchell and Marlene Marcus returned as vice-chairs of the region, Donal McCrossan re-elected as regional secretary and Mary Greenan returned as regional treasurer.