THE chief executive of international grain trader W&R Barnett is among a number of business figures from Northern Ireland recognised in the Queen's birthday honours list, which postponed from June in order to include people who have been instrumental in the Covid-19 effort.
William Barnett (43), who heads the fourth generation grain and animal feed producer, one of an elite cohort of companies in the north with a £1 billion-plus turnover, has been awarded a CBE for services to economic development.
Such is the scale of W&R Barnett, which was founded in Belfast in 1896, William has held 60 directorships across the globe, covering operations in countries as far afield as Trinidad & Tobago and the Philippines.
He is also a past recipient of the Institute of Directors' Chairman’s Award for Excellence in director and board practice.
An MBE for services to the economy has gone to Darina Armstrong of the north's largest locally-owned financial institution Progressive Building Society.
One of a small minority of female chief executives in the region, she is the first female and the first Northern Ireland representative to sit on the UK Building Societies Association Council, and she has been a consistent champion for workplace equality and diversity.
Also each receiving an MBE for their work in the economy are Michael Hall, founder and chief executive of Craigavon-based snacks brand Kestrel Foods, which last year had sales of more than £18 million; and Mervyn Hempton, chair of East Belfast Enterprise, who before his retirement last year was chief executive of Allied Bakeries, where he served as chair of the NI Bakery Council and president of the Irish Association of Master Bakers.
Gillian McKee, who spent more than 20 years with Business in the Community NI, first as director of marketing and communications and for the last six years as its deputy managing director, has been awarded an MBE for services to the community.
Among a raft of BEM recipients are Richard and Lowry Hodgett, who for more than 40 years have been involved in newspaper publishing. They own the Newry Reporter and Banbridge Chronicle, the latter which this month celebrates its 150th anniversary.
