Linda Ennis is the Employer Engagement Officer for the Louth Region, with the Louth Meath Education and Training Board. Linda’s role is to support local employers and employees with SOLAS Funded Training Courses to support upskilling, reskilling, career transition and career progression. Linda holds an Honours Degree in Training & Education and has over 20 years of experience in the training & education sector. She also ran her own private training college for 12 years so has a clear understanding of all aspects of business and an appreciation for the challenges and opportunities surrounding running your own business. Linda is passionate about supporting both company and career progression through lifelong learning “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today” Malcolm X

Breanndán Casey is the Education and outreach Manager for the newly-established ‘Connected Health & Well-Being’ Cluster which is based at DKIT, and aims to support the creation and expansion of Digital Health companies and services across the North-East region.

Breanndán has twenty years’ experience in economic development, small business support, development of business Clusters, and until recently, was the Innovation & Enterprise Manager of The Mill Enterprise Hub in Drogheda which supports startups and entrepreneurship in the greater Drogheda region

Ken has over 15 years Banking experience mainly involved in commercial & property lending at a senior management level. Qualified as a Certified Public Accountant in the late 1990’s, and have worked both in practice and industry. Ken also leads a wholesale and retail business, involved in the import and distribution of household products throughout Ireland and the UK.
Ken has been a Chamber Council member since 2012 and is currently Chairman of the Finance Committee.

Robert has been working in retail financial services since 1999, when he joined Irish Permanent Finance – subsequently called Permanent tsb Finance after a merger in 2001 and now known as First Citizen Finance following a Management Buy-Out in 2012 by the Senior Management Team of Permanent TSB Finance.

First Citizen Finance provides competitive finance solutions to consumers and non-consumers across the Motor, Agri, SME Equipment and Commercial Real Estate sectors in the Republic of Ireland. Robert works nationally across both the Sales and Marketing divisions of the company, based in Drogheda.

Robert joined Drogheda Chamber in 2009 as a member and has been a Council member since 2017. He served as Chamber President from June 2020 until December 2022.

https://www.firstcitizen.ie/

Miriam Simon is founder of PTO.ie (www.pto.ie), a consultancy that specialises in trading & consumer strategy. An experienced Business Mentor with over 30 years experience working at board level within the Retail sector, alongside cross industry mentoring with Enterprise Ireland, Miriam helps CEO's and Business owners grow their business and get great results - at pace! Miriam has added tens of millions to the bottom lines of the businesses she has worked with, and as such is ranked by Linkedin as within the Top 1% for Retail.

In addition, Miriam is an accredited executive coach, has studied Corporate Governance and Strategy with the Institute of Directors, and is also advisor to Ireland's finalists for the SME Instrument Horizon 2020 programme, which has a strong track record of fund achievement..

Michael has been working in the media Industry for more than 30 years. In that time Michael has worked in Radio TV and Newspapers, local and National.

Still involved in the Radio Industry, he has his own business, Michael Gerrard Media. He helps companies with their digital marketing strategy and manages their Social Media platforms on a daily basis.

Eddie is a chartered Civil and Structural Engineer and managing director of VCL Consultants. He has operated the practice for the past 20 years providing consultancy services to the construction industry both locally and throughout Ireland. Eddie has been a council member of the Chamber since 2012 and was Chamber president from 2015-2017. Eddie originally hails from Kildare but has lived in Drogheda since 1995 and he and his family have been embedded in the community since that date.

Paul qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2014 working in a Big 4 Firm where he gained extensive experience across a myriad of different industries, including technology, manufacturing, distribution, pharmaceutical and retail.

Paul works with and advises businesses of all stages, including those in the growth and maturity stages and has an avid interest in start-up businesses. Paul is passionate about assisting and promoting local trade and enterprise.

Website Link: https://www.bkg.ie/

LinkedIn Link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-berrill-3250b068/

Collette Farrell has worked in the cultural sector for the past 30 years. Starting out as an actress, she completed the Diploma in Theatre & Media Studies with the Abbey Theatre, and taught drama in the Gaiety School of Acting. She was General & Programme Manager of the City Arts Centre, Dublin, Producer for Calipo Theatre & Picture, Drogheda and in 2017 she became Director of Droichead Arts Centre. Collette co-chairs Drogheda Arts Festival, is a member of the Louth Creative Ireland, and has an Advanced Certificate in Management Practice and Entrepreneurship with Ulster University.

Steven is the founder and CEO of Big Wheel Marketing (www.bigwheel.org), a marketing consultancy with offices in both Ireland and the United Arab Emirates. Since inception in 2015, Big Wheel has worked with over 60 clients in areas of expertise ranging from marketing strategy, video production, digital marketing technology, creative services and public relations.

Steven is also an international tourism consultant and has contributed to many projects in the areas of national tourism strategies, travel technology and marketing, and travel-related investments and private equity.

Previously, Steven was the Managing Director (Ireland) and Commercial Director (Europe) for online travel agent ebookers.com, and the former CEO of the Tourism Development Authority of the emirate of Ras al Khaimah, UAE.

Robert joined the family business

(www.jackdoranmotors.ie) in 2018. Jack Doran Motors is the main Kia and Citroen dealer in Drogheda and was established in 1998. Previously, Robert worked in the FMCG industry for over 20 years in a wide range of commercial roles dealing with some of the most recognisable brands and companies. Robert became a Council member this year.

A family run business based in Droghedas' main street, West St. Originally set up in 1918 as a grocery store by brothers, Michael and Owen Kierans, the business has continuously adapted over the years to its present format as a Delicatessen. Now in its third generation the business has in recent years branched into outside catering, catering for corporate and domestic business in the Drogheda and East Meath area.

Niall is a graduate of the College of Commerce in Rathmell and is presently Chairman of the recently established LoveDrogheda BID (Business Improvement District) a Ratepayer funded initiative, established to promote Drogheda as a place to work, live and socialise. His involvement with Drogheda Chamber continues his families involvement with , Owen 1934/5, Tommy 1952/3, Malachi 1994/5 and Eugene 2006/8 all holding office as previous Presidents of Drogheda Chamber.

Ronan is the Director of Business, Innovation and Enterprise at the Mill Enterprise Centre in Drogheda. He is a multi-award winner for Entrepreneurship at both a National and World level. Ronan's specialities are in the areas of business strategy, revenue management and profit optimisation.

Prior to joining the Mill, Ronan worked as the Director of Revenue, Pricing and Deal Management for the Mater Private Hospital Network. Ronan has over 15 years' experience in Director and senior Commercial roles across tourism, aviation, telecoms and healthcare and has worked in across the Caribbean and in North Africa.