ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE MAXOL IRISH MOTOR INDUSTRY PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD

Monthly Award Winners

The Maxol Irish Motor Industry Person of the Year Award was recently presented to Jim Callery, Chairman of Westward Distribution Group, Roscommon and developer of Strokestown House by the Minister for Public Enterprise, Mary O’Rourke T.D, at a ceremony in the Shelbourne Hotel.

The Maxol Motor Industry Person of the Year Awards are run in association with Irish Motor Industry Magazine and were introduced in recognition of the contribution made by Irish motor industry representatives to the overall economic and social fabric of Ireland. The awards were launched in July 1997 with twelve winners announced monthly in Irish Motor Industry Magazine.

Jim Callery was chosen as the overall winner of the 1998 Maxol Motor Industry Person of the Year Awards in recognition of his success as an entrepreneur as Chairman of the Westward Distribution Group and the manner in which he used the fruits of his success in the motor industry to re-invest in his community. In 1979 he purchased and restored Strokestown House, Co. Roscommon, a house of considerable historic significance, turning it into a major tourism resource incorporating the Famine Museum.

Commenting at the awards ceremony, Tom Noonan, Maxol Group Chief Executive said:

"Maxol is delighted to sponsor the Irish Motor Industry Person of the Month Awards with twelve quite remarkable people being recognised here today. The Irish motor industry is in one way or another responsible for the employment of 40,000 people and has produced a steady stream of entrepreneurs.

I make this point because I want to add my voice to that of Seamus Scally of Musgraves who was recently reported as stating that he believes that superstores suck money out of towns and villages and leave nothing but devastation and closed down shutters behind them. Like Musgraves, Maxol is Irish and entirely family owned and we are satisfied that there is ample evidence to support this point.

The UK based National Retail Planning Forum* issued a report earlier this year on a study it carried out in relation to the employment impact that 93 superstores there had in the regions where they were established. Their findings show that these stores did not create additional jobs. On the contrary, they concluded that the net impact of the 93 superstore openings was a loss of 25,685 full-time equivalent jobs. To put it another way, each superstore opening resulted in an average net loss of 276 full-time jobs.

Needless to add, finding alternative work or, worse still, paying unemployment benefits in similar circumstances in Ireland would cost the State millions. Our message for Government is a simple one – beware of the superstore charm offensive. There is a real danger that such developments in this country will undo most of the great work done as a result of urban renewal schemes unless appropriate measures are put in place to prevent unfettered development by them."

Also speaking at the Awards Mr. David Markey, Chief Executive, Irish Motor Industry Magazine commented:

"We are delighted to be involved with Maxol in the Irish Motor Industry Person Awards, as it is an excellent mechanism by which to recognise some of the exceptional people in the business. On behalf of Irish Motor Industry Magazine, I would like to congratulate all those who were recognised with a Person of the Month award."

The judges for this years Maxol Motor Industry Person of the Year Awards include Paul O’Grady, Editor of Irish Motor Industry Magazine; Michael Colbert, a Director of Gowan Motors and Tom J. Noonan, Maxol Group Chief Executive.