Details

Date	12/02/2009
Type	Public news
Headline	The New NAS President
Detail	The National Association of Shopfitters is very pleased to announce that Brendan Turtle – Manufacturing Director of Patton Joinery has been elected the new NAS President. He was elected at the 89th Annual General Meeting of the Association held in London on 11th February 2009. Brendan joined Patton’s on the 3rd September 1962 as an apprentice joiner at the original Ballymoney Road offices of the Patton organisation. He is rightly proud of the fact he was interviewed on the door step of David Patton’s home and started work on the following Monday. David Patton reliably informs NAStalk that he had his eye on Brendan at a very early stage in his career “he was diligent and hard working and was someone who could be left in charge”. Brendan, along with three of his colleagues who also made it to the top, cut his teeth at Ballymena Swimming Pool. However he declares a lot more satisfaction was building passenger shelters for the then Northern Ireland Railways on the Bangor and Lisburn lines. Site Foreman at 23 years of age what an experience!!! The foundations of Brendan’s long-standing relationship with Pattons were firmly cemented some thirty years ago when as a key player within the Patton organisation he steered the Company into shopfitting. Brendan was the man in charge and strong lasting relationships were built with many large high street retailers. Brendan has witnessed an industry that has changed a great deal in the past few decades, from the first time he became involved with it in 1962. He has witnessed at first hand the structure of the industry that has changed and without doubt the degree of technological advance could scarcely have been predicted by anyone. He took over responsibility for Patton’s bespoke and general joinery at Raceview Mills early in 2000. David Patton is clearly proud of his longest serving employee praising his knowledge, skill and enthusiasm as being a cornerstone of the group’s success. A success that was justifiably rewarded in 2002 when Brendan was appointed as Manufacturing Director. Ever since the days of his apprenticeship with Pattons he feels passionately about the one thing that has endured and that is the special emphasis which our industry places on the acquisition and practice of skills, some of which have been handed down over many generations. The tools may have changed, he says, the ways of working have certainly moved on, but the dedication of expert practitioners has not. As an industry, we can still take a great pride in the quality of our craftsmanship. Brendan has a passion that he wishes to share during his term as NAS President. He is passionate to continue the work that was started by Immediate Past President Richard Easton and that is to have a first class and well-trained workforce, so that the Team will work in an integrated fashion, in that all have skills, which are essential to the project. He is positive in his quest that the shopfitting industry needs to demonstrate that it is serious about training and the qualification and certification systems that come with it.
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