NEWS
Inspirational – the late Professor Jane Turner OBE with her husband , Jason , after winning the Lifelong Inspiration award in the 2020 Tees Businesswomen Awards .
ADVICE
What has marketing got to do with Clint Eastwood ?
Award renamed in memory of women ’ s campaigner Jane
The husband of the late Professor Jane Turner OBE has spoken of his pride and emotion after it was revealed that a category in the Tees Businesswomen Awards will be renamed in her memory .
Jane , who until her passing in July was pro vice-chancellor for enterprise and business engagement as well as gender champion at Teesside University , was a fervent supporter of the awards while also helping establish successful women ’ s networking and mentoring groups across the region .
She was also the driving force of the Power of Women campaign that launched shortly before her passing at the age of just 54 .
Now it was been revealed that the Outstanding Achievement Award at the annual Tees Businesswomen Awards will be renamed the Professor Jane Turner Award for Outstanding Achievement .
Jane was the award ’ s first winner when surprised on stage by Tees Business directors Martin Walker and Dave Allan – the event ’ s organisers – in 2019 .
Last year ’ s Outstanding Achievement Award was made posthumously to former radio presenter and community supporter Julie Donaldson , with her husband John Proudler receiving the award on her behalf in an emotional surprise presentation by Zoe Lewis of awards sponsor Northern Skills Group .
This year ’ s winner – and the first to receive the renamed Professor Jane Turner Award for Outstanding Achievement – will be revealed at an event in the Grand Marquee at Hardwick Hall on the evening of Monday September 27 .
Responding to news that the award had been renamed in Jane ’ s honour , her husband Jason said : “ I am incredibly proud of Jane for everything she achieved and especially of her drive and commitment to inspiring and supporting others .
“ Jane would have been so very humbled by this award given in her honour and wouldn ’ t have understood why !
“ One of her many gifts was her humility . Maybe it was not appreciating how very special she was that made her so .
“ Jane ’ s family take huge comfort in the outpouring of love shown by the business community since her death . Jane leaves a huge void in all our lives but her legacy will live on through this award .”
Tees Business director Dave Allan said : “ Inviting Jane onto the stage after surprising her by announcing that she was the first winner of the Outstanding Achievement Award remains one of the most emotional – and best – moments in the short history of the Tees Businesswomen Awards .
“ Nothing could be more fitting than to rename this prestigious award in memory of Jane – a warm , driven , passionate and determined woman whose campaign for girls and women , particularly in this region , will live on through both the Power of Women campaign and now the Professor Jane Turner Award for Outstanding Achievement .”
More than 300 tickets have already been sold for this year ’ s awards event , which is being organised by Tees Business in association with Northern Skills Group , the training and apprenticeship company of Middlesbrough College .
Tables , priced £ 800 plus VAT , are available by emailing vicky @ resolutionpublishing . co . uk . Individual seats are £ 85 plus VAT . Tickets include a prosecco reception , four-course meal and seats for the awards across 11 categories .
See pages 16-19 for more on the 2021 Tees Businesswomen Awards .
Those of us who work in the super exciting marketing arena have our own take on what it is , what it does and what it looks like . Bringing marketing to the forefront is a task in itself , yet if you look at a business , you see the impact of marketing across all departments .
Consider marketing as a set of intricate , meaningful , focused and powerful processes . So , does that answer the question , what is marketing ?
Yes , because it means you need to explore the layers involved . Take a business and consider it as a community of people , whether that ’ s clients or prospects or staff , add in the product or service offering and then add in communications . How that weaves together is representative of marketing .
Marketing activity is the next step . We have an immense range of tools at our disposal to share our messages with our community , to spark interest , generate enquiries or simply tell our story .
Being able to answer why , how , who and when are vital in terms of marketing . The layers of marketing keep the machine well-oiled and the business successful and everyone has a role in that .
Consider what Matt Damon said about Clint Eastwood : “ I think Clint Eastwood is a well-oiled machine . Everyone who works with him has the same reaction , ‘ Can I stay with you ?’.”
A business wants people and wants them to stay . Marketing is the connector !
Mags Bradshaw Founder and director , Red Button Marketing and Training
The voice of business in the Tees region | 7