Celebration – all the winners from a special night.
standing ovation for justice
A campaigner Ann Ming MBE was the fitting climax to the eighth annual Tees Businesswomen Awards that saw Tracerco’ s Rachel Burke, Tees Valley Education’ s Katrina Morley OBE, REFLECT Yarm’ s Dr Coleen Mercer- Quinn and Stockton firm Elite Energy Eco scoop the top honours.
Packed with more than 370 guests, Hardwick Hall’ s Coleman Suite hosted the 2025 Tees Businesswomen Awards – a Tees Business event in association with headline sponsor Middlesbrough College Group.
On a night of celebration and emotion – and with every sponsor and winner welcomed to the stage with their own AI-created theme tune – funds were also raised for Power of Women( PoW) before two of the campaign’ s directors and one of its longstanding former directors were recognised with honours.
With every table named in honour of great Teesside women from beyond the business world, the unveiling of
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THE POWER OF TEESSIDE WOMEN
‘ We’ re the best in the country,’ says inspirational Ann Ming
Six of the best – Tees Businesswoman of the Year Rachel Burke( third left) with her some of her predecessors( from left): Sharon Lane, Claire Preston, Jane Armitage, Danielle Croce and Kimberley Turner.
Billingham’ s Ann Ming MBE as the winner of the Jane Turner Award for Outstanding Contribution won a heartfelt standing ovation as she made her way to the stage to receive her trophy.
Ann, whose courageous fight against the justice system saw the ancient double jeopardy rule overturned in memory of her murdered daughter Julie, said:“ When my daughter’ s killer was bragging he’ d killed her and the police said nothing could be done, an 800-year-old law wasn’ t going to stand in my way.
“ When I went to the House of Lords, the Attorney General said to me:‘ Are you going to be OK, addressing all these people?’ I told him,“ I’ m going to be fine – are you going to be OK?’
“ I’ m a working-class northern woman – and we’ re the strongest and best in the country.”
Ann was played by actress Sheridan Smith in TV drama I Fought the Law. A special message from Sheridan congratulating Ann and all finalists appeared on screen following the presentation.
Crowned the eighth Tees Businesswoman of the Year in a presentation by Middlesbrough College Group CEO and principal Zoe Lewis CBE was Rachel Burke, director of compliance and risk at Billinghamheadquartered industrial technology firm Tracerco.
Rachel succeeds Claire Preston, Sharon Lane, Jane Armitage, Chloë
Clover, Kimberley Turner, Cathi Harrison and Danielle Croce.
She said of being crowned Tees Businesswoman of the Year:“ I grew up in TS1 in the‘ 90s and at school, I was not academic.
“ It was very much,‘ Stay in your lane – this is what you’ re good at, know your limitations’. My response was‘**** that!’“ It’ s amazing to get this award. This is for all the girls on Teesside who don’ t know what the future looks like – well, this is what the future can look like.
“ There are no limits – aim high and believe in yourself because you can achieve anything.”
Tees Business director Dave Allan had opened an event hosted by TV presenter Rachel Sweeney by pointing out that none of the 27 finalists for an individual accolade had ever previously won a Tees Businesswomen Award.
“ Every year, new names emerge. Every year, the list grows. And every year, the message gets stronger,” said Dave.“ Because these awards don’ t just celebrate success – they inspire it.
“ They inspire the next generation of women to believe they can achieve anything.
“ They inspire those already on their career journeys to go further, lead with confidence and realise their full potential.
“ And they continue to break down barriers – smashing those outdated stereotypes about so-called men’ s jobs and women’ s jobs.”
£ 2,000 was raised for the Power of Women campaign on the night, taking it to £ 9,500 raised for PoW through the Tees Businesswomen Awards in recent years.