CIPFA North West Society - Member Profiles

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Member Profiles

Have you ever wanted to know who your Society volunteers actually are, why they volunteer and what they do to relax! Well, all is revealed in our 'new' Member profiles section. Read on to find out more and if you're lucky, you might even get to see what they look like (well, only the vain ones)!

Society Council Corporate Member - Shaer Halewood

Shaer Halewood Shaer has been involved with the Society since 2006 and before that was also Treasurer of the region's Southern Section and helped to arrange their events.

Shaer has always been interested in CIPFA's goings on and once won a whole salmon in the CIPFA Learning Centre competition a few years ago! (Definately something fishy going on there...) Shaer qualified in 1999 and went on to gain an MBA and enjoys going on holiday, going out and trying to get her cat to do funny things so she can win £250 on you've been framed. Shaer currently helps out on communication, social media and website activities

Ian Cosh - Northern Section Member

Ian is Chair on the Northern Section ably assisted by
the other group member with arranging venues,
speakers and sponsors for their events. Ian supports the group in the organisation of these events, which is why they are always well attended and run smoothly!

Ian is employed by Lancashire Police as the Director of Finance and had previously been with Lancs CC for 22 years! (didn't anyone tell him that they don't give long service awards out anymore...)

Ian got involved in volunteering for CIPFA to promote the benefits of being a Member and has also been a P3 examiner. Ian also has an MA in Economic and Social History and does sometimes find the time to run a few marathons, watch rugby and listen to music

Mike Owen - Council Member

Mike Owen is not only a NW Society Council Member, he has also been past Chair and President and past Chair of the Board for the Regions and an Institute Council Member. Before that he was a P3 Project Examiner for 10 years.

Mike is Director of Finance at Bury MBC where he has been for the past 8 years. Before that Mike was Assistant Director of Finance at Oldham, Chief Accountant at Bury and Chief Management Accountant at Bury. Being such a northern boy he obviously must love gravy!

Mike's hobbies are reading, music (especially live), travelling, rugby, the arts, the gym, walking, cooking and fast cars - presumably not at the same time. Mike's claim to fame is that he once appeared on the cover of a recruitment brocure for CIPFA training! Must have been all that work he was doing in the gym!

Jeremy Valentine - Council Member

Jeremy is Head of Asset Management at Trafford MBC where he has been employed for 14 years in various posts. He started with the authority as Chief Internal Auditor before becoming Head of Exchequer, Best Value and Scrutiny and finally moving on to his current post. Previously he worked at Stockport MBC where he worked up the ranks from graduate trainee to Group Accountant.

Jeremy has been involved in regional volunteering for many year after being asked to help out on the regional weekend school around 20 years ago! After that he joined Society Council and has been Society President, Events Co-ordinator, Weekend School Group organiser and Chair of the Southern Section, where he is still a member.

Before taking CIPFA Jeremy took a geography degree which has no doubt helped with one of his hobbies of travelling! He is also a family man, enjoys knitting and is a member of the National Trust

Chris Tidswell - Council Member

Chris is a member of Society Council and our current link between the Regional and CIPFA in Wales, following the establishment of a Wales Region in 2011. Chris has previously been Society Vice President and President among a whole host of other volunteer activities! He has been involved with volunteering since 1992 and has been on numerous Boards, Professional Committee's and Panels. He is currently Consultant Editor on Spreadsheet Magazine.

Chris is Director of CN Consulting. Before that Chris has worked in Local Government and in the Private Sector.

When he finds time, Chris enjoys cooking, going to the gym and Belgian and Irish Beer but not necessarily in that order (and judging by his photo, modelling for Grattan Catalogue)

John Newton - Southern Section Chair

John Newton is a Director of New Networks and was previously been employed with Deloitte for 10 years. Before that John worked for Preston Borough Council.
John is Chair of the Region's Southern Section and volunteered for CIPFA as he 'wanted to help maintain and develop the vibrant community of members in the Region'

John has a BSc (Hons) in Applied Mathamatics from the University of Warwick and is married to another CIPFA Member. He maintains its not all taking numbers in his house though as he does find time for a round of golf in between parental duties

David Rawsthorn - Northern Section Member

David is Director of Finance at Eden DC where he has been employed for the past 12 years. Before that David worked at Carlisle City Council, Nottingham City Council and Coopers and Lybrand.

David is a volunteer on the Northern Section Committee which was revived a couple of years ago. The reason David volunteered to join the committee was to ensure the section are able to provide a range of high quality low cost events that are all accessible from Cumbria. Without this section, opportunities for training and events would be very limited in and around that area.

David is also secretary to Cumbria Chief Finance Officers group. In his spare time he supports Carlisle United (someone's got to), plays golf, cycles and walks the dog!