CHOICES – BOARD MEMBERS BIOGRAPHIES
Mike Lawton – Chair
Mike is a Commercial Director with Michelin Tyre plc. He has held senior roles within
private sector organisations both in the UK and as an expatriate. He began his
career with Waterford-Wedgwood in the late 1980s and with Austin Reed in the
1990s. Mike has an MBA from Staffordshire University. His private sector experience
includes Corporate Strategy, Sales and Marketing strategy, Business budget &
financial management, enterprise level administration process design and synergy
and International management of projects and people.
Mike joined Choices Housing Association in 2008 as a board member and has been
Chair since 2009. Mike headed the team which led Choices into the selection
process for a strategic partner and ultimately into the Wrekin Housing Group.
Chris Cullen
Chris Cullen is the Emerius Professor of Clinical Psychology at Keele University and
former Director of Psychological Services, North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare
NHS Trust.
Chris has worked in both clinical and academic settings since the mid 1970s, retiring
from the NHS. For 10 years he was the Enable Professor of Learning Difficulties at
the University of St Andrews before moving to North Staffordshire in 1995. He is a
recent Trustee of Research Autism and co-chaired its Scientific Committee. In 2012
he was made an Honorary Fellow of the British Association for Behavioural and
Cognitive Psychotherapies and was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the
British Psychological Society. He is a Staffordshire JP and was a school governor
for many years.
Gary Evans
Gary has been on the CHOICES Board since 2005 and in that time has been
instrumental in the development of the organisation to its current position of exciting
growth. He is passionate about extending the CHOICES experience to more people
in need whilst maintaining CHOICES quality brand through its most important asset,
its people.
A professional Human Resource (HR) generalist with a diverse experience and a
commercial focus Gary has 13 years HR experience in both private and public
sectors. Currently in Local Government HR Gary also has 6 years HR experience
with ASDA Stores in single/multi site roles. A CIPD graduate, educated to MBA level
with a pragmatic, solutions based approach to HR; willing to challenge status quo,
develop and share best practice at board level and with officers. He is a team player
with strong personal values. Gary also sits on the Wrekin Group Audit and Risk
Management committee.
Julian Fletcher
Julian’s career has focused on improving the experience of people who need care
and support in their lives. He has a wide range of experience as a social care
practitioner through to chief executive of a large care organisation. He has also had
experience as a member of a number of national social care bodies and as a board
member across care and housing organisations.
Julian understands the current issues facing care and housing providers and the role
of board members to ensure good governance, think strategically, communicate
effectively and to be able to analyse information and monitor performance. He
enjoys maintaining positive relationships, whilst offering constructive challenge and
support is important to him. He is a naturally numerate person and well aware of
financial reality.
Julian wholly supports the vision and values of Choices and the services which they
provide and is impressed by what Choices has achieved.
Bob Floyd
Bob is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing and a professional member of
the Royal Institution of Chartered surveyors. He has 35 years’ experience within
social housing mainly at Director and Chief Executive level. He led in the setting up
of a stock transfer RSL as Chief Executive for two years and now undertakes interim
management and consultancy through his own business. Recent roles have been
with Cobalt (LHT Group), Wulvern, Stockport Homes, Stafford & Rural Homes and
Manchester City Council.
Shirley Jones
Shirley is the service user representative on the Board as she is the mother of a
service user. Shirley brings a wealth of experience in local learning disability services
and is involved in service users forums locally.
Martin Poole
Martin is a retired member of the Chartered Institute of Housing who has nearly 30
years experience of social housing management at both local authority and housing
association level, latterly as a Director.
He has served on several regeneration agency boards in North Staffordshire
including the position of Chair. In 2010 he stood down as a trustee of ARCH(North
Staffs), a homelessness organisation , of which he was a founder member in 1989.
Martin is a member of Choices board and Wrekin Audit and Risk Management
committee.
Mark Robertson
Mark is the Managing Director of bdht, a stock transfer RP in Bromsgrove,
Worcestershire. He is a qualified accountant with an MBA and almost 25 years’
experience in the social housing sector with 4 different organisations, all at senior
and director level. In his current role he has a varied brief encompassing
management of all frontline and support services. Additionally he fulfills the roles of
Finance Director and Company Secretary.
He was project sponsor for Bromsgrove's first extra-care housing scheme and sits on
the Bromsgrove Partnership Board with all the statutory bodies with responsibility for
housing for older people. He also chairs the LSP theme group for housing in
Bromsgrove. He has had previous non-executive experience having been a board
member of the parent body for the Walsall Housing Group and chaired the Group
Finance Committee for 2 years.
Mark is a board member of the Wrekin Housing Trust, Resources Committee and the
Choices Board.