8.Wilkin
Ian Thurgood, the joint md of Wilkin and Sons, is to retire at the end of April 2016.
Thurgood has worked for the company for 40 years. Wilkins & Sons is the owner of Tiptree, the fruit-farm and jam producer.
He started at Tiptree as a farm worker in 1976, moving to transport and later sales and marketing.
Thurgood completed 10 years as joint md and cites corporate fund raising as the most satisfying part of his role at Tiptree, including the Tiptree Strawberry Race, Rotary ’Spread and Save' and National Cream Tea Day.
“I’ve had the good fortune to work with some exceptional people at Wilkin and Sons; I hope that some of what I’ve learned along the way has rubbed off onto others. Of course I shall be sad to leave after so many years, but I am looking forward to finding new challenges,” said Thurgood.
Chairman Peter Wilkin said: “Over the course of the years he has worked here Ian has played a very major part in the expansion and development of Wilkin & Sons in general, and the ‘Tiptree’ brand in particular, and for which the company is very grateful.”