A TRIO of staff who have each notched up 25 years of service with Bullivant Media, the company which owns Evesham and Pershore Observer, have been recognised for their dedication.
Assistant sales director Karagh Crane, editorial director Matthew Salisbury and director of finance Ian McGahan were honoured for reaching the landmark at a special reception last Thursday (October 16).
Karagh started working for the firm on reception and during her 25 years has served on almost all of Bullivant Media’s 11 titles. Her roles have included managing, Redditch, Worcester and Bromsgrove sales before more recently taking up the post
of assistant sales director.
“I have always loved the contact with the customers,” Karagh said.
“It’s great to be able to promote local businesses, help them along and get them some feedback.
“I literally get paid to talk to people all day, every day – I love the variety of people we deal with and the difference we can help make for their businesses.”
Ian McGahan’s association with owners Chris and Pat Bullivant began in 1982 when he was just 17.
After working for a few years for the pair and on the Birmingham Daily News, he went to work for a company in Alcester.
He returned to work for them again in 1989 and has been at the company ever since. Ian said a lot had changed over the years.
“There have been huge advances in new technology in everything we do here. In the early days we only had a computer one day a week – on a Thursday – to do the invoicing because the editorial team had them the rest of the time.”
Matthew, whose column appeared in the very first issue of the Leamington Observer in 1988, started out as a reporter and has been in local journalism for almost 26 years in total.
During that time he has been a reporter on the Leamington Observer and the editor of the Stratford paper, before moving into sub-editing.
He said it had been an interesting 25 years.
“It has been good to see the company grow over the years, adding new titles and watching things develop – not only in print, but also online.”
Paying tribute to the trio Mrs Bullivant said: “We are a truly local family firm, and consider ourselves so lucky to have recruited talented, hardworking professionals like Karagh, Ian and Matthew over 25 years ago and to have retained their friendship and commitment for all these years.
“Karagh, Ian and Matthew represent and lead some amazingly hardworking folk, who whilst retaining their sense of fun and enthusiasm write, sell, produce and deliver our titles every week come rain or shine.”
