 Mary
Ackroyd Retires
Secretary to the Dean and
public face of the School of Management, Mary Ackroyd, has retired.
Mary has been Secretary to
three Deans, spanning a period of twenty years, including Professors Chris
Higgins, David Weir and Arthur Francis.
Prior to that, Mary had been
employed at the University for over ten years, mainly at Richmond Road,
with her first three years spent as a conference secretary in the Executive
Development programme.
Mary says that the personnel
aspects of her work as Dean's secretary was the most interesting part
of her University years but her organisation of conferences was the most
varied and rewarding.
In the early 1970s Mary assisted
in the organisation of major events, housed in Harrogate and London hotels.
The Management Centre attracted major co-sponsors including the Financial
Times and the Bank of England, with keynote speakers including The Rt
Hon. Tony Benn, Sir Fred Catherwood, and Sir Monty Finniston, and delegates
in excess of 300. One conference dinner was held at the Mansion House
with Sir Harold Wilson as the guest of honour.
In 1995 she was one of the
organisers of an Arab Management Conference which listed amongst its speakers
His Majesty the late King Hussain of Jordan.
Mary said: "It was very exciting
to be a small part of such events and I felt privileged at times to be
involved."
In a history of the University
written by Professor Robert McKinlay she was referred to as "the incomparable
Mary Ackroyd".
Mary is now enjoying her freedom
to garden, walk her dogs and shop, and is an RSPCA volunteer. She started
a gardening course in September.
20 October
2003
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