BRITAIN'S foremost Olympic ambassador helped pay tribute to a champion of outstanding business practice.
Lord Coe, who steered the country's successful bid to host the 2012 Games, presented Marina Banner, Kidderminster-based Community Housing Association's group director, with an Ambassador of Excellence award for her promotion of the Business Excellence model.
She was the first woman to receive the award, for the support she had given to other organisations across the West Midlands.
The Community Housing Group was one of 14 finalists in the 2005 Midlands Excellence Awards, with 1,300 guests attending the ceremony at Birmingham International Convention Centre.
Midlands Excellence chief executive, Ian Nield, said: "Our awards process is well known for being extremely rigorous and, to be successful, organisations have to prove they are excellent in areas ranging from leadership to the way they manage their people and look after customers.
"To be a finalist is quite an achievement."
The Business Excellence Model is used to improve performance by 20,000 organisations.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article