The following appointments to the Board of Ulster Supported Employment Ltd (USEL) have been made.
· Mr William Leathem has been appointed as Chair from 1 August 2019 to 31 July 2023.
· Mr Raymond Donnelly and Mr Dermot O’Hara have been appointed as Members from 1 May 2019 to 30 April 2023.
· Mrs Joan Cowan and Mr Raymond Havlin have been appointed as Members from 1 August 2019 to 31 July 2023.
Mr William Leathem
Mr Leathem is a former elected member of Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, where he served as Chair of the Development Committee. He was a former member of the District Policing Partnership and a former Board Member of the Ulster Scots Agency. Mr Leathem has varied audit and governance experience, project management experience and financial management skills, which he will bring to this role. Mr Leathem does not hold any other public appointments. He has had political activity for the DUP within the last 5 years.
Mr Raymond Donnelly
Mr Donnelly’s background is within Human Resource Management and Business improvement. He has been a member of the Corporate Management Team in a number of organisations including Newry & Mourne Health and Social Care Trust and Craigavon Borough Council. He has experience of identifying the key strategic issues to progress change management and of implementing corporate communication and training programmes. He does not hold any other public appointments and has not undertaken any political activity in the last 5 years.
Mr Dermot O’Hara
Mr O’Hara is a former Director - People Strategies with the Local Government Staff Commission for NI, where he facilitated the negotiations at regional level between employers and trade unions on the policies and procedures to enable transfer of staff to the new councils. He is a former Non-Executive Director of the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust Board, where he chaired its Finance Committee, and brings strategic planning skills to the Board. He does not hold any other public appointments and has not undertaken any political activity in the last 5 years.
Mrs Joan Cowan
Mrs Cowan is a member of the Senior Management Team of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, working closely with Directors and other Heads of Service. She has experience in delivering a programme of restructuring within the Council and developing its Corporate Strategy. She is a former Director of the Home-Start Charity where she was responsible for governance and managing financial resources. She does not hold any other public appointments and has not undertaken any political activity in the last 5 years.
Mr Raymond Havlin
Mr Havlin runs a family owned business, successfully working with a wide range of suppliers, customers and strategic partner organisations, whilst overseeing the business’ activities. He is on the Board of Governors of a local primary school and is a Group Scout Leader. Mr Havlin has experience of strategy development, financial planning and risk management, skills which he will bring to the USEL Board. He does not hold any other public appointments and has not undertaken any political activity in the last 5 years.
