Games champion
Nov 7 2007 by Karen McLauchlan, Evening Gazette
JAMES Dixon is the top man at CHIPS.
The 46-year-old has just been named as CHIPS Employee of the Year at the national video games chain’s annual awards ceremony.
Since joining the Teesside-based games chain James, who lives in Middlesbrough, has seen his role expand into almost every area of the business.
The Employee of the Year Award is made to the staff member who “goes the extra mile” for the benefit of the whole CHIPS network.
It was made at the sixth annual CHIPS Christmas Conference held at Ramside Hall in County Durham.
The award, sponsored by Microsoft’s Xbox 360, was presented to James by Simon Bray, Microsoft UK Retail Business Manager. He received an engraved trophy, inscribed plaque and £250.
“I am delighted to have won the award. I really enjoy working for CHIPS and I will continue to strive to get even better at my job,” said James.
CHIPS Joint managing director Don McCabe said: “CHIPS now has more than 30 stores across the country and I don’t think there is anyone in the company who does not know James, wherever they work.
“He turns his hands to anything he is asked. He is known to many of the franchisees as the man who helps pull their store into shape before it opens.
“Recently he has become an absolute bonus in the warehouse helping to ensure the smooth transfer of stock to and from stores.
“His quiet, unassuming, non-complaining manner makes him a hit with everyone and he was an extremely popular winner.”
Other winners at the event were:
Bishop Auckland’s manager David Hunt was named Store of the Year Award for his Newgate Street store.
For the last two years David has had to be content with a place on the shortlist for the Employee of Year Award - narrowly missing out on the top prize.
This year he was shortlisted again in that category but was stunned to discover he had actually beaten all CHIPS stores, both company and franchise, to the top slot in a different category.
Gav Pearson, who opened his CHIPS video games store in Dudley’s Trident Shopping Centre in August 2006, took the Newcomer of the Year Award.
