Joanne Fryett has made a career out being a good samaritan to local businesses.
For the last 15 years, the head of member relations at the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) has enjoyed the commercial cut and thrust of helping company owners add value to their business both in her role at NECC and 12 years supporting firms while working at Business Link Tees Valley.
Remarkable Revolution
During the last decade and a half, Joanne has witnessed several notable success stories that have driven a remarkable revolution in the North-east.
Out of the darkness of the Thatcher years and the early 1990s recession has sprung a leaner, more agile economy that has moved away from its previous over-reliance on heavy industry and traditional manufacturing strength.
Today's hybrid is characterised by a diverse range of highly technical, creative 'clusters' that are hell-bent on seeking business from all corners of the globe.
For Joanne, a potent combination of key sectors - biotech, creative and digital, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, steel and automotive among them - will fuel the region's powerful economic vehicle for years to come.
"These sectors form many of the key areas within One NorthEast's Regional Economic Strategy (RES)," she says.
"During the last couple of years, each of these areas has seen good growth either through workforce or product development.
"The North-east has had the greatest start-up business growth for the last five years—a key part of the region's economic success."
Growth and Skills Development
After two years working in the Business and Enterprise Growth Centre at the former Teesside TEC, Joanne spent 12 years in a variety of roles at Business Link Tees Valley.
Based initially within the organisation's business and enterprise division, she worked mainly on funded programmes to assist SMEs with product, growth and skills development.
After being promoted to business support manager, Joanne managed a team of eight support coordinators who provided advice on all aspects of business, from exporting to training and consultancy schemes.
She then took up the role of start-up manager and launched a special programme working with public and private sector agencies to help long-term unemployed people start their own business.
After leaving in February 2005 to join NECC, she has generated numerous networking and training opportunities for local firms via business lunches, workforce development projects, apprenticeship programmes and foundation degrees in leadership and management.
She has also worked on policy issues and has helped the NECC campaign on behalf of business for better employment conditions both within the North-east and nationally.
Helping Companies
With a membership base of around 4,500 (one quarter of which are in manufacturing), NECC is committed to helping companies make efficiency savings wherever possible - particularly vital in the current turbulent climate.
But Joanne is optimistic that North-east business is agile enough to withstand the tough trading conditions.
She says: "Smaller firms in particular have quicker decision-making and corporate processes so that they can adapt in an economic downturn.
Many have been able to absorb higher input prices by increasing sales or adopting lean manufacturing techniques.
"Building efficiencies has allowed firms to increase production and productivity.
Forward order books have been healthy and businesses are giving every indication that this will continue."
2012 Olympic Games
While Joanne recognises that the region has much to do to address the chronic skills shortage in engineering, she believes that a resurgence in retraining programmes and work-based
learning will reap valuable long-term dividends for business.
"The emergence of public-private sector partnerships is starting to produce graduate skills that companies want.
The continuation of this is vital if the region is to meet modern-day engineering needs."
"Skills will play a crucial role in helping firms win potentially lucrative work on major infrastructure and construction projects surrounding the 2012 Olympic Games."
But although the skills agenda remains very much on NECC's - and Joanne's - radar, she is convinced that increased funding is equally important in giving added momentum to regeneration schemes across the region.
"We need to ensure that we can attract the right amount of funding to develop key projects such as Metro schemes, North Port Strategy and investment," she says.
"PD Ports has shown remarkable energy and tenacity to win its fight to bring the deep sea container terminal to the Tees Valley."