The man who helped turn a Chester college into one of the country’s leading universities in just seven years has been honoured at the 2017 Cheshire Business Awards.

Professor Tim Wheeler, the vice-chancellor of the University of Chester, was declared the Business Person of the Year at the ceremony held at Chester Cathedral on Friday night (October 6), hosted by Trinity Mirror Cheshire and sponsored by SAS Daniels LLP.

The award was announced by Jeremy Orrell, managing partner at SAS Daniels, who told the packed audience that when Prof Wheeler was appointed principal of the University College Chester in 1998, it was a highly respected, well established provider of higher education in the Chester area but remained in the shadow of Liverpool University and was essentially contained within its traditional site in Cheyney Road.

SAS Daniels LLP Managing Partner Jeremy Orrell
SAS Daniels LLP Managing Partner Jeremy Orrell

Just seven years later, under his inspirational leadership, the University of Chester came into being and Prof Wheeler became its first vice-chancellor, a role he has since used for the benefit of the university itself and the wider economy of the area.

Cheshire Business Awards 2017 logo
Cheshire Business Awards 2017 logo

During his time as vice-chancellor, the university has expanded and developed beyond anyone’s wildest dreams, establishing campuses at Kingsway, Riverside and Queen’s Park in Chester, in Warrington and Shrewsbury and most recently taking over the Shell Technology Centre in Thornton to create the Thornton Science Park, offering new engineering-related degree programmes.

In addition, he has published more than 120 articles, books and research reports in a diverse range of areas including psychopharmacology, dyslexia, communications and safety.

The presentation to Prof Wheeler came at the end of a glittering ceremony which began with an opening address from Alastair Machray, editor-in-chief of Trinity Mirror North West and North Wales who welcomed everyone to the magnificent surroundings of Chester Cathedral for the 14th Cheshire Business Awards event.

The 2015 Your Champions gala awards ceremony at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Chester gets under way on November 13 with a presentation by Trinity Mirror North West-North Wales editor-in-chief Alastair Machray. Picture: Neil Lloyd
Trinity Mirror North West-North Wales editor-in-chief Alastair Machray

He said: “We have had a 51% increase in entries this year and the standard was fiercely high. We have extended the shortlist in many categories to reflect this and we also were forced to extend the time allocated for judging.”

Mr Machray went on to pay tribute to Gerald Grosvenor, the late Duke of Westminster who died a little while before last year’s awards night, but as the ceremony took place before the official memorial service, it was felt best to leave any tribute until 2017.

He said: “I was fortunate enough to meet His Grace on several occasions and was always touched by his love of business, but also by his huge knowledge of it.

“His contribution as an active member of the North West’s business hierarchy led to great achievements.

Gerald Grosvenor, the late Duke of Westminster

“It was he who provided the impetus to drive the Grosvenor Estate forward to become one of the largest and most entrepreneurial privately-owned international property companies in the world.”

Mr Machray also pointed out some of the local success stories of the past year which included the opening of the new £37m Storyhouse cultural centre, important steps taken towards the realisation of the ambitious £100m Northgate Development and the astonishing achievements of the local tourism industry which last year was worth a staggering £3.376bn to the Cheshire and Warrington economy.

Granada TV news presenter Lucy Meacock who hosted the 2016 Cheshire Business Awards
Granada TV news presenter Lucy Meacock who hosted the 2017 Cheshire Business Awards

As has been the case with every Cheshire Business Awards gala ceremony, the host for the evening was Granada Reports and ITN presenter Lucy Meacock who began her illustrious journalism career as a reporter on The Chester Chronicle.

Lucy introduced each of the categories as the winners were revealed throughout the evening. The full list of winners is as follows:

Innovation and Enterprise Award

Winner: The Ice Cream Farm

Also shortlisted: Plastic Card Services; Frank Olsen; Key Managed Services.

Creative Impact Award

Winner: Big Brand Ideas Limited

Also shortlisted: Lucy Quartermaine; Salary Exchange Ltd; Wild Rumpus CIC.

Chester Cathedral laid out for the Cheshire Business Awards gala ceremony
Chester Cathedral laid out for the Cheshire Business Awards gala ceremony

Corporate Social Responsibility Award, sponsored by John Lennon Airport

Winner: ASH Group Limited

Also shortlisted: Qwest Services; Hero Renewables.

Employer of the Year

Winner: The Chester Grosvenor

Also shortlisted: Chester Zoo; Rossendale Trust

Business Start Up Award

Winner: Maths of the Day

Also shortlisted: Frank Olsen; Chester MediSPA; Hygenic Innovations Ltd.

Business of the Year (up to 10 employees), sponsored by ScottishPower

Winner: Businesscomparison.com

Also shortlisted: No Brainer; Lucy Quatermain; Rhino Safety Limited.

Business of the Year (11 to 50 employees), sponsored by Nat West

Winner: Salary Exchange Ltd

Also shortlisted: Plastic Card Services; Converge Technology Specialists; The Up and Under Group.

Business of the Year (over 50 employees)

Winner: Chester Zoo

Also shortlisted: Inspiring Travel Company; Aviate World; Textlocal.

Young Business Person of the Year

Winner: Lee Cullen, No Brainer

Also shortlisted: Adam Britton, Big Brand Ideas; Keith Smith, McCarthy Recruitment; Lucy Newall-Ellis, Ravenspoint Marketing.

Judges Choice

Rossendale Trust

SAS Daniels LLP Business Person of the Year

Prof Tim Wheeler, University of Chester vice-chancellor.

Kaye Whitby, partner and head of SAS Daniels Chester office, at the Cheshire Business Awards Winner Lunch
Kaye Whitby, partner and head of SAS Daniels Chester office

After the ceremony, Kaye Whitby, head of SAS Daniels’ Chester office and an experienced business lawyer herself, said: “Having supported the awards for eight years as well as sitting as a panel of judges, I continue to be impressed by the high quality of the businesses and the strong entrepreneurial drive that is evident year after year.

“SAS Daniels is passionate about being involved in the awards, as we see first hand the positive impact entering and winning an award can have. Congratulations to all those businesses who won and were shortlisted. We were very proud to be part of the awards and to celebrate success on the night.”