ALMR announces ops award winners

By Gurjit Degun

- Last updated on GMT

ALMR ops awards: Virge Balthazard wins area manager of the year
ALMR ops awards: Virge Balthazard wins area manager of the year
Virge Balthazard of McMullen & Sons has been named area manager of the year in the Operations Managers Awards 2011, held by the Association of Licensed Multiple Operators (ALMR).

Julian Mobbs of Marston’s Pub Co was awarded business development manager of the year, and the rising star award went to Ross Palmer, area manager at Novus Leisure.

The winners were announced at the annual ALMR Christmas Luncheon at Old Billingsgate Market, London.

“Every year, the standard of entries is exceptional and the judging process becomes tougher as the quality of finalists and winners gets higher,” said Nick Bish, ALMR chief executive. “This year’s entrants confirmed this and the judges reported the highest ever standard of entry papers.

“The Operations Managers Awards are not simply a competition, they provide an opportunity for real personal development.

“The finalists have undergone a rigorous judging process, which includes a challenging entry paper, psychometric testing, followed by a day in the field being shadowed by one of our judges and finally, endured tough questioning from two panels of industry leaders.”

Bish added: “The Operations Managers Awards reveal and celebrate the best in class, but we do need to build performance at the lower levels and that is why I urge the industry to look even more closely at how we can define the role of the ops managers (managed or leased), refine the skills of those doing the job and offer more clearly some stepping stones of recognition and qualification to those engaged in this wonderful challenging business.

“And today I am certain that Virge and Julian, having shown outstanding management abilities and exceptional standards of professionalism, are both destined for senior roles within the industry.”

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