Dorset Chartered Builders, Greendale Construction Limited, welcomed a very special guest when CEO of the Chartered Institute of Building, Caroline Gumble, visited the company’s Poole head office at the end of February. Accompanying Caroline was Helen Patel, Business Development Manager at the CIOB.
The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) is the world’s largest and most influential professional body for construction management and leadership.
Caroline and Helen’s visit to Greendale was structured around engaging with the staff and visiting some of the firm’s sites around Dorset. Caroline was particularly interested in the career journey of Greendale HR/Finance Director, Maria Seabright, who has been with the company for 23 years, having first joined as a receptionist. Maria has been heavily involved with the mental health and wellbeing aspects of the company, as well as all the school and college engagement and apprenticeships Greendale offer. Bid Manager, Richard Tite, delivered a short presentation on the history of Greendale, highlighting the firm’s landmark projects completed over its 30 year span to date. Staff joined in with constructive discussions regarding Membership and Fellowship progression with the CIOB. Will Jepson and Chris Varga Loader, Greendale graduates, were able to glean useful information from Caroline and Helen, regarding the best path to achieve their Membership and gain the right to call themselves MCIOB.
Caroline and Helen were taken to past and current Greendale sites at Canford School, the Priest’s House Museum, and Highcliffe Castle.
Rob Hooker, Director, Greendale Construction Limited, commented: “Since its incorporation as a Limited Company in May 1990, Greendale Construction has been intrinsically linked with the CIOB and we have found our professional status and standing enhanced by being one of the first Chartered Building Companies. It is a mark of excellence which demonstrates Greendale is being run under a strict professional code.
“As a CIOB Training Partnership we actively encourage all our management staff to be members of the CIOB and are proud to have 10 members and 1 FCIOB working for us. Caroline was interested to hear of the successes of our site-based managers who have achieved MCIOB working through trade apprenticeships and college to achieve this. Caroline was also interested to hear about our two CMYA finalists Simon Copping and Stuart Harrison whose coveted prize was to be designated MCIOB.”
Concluding, Rob added: “It was an honour to show Caroline and Helen around our offices and some of our sites. We had a great day and it was fantastic to see our staff engaging with her and having constructive dialogue. Caroline put everyone at ease and was actively wanting to hear and see fully what we do as a Chartered Building Company.”
Caroline Gumble, CEO of the CIOB, said: “I was delighted to meet Rob and the team from Greendale, not least because they became one of our first Chartered Building Companies and signed up as a Training Partner more than 25 years ago. Since I became CEO of the CIOB, I have made it my mission to meet the companies and people who make up our membership to understand the issues facing the industry. Greendale were able to show me a fantastic range of projects and talk me through the skills, the collaboration with clients and the commitment to professionalism they believe are needed to make a success of their projects. It was a real pleasure spending time with Greendale and I’d like to thank them for letting me spend the day with them.”
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