Toome business woman Helen Shivers is Northern Ireland Business Person Of The Year

The accolade is in recognition of her hard work and dedication in providing a “best-in-class service to her customers, as well as her contribution to Northern Irish business”.

Speaking on the announcement of her accolade, Helen said she was “most humbled and honoured” to receive the accolade.

The accreditation is overseen by the prestigious All-Ireland Business Foundation, whose adjudication panel is chaired by Dr Briga Hynes, of the Kemmy Business School at the University of Limerick, and Kieran Ring, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Institute of Logistics.

At the age of 21 Helen, from County Fermanagh, married her husband, Charlie, who was a plumber, and moved to the South Derry area. She began helping Charlie with his business, looking after his administration, his purchasing and invoices. The couple ran their business from a hayshed on their farm but soon began looking for a new site .

While on the way to a wedding, Helen spotted a large, derelict site comprising several old buildings for sale. It had planning permission to operate as an industrial business, and so the couple swooped and bought the site for £140,000 at auction. The sale was the beginning of Helen’s successful foray into the commercial property industry.

Alongside her husband and her four children, Helen has since grown the Shivers Business Park from a large, derelict shell into a thriving centre, which is now home to more than 32 businesses, and 300 people. With the demand for units at an all time high, Helen has bought an additional four acres adjoining her original four-acre site.

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