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Chamber rep becomes City Burgess

George Brand, the Chamber’s Vocational Training Coordinator, joined an illustrious list of city business people when he was admitted as a Burgess of the City of Aberdeen by Lord Provost Peter Stephen at February’s full Aberdeen City Council meeting.

In keeping with tradition, George presented the Lord Provost with a white silk purse containing a customary token of Five Shillings Scots. In return he vowed to defend the burgh against its enemies.

The Guild, which was established in 1214, now includes more than 1000 prominent members of Aberdeen’s business community who now perform a more ceremonial role than their former charge as guardians of the burgh’s laws.

“It is indeed a great honour to be admitted into the Guild,” George said. “I feel privileged to be considered and respected by one’s peers in the business community, particularly in such a beautiful and prosperous city as Aberdeen, which I admire so much in terms of its wonderful buildings and civic heritage.”

George was welcomed into the Guild of Burgesses by Fred Dalgarno, Dean of Guild.

“I am delighted to welcome George as a Burgess,” he said. “I was surprised to find that someone as well known as him who has been so prominent in the community was not already a Burgess.”

George was also honoured in February by his church, when he was presented with a gold medal from the Archconfraternity of St. Stephen in Westminster, in recognition of his 50 years service to St. Mary’s Cathedral and the Diocese of Aberdeen, where he undertakes responsibilities as Master of Ceremonies.

George joined the Chamber’s Training Team in 1988, and currently co-ordinates its Vocational Training programmes. He has been a training and development practitioner for over 25 years, and is well respected for his extensive occupational experience and qualifications in the delivery, assessment and quality assurance of a range of Vocational Qualifications offered by the Chamber. In this time he also undertook work as an external verifier and examinations inspector for Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations, which was associated with his Chamber activities.

Prior to joining the Chamber, George worked in the retail sector, and then took over the family business where he worked for many years while his family was growing up. George and his wife Yvonne have a daughter and four sons.

Following his formal education, George undertook a Certificate in Retail Management and studied for a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management before changing careers and courses to gain a Diploma in Information Technology. He also holds numerous Learning & Development and Management qualifications in vocational assessment and verification practice.

George is a Fellow of the Institute of Sales & Marketing, Licentiate Member of the Institute of Verifiers & Assessors, Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development, and Member of the Chartered Management Institute. He also represents the Chamber on the Board of Aberdeen City Heritage Trust, and is Vice Chair of Aberdeen Safer Community Trust.

In 2002 George was honoured by Pope John Paul II, by being invested as a Papal Knight in the Pontifical Order of St. Gregory the Great, and last year he was invested as a Knight in the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.

“We are delighted for George,” said Chamber Chief Executive Bob Collier. “He is one of the longest serving and most respected members of our staff, and both of the recognitions he received last month were very well deserved. We’re very proud of him.”