Lord Lieutenant of Banffshire Mrs Clare Russell presented Mrs Valerie Cheyne, Chief Compliance Officer and co-owner of ACE Winches and retired head teacher, Mr Andrew Simpson, with Commissions for Deputy Lieutenant of the county of Banffshire.
The new Deputy Lieutenants were welcomed to the Banffshire Lieutenancy at a luncheon given at Pitchroy Lodge to mark the occasion.
Valerie Cheyne was born and raised in Buckie, and has lived in Banffshire all her life. A pupil of Buckie High School, she studied at Robert Gordon’s Institute of Technology and Aberdeen College of Education. As a qualified Business Studies and Economics Teacher, Valerie taught initially at Summerhill Academy in Aberdeen before returning to Banffshire to teach at Buckie High School. Valerie and her husband, Alfie, created Alfred Cheyne Engineering Ltd, established initially to design and manufacture marine deck machinery.
With the decline of the fishing industry, the company diversified into the oil and gas sector, and began trading as ACE Winches, a highly successful company which has gained a number of significant business awards over the years, including The Queen’s Award for Enterprise, International Trade, and the Scottish Offshore Achievement Awards for Exports.
In 2016 Valerie joined Visit Aberdeenshire as a board member, and she is also a long-standing supporter of the annual Scottish Traditional Boat Festival. Valerie and Alfie have two daughters, Rebecca and Bethany. Away from the demands of the business, Valerie enjoys spending quality time with her family, and her hobbies include country sports, skiing, and walking with her dogs.
Mrs Russell said "I am delighted that Valerie and Andrew have joined the Banffshire Lieutenancy team and look forward very much to working with them. They will be a huge asset to the county."