Chamber's John Corcoran Awarded MBE in Honours List

DUNBARTONSHIRE businessman John Corcoran was awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

The former chief executive of Dunbartonshire Chamber of Commerce received the award for services to business.

John, who stepped down as CEO in December 2010, was instrumental in establishing the Dunbartonshire chamber eight years ago when Allander, West Dumbarton and later Strathkelvin amalgamated.

Since then he has tirelessly promoted the chamber, first as its development officer and latterly as chief executive. He remains a director and is honorary president.

"I was completely and utterly shocked when I heard and of course extremely pleased," he said. "It was so difficult to keep it a secret until the official announcement at the weekend. It’s not the sort of thing that people like me expect to hear. I have always been interested in business and stood up for small and medium sized enterprises but I never imagined it would lead to this. I share the honour with my colleagues in the chamber of commerce and with my business partner Simon McMillan, director of operations and general manager in our company, St Andrew’s College Summer Schools, where we work hard to lever income from abroad into the Scottish economy."

John recently relocated his own business which provides English language summer schools and beginners classes in Spanish and Italian to offices in the Pentagon Centre in Glasgow.

He became involved initially with Allander Chamber when he was director of commercial services at St Andrew's College, Bearsden. They held their meetings at the college which has since merged with the University of Glasgow and is now based in the city.

Robert Wilson, president of the chamber commented: "Everyone at Dunbartonshire Chamber of Commerce is delighted that John had received this honour. It is thoroughly well deserved as he has worked tirelessly for many years on behalf of the chamber both as a director and latterly as its chief executive officer. I have worked closely with him since 2003 and am privileged to call him a friend as well as a colleague."