Job Title: Owner and Insurance Broker
Organisation: West Country Healthcare Ltd
A nursing sister by profession, with a career which spanned over 20 years and nursing posts in Sydney (Australia) to Edinburgh, London, Wales and Germany.
Susie returned to Devon in the 1970’s and married a GP. As a GP’s wife a nursing career was no longer possible due to the responsibilities of being 'on Call' (answering the phone to patients) for her husband at weekends and some nights during the week, as in the 1980’s mobile phones were only just appearing and GP wives were expected to support the NHS in this way.
Consequently, she changed career to administration and retail management and eventually entered the world of health insurance.
After the death of her husband in 1998, leaving her to fend for their 14 year old daughter, it proved a challenging time she moved from being a 'tied agent' with an insurance company to a full time regulated broker.
Susie now works with over 50 providers and offers a diverse selection of insurance policies to her individual and corporate clients all over the world. She works full time with two staff helping with the administration at the offices of West Country Healthcare Ltd.
Being pro-active, energetic and resourceful, as Chair, Susie works with the other directors of the Torquay Chamber of Commerce, now a Limited Company and together they have created a structure that will support and encourage new business into Torquay. The objectives for the current year are to:
- Act as a conduit between the Council/TDA and Retailers/Hoteliers/all members
- As a collective, the Chamber has a wide base of expertise and can signpost members where they need assistance
- Works with the Council/TDA to lobby the Government on various issues
To maintain a level of fitness she walks her two faithful Westies and when time and weather allows spends many hours gardening.