ATLAS Key Personnel
ATLAS members elect Council Members every year at the Annual General Meeting. They represent and act on behalf of the wide range of member companies who make up the Association and have the authority to vote on all issues which are raised and resolved during the Council's year.
Current Council | Honorary Officers
Graeme Fisher, President
Graeme joined the established steeplejack and Lightning Protection Company A.W. Elliott in 1974, and through the years held positions as Contracts Supervisor, Contracts Manager, Contracts Director, Managing Director, and Company Chairman to 2004 when the business assets were sold to Omega Red Group.
Having been an active member of ATLAS since the 1980's, Graeme has previously held the offices of Council Member, Treasurer, Vice President, President (1986/7) and now the current President. He has been actively involved in Lightning Protection matters having represented ATLAS on BSI Technical committees for Lightning Protection and Earthing for over 20 years.
Robert Bird, Immediate Past President
Robert is a time-served electrician with over 30 years experience in the steeplejack industry. He has extensive on-site experience as a Project Manager for large power station and refinery contracts.
He was appointed Managing Director of Delta International in 1994, successfully establishing the company as one of the most well-respected in the industry.
Robert has been elected as President of ATLAS on two occasions, from 1999-2001 and from 2005-2008 and is currently Immediate Past President. Robert has served on a number of ATLAS Committees and is currently heavily involved in the work of the Access and Safety Committee and as Chairman of the Complaints Committee.
Robert regularly sits on BSI sub-committees for access and safety matters and also attends regular meetings with the HSE to inform, and keep informed, of new regulations.
James Burns, Vice President
In June 1993 James and his co-founder established Horizon Specialist Contracting Limited. During the past 16 years Horizon as a company has established itself through continual investment in its personnel. As part of the business Horizon is committed to ATLAS and its ongoing development.
Prior to joining the Association James represented the Industry's Training Group for four years.
In 2004 James became ATLAS Vice President and Chair of the Safety Committee in 2005. This requires representing ATLAS on various industrial committees and in ongoing discussions with the HSE regarding the improvement and continued development of industry's safe practices and procedures.
David Hughes, Vice President
David started life in the industry during the late 1970's as a site based technician with a steeplejack company based in the North East of England, progressing through the ranks to Site Supervisor, Site Manager and eventually to Contracts Manager. In 2003 he joined Proteq (Northern) Limited as Contracts Director taking a principal role in the procurement and execution of construction, maintenance and dismantling contracts requiring specialist access techniques throughout the UK and Europe.
He actively participated in the activities of ATLAS for a number of years being first elected to council in 1999 and subsequently chairing the Structures Committee until its amalgamation within the Access and Safety Committee, on which he remains a member. He took an active role in the production and issue of the ATLAS Guidance Notes for Inspection of both Single Flue Steel Chimneys and Reinforced Concrete Chimneys and Cooling Towers (currently available to download from the ATLAS web site).
Colin McElhone, Honorary Treasurer
Colin joined the industry as an estimator after leaving the Royal Navy as a qualified electrical engineer in 1984. He is one of the founder members of Omega Red Group Ltd and during the last 25 years has gained experience in a number of areas within the industry such as Operations, Sales etc. He completed a Masters Degree in Business Administration at Nottingham Trent University in 1996 and was appointed Managing Director of Omega Red Group Ltd in February 2008.
Colin was elected as an ATLAS committee member in May 2008 and was appointed as Honorary Treasurer in November 2008.
John Ashmore, Council Member
John Ashmore B.Tech.[Hons], MCBIM, serves as Chair of the Accident Statistics Committee and committee member of the LC Standards Committee. He is a past Chair & Treasurer of what is now the Steeplejack and Lightning Protection Training Group.
John is currently Managing Director at Protectis Limited, and originally entered the industry in 1989 as Managing Director at Furse Specialist Contracting Ltd.
Colin Clinkard, Council Member
After completing a Business and Finance course at Accrington and Rossendale College, Colin joined BEST Services Ltd in 1998. After a short time working as a Lightning Conductor Engineer he became an Estimator in the Lightning Protection Division.
Colin transferred to head up the newly formed Maintenance Division in 2000 with a view to developing the existing customer base. In April 2004 he was appointed Divisional Director of BEST Services, and was later elected to the ATLAS Council in May 2009.
Roger Coonie, Council Member
Roger Coonie joined W. J. Furse Steeplejacks in 1966 at the age of 18 having previously worked as a scaffolder and a labourer on demolition sites.
Having been promoted to a Steeplejack in 1971 he was given the opportunity to specialise in church work by Furse, an opportunity that was readily accepted and has never been regretted. Having made the progression as Steeplejack Foreman, Contracts Manager to Manager of the Church Steeplejack Division, he formed his own company, Church Conservation Limited, in 1993 working exclusively on churches.
In 1995 Roger was elected onto the National Council of the Federation of Master Steeplejacks and Lightning Conductor Engineers. He became Vice President in 1998 and President in 2004, during which time the Federation changed its name to ATLAS. Roger remains a committed council member and also currently represents ATLAS on the National Heritage Training Group (NHTG).
Jason Harfield, Council Member
Having started his career in the Steeplejack and Lightning Protection industry in 1983 as an attendee of course SJ8 at Bircham Newton, Jason was very proud to be elected to Council in 2008 and again in 2009.
Jason has furthered his career by gaining experience and knowledge working for several companies in different areas of the country, culminating in becoming a Director of Orion LP Ltd in 2003. He has recently gained accreditation to BS EN 62305 parts 1,2,3 & 4, and is also on the Lightning Conductor Committee.
Eleanor Hill, Council Member
Eleanor joined the steeplejack industry with Delta International straight from university, having completed a Masters Degree at St. Andrews. After gaining experience in a number of areas within the industry including estimating, sales, on-site co-ordination and operations, she was appointed a director of Delta International in 2006.
She is currently studying towards her Masters in Business Administration (MBA), which she hopes to have completed in 2010.
Eleanor was elected as an ATLAS Council member in May 2008 and as Chair of the PR Committee.
John Jolly, Council Member
John has been with R.C. Cutting & Co. and in the Lightning Protection industry for almost 25 years, becoming a Director of the Company in 1991. He first came to the ATLAS Council seven years ago and has been actively involved in the Lightning Conductor Committee for four years.
John believes that the industry and the Association are stronger now than at any other time.
