At the Association’s recent AGM, Mr Ian Twinley DL was appointed Chairman of the Chelmsford-based organisation. This is the first non-military Chairman’s appointment since the RFCA’s inception in 1908.
Chief Executive, Colonel Ray Wilkinson QVRM TD VR, commented:
“The appointment of Mr Ian Twinley, by the Secretary of State for Defence, as the Chairman of East Anglia Reserve Forces & Cadets Association is a milestone for us. Ian is the first person with no former service in the military to be appointed as the Chairman of an RFCA. His appointment reflects his influential standing within East Anglia and also the strength of his support for the Reserves & Cadets within the region.”
As Chairman, Mr Twinley is responsible for the strategic oversight of the development and delivery of the Association’s plans and, when required, advising the Secretary of State for Defence on policy and associated issues concerning Reserve Forces & Cadets in East Anglia.
With nearly 40 years-worth of experience in the automotive industry, Mr Twinley is Chairman of the John Grose Group; a multi franchise Dealer Group with a turnover of £175 million, employing four hundred staff. The Suffolk based Group has won the Ford Chairman’s award for Customer Satisfaction 19 times, and is ranked one of the top Ford Dealers in the Country.
As an employer of Reservists and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers, Ian travelled to Afghanistan in 2008 and spent time with Suffolk based reservists serving in Kandahar and Camp Bastion. His affiliation with East Anglia RFCA began in 2012 when he was elected Chairman of the Association’s Regional Employer Engagement Group, becoming a member of the Association’s board at the same time.