2023 Excellence awards
Jim Henry, Henry Brothers.
L-R: Sarah Travers, host, with Martin O’Kane, President CEF/Heron Bros, Jim Henry, Henry Bros, and George Clarke, host.
Lifetime Achievement Award WINNER: JIM HENRY, HENRY BROTHERS
This category is awarded to individuals exemplifying the pursuit of excellence and leadership in construction throughout their career, and Jim has done exactly that since the age of 14. Having left school with no qualifications, he started as a labourer for housebuilders and then learned many skills with McLaughlin and Harvey before starting his own business in a construction partnership. The leadership, determination, and resilience exhibited during the Troubles underpinned the Henry Brother’s DNA as, in Jim’s own words back in the day, “If we lie down now, we won’t be able to get back up”. In those early years, Jim embedded the company values, which have been carried on by family members and are still evident in the business today: integrity, considerate and dependable, premium quality, agile and innovative,
and sustainability. Jim now serves as Chairman Emeritus, with his knowledge and expertise very much valued by all Board members. The business continues to grow substantially, with branches in Belfast, Scotland, East Midlands, Magherafelt and more recently Manchester, and a Group turnover of almost £90m. In recognition of his services to the construction industry, Jim was deeply honoured to be awarded an OBE in 1988, and subsequently a CBE in 1994. Over the years, he has served on many industry bodies including the CEF, CITB and CBI. In 2011, he was given a Special Fellowship Membership of the Chartered Institute of Building, the highest class of CIOB membership, awarded to those bringing distinction and prestige to the construction industry. As an outstanding ambassador for
Northern Ireland, Jim has contributed significantly to the community and local charities over the years, and he is widely respected among local business owners and the community, as well as within his own business. In 2017, when the company was rebranding, the idea for the ‘two hands’ came from a marketing agency witnessing how many would stop what they were doing on site to come and shake his hand. The ‘two hands’ logo represents trust and mutual respect, and the judges said Jim Henry CBE made Henry Brothers “altogether stronger” and is the much- deserved winner of this year’s lifetime achievement award.
T: +44 (0)28 7963 1631 www.henrybrothers.co.uk
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