Michelle Crook MSc, FCIPPdip, DIOD, CIOD 15 August 1973 - 10 November 2016
I t’s difficult to overstate the shock, sadness and sense of loss we, your board, felt on the unbelievable and devastating news that our friend and colleague Michelle Crook had passed away suddenly on 10 November in hospital after a very brief illness. Michelle was the life and soul of the graduation ceremony in London the previous Friday but complained of feeling unwell on her return home and was admitted to hospital the following day. To date we still are not fully aware of the reason. As her closest colleague on the board it is my privilege to try to explain to the CIPP community just what Michelle meant to us. In many ways Michelle was a typical member of the payroll profession, falling into it, like most of us did, by accident, but then making it her career of choice and driving herself to the pinnacle of the profession both in terms of qualifications, level of job and by giving something back by serving on the CIPP board for eight years. After joining Pertemps, a major recruitment company in Meriden, West Midlands, she worked her way quickly to be in charge of the payroll service with 20,000 plus temporary workers paid weekly as well as numerous subsidiaries. She introduced efficiency changes and it was soon recognised by Tim Watts (Pertemps chairman) that they had a second core product in providing a payroll bureau service. Michelle played a large part in setting up ESOS, a payroll outsourcing service, within the Pertemps group of companies and became its managing director. Michelle constantly wanted to give something back to the profession which had served her so well. It was probably this that inspired her next step, to put herself forward for election to the board of the IPP (as we were then). In 2008 she was duly elected and subsequently played an active and effective part in steering the board through both good and testing times. Michelle put the membership first in all her thoughts and decision making; her key mantras were: “what would our membership think” and “how will this affect our membership”, which helped all of us to make the best possible decisions on your behalf. During this time, whilst working with Gordon Cresswell, another CIPP director, Michelle became interested in studying for the MSc in Business and Payroll Management and typically attacked the studies with her enthusiasm and analytical mind, passing easily. Her graduation day was a very proud moment for her, her family and all her friends and colleagues. It was working with Michelle as part of your board that I, and my fellow board
Michelle presenting at CIPP annual conference
Michelle at her MSC graduation (with CIPP colleagues Helen Hargreaves and Elaine Gibson)
Michelle presenting at CIPP graduation ceremony
members, got to know her social side and I think it’s fair to say that Michelle liked to work hard and play hard. She was always the centre of social activity and we will all miss her witty one-liners. Michelle had a wonderful sense of humour regardless of the situation and her laugh was utterly infectious and occasionally irreverent. On hearing the appalling news, one of Michelle’s fellow board members stated; “Having known Michelle for a number of years I will really miss her larger than life personality and my friend when trying to solve problems. Wherever you are, I know you will be making a difference”. This sums up the affection in which Michelle was held by many of the people who were fortunate enough to spend time with her. She brought a typical payroll approach to problems and issues with her ability to identify the issues and suggest a plan to get to a resolution. One example of this was the way she revised how the CIPP reviews applications for Fellowships and levels of membership. Michelle had been a campaigner, and was passionate about the new Individual Charter Status. As well as wanting to be amongst the first to achieve this accolade she knew it was a fantastic development for our membership and the profession, so it is sad that she missed out on the opportunity to achieve this goal. Our thoughts and sympathies go out to husband Rob and daughter Georgie of whom she was so proud. We know they will both miss her so much and will have a huge gap in their lives. Just like mum, Georgie is studying hard; we wish her success in her future career. She had a fantastic role model in her mum. Our feelings are understandably very raw at the moment but we will, in time, find a permanent way of recognising Michelle’s valued contribution to the payroll profession in general, and to the CIPP in particular.
Ian Walters MSc, FCIPP, FHEA, CIPP director
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Issue 26 | December 2016/January 2017
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
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