LACE Housing Chief Executive Nick Chambers has been announced as a finalist in the Business Person of the Year category of the Lincolnshire Media Business Awards.
Nick, who has worked at LACE Housing for more than 25 years, was nominated for the accolade by his colleagues and peers in recognition of his excellent leadership, interpersonal skills and long-standing loyalty to the association.
He was a relatively young chief executive when he was appointed in 1991 aged 31, but he has since led the organisation through several major changes and been the driving force behind its expansion.
Since taking on the role, Nick has driven a development programme which has resulted in a 471% increase in the number of shared ownership and rented homes LACE Housing owns, from 39 to 223.
The association now provides homes for more than 250 people at its sites in Grantham, Skegness, Saxilby, North Hykeham, Bourne and Lincoln, and Nick regularly visits each one to check how his residents are doing.
He has also played a pivotal role in securing more than £10m in government funding and a further £2.6m for the construction of 82 homes during 2018 with a further 126 homes in the pipeline.
On learning he had been shortlisted in the Business Person of the Year category, Nick said: “It’s a privilege to be a finalist and I’m pleased to be able to represent the only third sector organisation in the running for an award.
“People don’t often recognise LACE Housing as a business because we are a voluntary, non-profit making association with charitable status, but we employ staff, deliver a range of services, support our local community and continue to build new developments across the county.”
The Business Person of the Year winner will be announced during the annual award ceremony which will take place at the EPIC Centre at Lincolnshire Showground on Tuesday 17th October.
Karis Hildred, Events Manager at Lincolnshire Media, said: “Lincolnshire is blessed with a range of diverse and interesting businesses who are committed to providing the best service to their customers and also helping the local community.
“Therefore, it is only right that we recognise that level of dedication and passion as well as the committed teams whose hard work is not always appreciated.”
The LACE Housing team will be tweeting live from the event using the hashtag #LincsBizAwards.
