Margaret Wells

Most people expect to find the brightest stars of the hospitality industry in the glamorous world of London's five-star hotels or elite restaurants. Few would think of looking at food service management in the Midlands, let alone within local government. But the winner of this year's Manager of the Year award comes from just such an undervalued part of our industry.

Margaret Wells, head of operations at Birmingham City Council's commercial services, began her career as a catering assistant. She has since worked her way up to management status in a sector which has been transformed out of all recognition.

Certainly, dynamism and enterprise are not qualities that spring immediately to mind when you think of local authorities, but Wells has provided plenty of both during her 20 years at Birmingham City Council.

She started working for the council in 1974, obtaining City & Guilds qualifications before becoming a manager at Handsworth College of Further Education in 1980.

After managing two other colleges she became an area catering supervisor for education, looking after 21 locations with a turnover of £1m.

Since then she has added a succession of catering contracts, taking charge of all the council's direct service organisation (DSO) catering contracts in 1990. The post for catering manager was advertised and Wells won it in open competition.

In 1993, the council's commercial services underwent radical rationalisation. Wells was then able to move beyond catering, taking responsibility for the council's wholesale and retail markets. She became responsible for businesses with a combined turnover in excess of £12m and 250 employees.

Wells has proved she can operate in a tough commercial climate. She has bid for and won a succession of different contracts including a £1.7m contract for non-education DSO catering and a £750,000 cook-freeze contract. She has fought for and won many contracts previously fulfilled by other council departments, such as the £10m turnover catering and domestic services for the social services department, won in early 1995.

Keith Atkins, director of Birmingham County Council's commercial services, said Wells's key strengths were in two areas: her ability to read balance sheets, and the way in which she can motivate her staff.

These management skills were put to the test when the two distinct cultures of catering services and the council's wholesale and retail markets were brought under the same roof.

Wells's responsibilities today cover businesses with a total turnover of over £24m at 220 catering sites throughout Birmingham. More than 1,000 employees report to her.

"Margaret delivers every time, on time. She can adapt to change and motivate," said Atkins. n