Teresa Paredes from HCSS Education, explains why Howard Jackson should win the Leader of the Year category of the Guardian Small Business Showcase competition:
With over 35 years’ experience in the education sector, Howard is a continual source of knowledge and inspiration for his staff. He came up with the idea for HCSS Education back in 1993, when the company started life in his back bedroom. With sector insight and an entrepreneurial spirit, Howard has nurtured HCSS into a successful business; it now boasts a 30% market share and employs over 80 people.
In January this year, HCSS Education was acquired by Access Group, the leading author of integrated business management software for the mid-market, creating one of the largest providers of financial, budgetary and planning solutions to the UK education sector.
As a testament to Howard’s ongoing commitment to employee satisfaction and progress, HCSS was awarded 69th place in the 2016 Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to Work for list, up from number 91 in 2015. Howard is committed to empowering people to become inspirational leaders and holds regular talks, courses and training sessions for governors, headteachers and senior managers within the education sector.
He also has a real passion for providing opportunities for children, and in 2014 set up The School Bus Foundation, a charity that aims to provide disadvantaged children and young people in mainstream education with opportunities that can make a positive difference to their lives.
Howard is dedicated to enabling positive change in the education sector and has made it his mission to ensure schools, academies, multi-academy trusts and local authorities have the tools, support and guidance to achieve effective financial management.
All entries which meet the competition criteria are published and our judging panel select a shortlist of the top three for each category. Winners are announced at an awards ceremony in summer 2016.
