Threefold success

TELEGRAPH GROUP CIRCULATION MANAGER KEN MORETON was elected the new Chairman of the Association of Circulation Executives at the recent AGM, and takes over the reins from outgoing Chairman Christopher Collins.

Addressing the meeting, Chris reflected on the three targets he had set when taking on the role in 2002. “We wanted to make sure that the key events of the year were profitable, to pay up an outstanding balance to NewstrAid and to encourage new membership,” he said. “Looking back, I believe we’ve had a very good year, we’ve achieved those targets and with the support of a lively and creative committee, the foundations for future progress are in place. With Ken at the helm and an active committee I believe our aims are within reach.”

Although a difficult year for the industry, the key events were all significant, well supported successes. Last year’s Christmas Lunch, with 1,101 people in attendance, made a profit of £36,000; the ACE Press Awards, attended by 440 members and guests, made in excess of £20,000, and the newly re-introduced ACE International Publishing Awards made almost £10,000 and were attended by some 250 guests.

With new membership on the increase – 32 new members helped push the ACE membership up to almost 320 – the Association’s finances are in a much healthier state. Consequently, the outstanding sum of £8,000 owed to NewstrAid was paid up and a number of other charitable donations were made. £10,225, the proceeds of the 2002 ACE Christmas Lunch Raffle, was donated to NewstrAid, and, at the traditional discretion of the Chairman, a further £3,000 was paid out to the Dunmow-based charity, £3,000 went to Cancer Research, and £2,000 was donated to the Big C Appeal.

After thanking Chris for all his hard work during his year in Office, Ken Moreton stepped up to the plate and told members: “ACE has given me a great deal of fellowship and friendship over the years, and working with such a supportive team, I very much hope that this year we’ll be able to bring yet more new members into the Association so that they too can benefit from the camaraderie that characterises ACE.”

At the AGM, Simon Prodger of Reed Aviation was voted Vice Chairman, and Adele Nash from BusinessWeek joined the committee. She takes over from Lindsey Picker who has left MGN and is off to Perth in Australia to take up a new post.