The Board – working hard on your behalf
The Board of Stafford Railway Building Society currently comprises eight directors who offer a wide range of personal experience. Profiles for the Chief Executive and Chairman, along with the other Board members, are provided here.
Steven Jones - Chief Executive Officer
Steven joined the The Stafford Railway Building Society Board in June 2018 as Deputy Chief Executive and Finance Director, in August 2022 he was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer.
He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and has a strong background in the financial services sector having spent over 30 years in a variety of senior positions. These have covered Corporate Planning, Strategy, IT, Underwriting, Risk, Secretarial, and General Operations.
Outside of the Society he is a Corporation Member of Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group, where he also holds the position of Vice Chair of the Audit Committee. He brings a wealth of experience, from a wider context having served as a trustee and Chair of two regional charities and a Housing Association.
Chris Reid - Finance Director
Chris joined the Society in May 2022 as Finance Director.
He is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants with 17 years post qualified experience across a broad range of financial services companies, including 8 years within the mutual sector.
In addition to finance responsibilities, Chris is also leading the Society’s environmental activities and is passionate about the positive impact that the Society can have through its engagement with Members and its community.
Rob Hassall - Chief Operating Officer
Rob joined The Society in June 2019 as Head of Product Strategy and Communications. In November 2022 he was appointed as Chief Operating Officer and was co-opted to the Board in November 2023. He has responsibility for the Society’s IT & Change Management, Sales & Marketing, Underwriting, Branch, Retail and Member operations. He graduated from Staffordshire University in 2002 and has 19 years background in the financial services sector in a variety of roles include Operations, Sales, and IT.
Outside of the Society he is the Chair of Trust for a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) and has previously held other voluntary roles including parish councillor and Chair of a school governing body.
Joanne Hindle - Chair
Joanne Hindle trained as a lawyer specialising in commercial law. She has worked in a variety of roles in the financial services industry for over 30 years ending her executive career as Corporate Services Director for the disability insurer, Unum.
Since 2008 she has held a range of Non Executive roles and today is Chair of the Shepherds Friendly Society and a Non Executive at the Bank of London and the Middle East as well as chairing the board of Stafford Railway Building Society.
Gary Crowe - Non-Executive Director
Gary is Chair of the Audit Committee. He is a Chartered Banker with over thirty years’ experience in Financial Services. Gary previously held senior commercial positions in strategy, business transformation and Risk & Business management as well as expertise as a university professor of innovation and leadership.
Gary is a passionate believer in the mutual building society model and the long term benefits of member ownership. He has lived locally for over forty years.
David Grant - Director
David currently works as a business consultant across a number of different industries, both in the UK and overseas. He is also serves on the Board of an investment-based Friendly Society.
He previously held a wide variety of senior positions in Banks, Building Societies, Insurance and Pensions organisations.
David joined the Board in 2017 and became Chair of the Risk Committee in May 2019. He has considerable experience of first and second line Risk responsibility including the management of regulated product sales.
The combination of a strong depth and breadth of experience with contemporary knowledge enables David to make a strong contribution to the Board.
Mary Kerr - Non-Executive Director
After a Short Service Commission in the army Mary moved into Financial Services working for Building Societies and Banks, rising to become the Director heading up the Personal Banking operation of Kleinwort Benson Investment Bank.
She subsequently spent 10 years as an independent consultant and interim Director and Chief Executive, working with Building Societies, Banks and Insurers, gaining an MBA from Henley Management College along the way. After this Mary moved into the ‘Not for Profit’ sector, spending 8 years as Bursar (Chief Operating Officer) of St Hugh’s College Oxford and then 7 years as Chief Executive at the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn, a learned society of Judges and Barristers, providing training, accommodation and services to the profession.
Mary’s appointment to the Board marks a return to a sector that she strongly believes can survive and thrive
Alison Tattersall – Non-Executive Director
Alison is a customer focused leader, with significant financial services experience, having headed up commercial marketing teams across the Barclays Group. This experience includes Retail, Wealth, Financial Planning, Business and Corporate Banking, together with the Barclaycard payments business.
In addition to her financial services experience, Alison is a Trustee of The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), a charity with 48 veterinary hospitals across the UK providing care for sick and injured pets.
Alison brings strong marketing, digital transformation and customer experience to the Stafford Board. She is committed to delivering for customers, and is delighted to be joining a mutual business focused on building long term value and benefit for the community it serves.
Ian Craig - Non-Executive Director
Although Ian is a proud Aberdonian, he has lived in the North West since 2000. Married to Dawn, he has 2 boys and recently retired from full time work.
Immediately prior to his retirement, Ian was a Divisional Director at Nationwide Building Society and has previously held executive roles at both Barclays and Bank of America leading large operational and technology functions, both in the UK and internationally.
Ian is also a Non-Executive Director with Southport & Ormskirk NHS Hospital Trust and a Trustee with 2 North West based charities, Willowbrook Hospice and The Brain Charity, where he also chairs their Digital & Technology Committees.