John Corcoran, MBE, has retired as a director of Dunbartonshire Chamber of Commerce.
At an age when most people are already well into retirement, John, 76, has only now decided to ease off and step down from the board.
The community activist turned businessman has a track record of standing up for what he calls ‘the little guy’ and has never been afraid to speak his mind.
He has been a driving force in the chamber of commerce for almost 25 years and will continue to be both a member and fulfil the role of honorary president.
John’s long association with the then Allander chamber began when he was head of estates at St Andrew’s College in Bearsden in the early 1990s. He had a seat on the local enterprise forum and on economic development groups.
“Being part of the chamber gave us a lot more influence in the business world and in local government circles,” he explained.
He was instrumental in creating the county-wide Dunbartonshire chamber in 2003 when Allander, West Dumbarton, and later Strathkelvin, amalgamated, and counts it as one of the major highlights of his career.
Soon afterwards John became the chamber’s development officer and then was its chief executive until 2010.
Since 2002 he has also been chairman and managing director of his own business, St Andrew’s College Language Schools Ltd, which is now based in Glasgow having outgrown its Dunbartonshire premises.
He is proud of the fact that the chamber has a close relationship with both East and West Dunbartonshire councils.
“I am very pleased that the relationship with the councils has blossomed.
“Small and medium-sized enterprises have to work very hard to keep their heads above water but it can be done – and the chamber can help with support, advice and networking opportunities.
“I would encourage every business to join the chamber and be a part of this organisation.”
In 2011, John, who lives in Dumbarton, received an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to business.
