Page 166 - WHO'S WHO OF DUDLEY ROTARY

Roy Richardson as director of several Richardson Group companies and their principal
spokesman. Ian was born in West Bromwich, educated in Tipton and Halesowen, then lived in
Dudley in the 1960s. He started work as a trainee quantity surveyor with local civil engineering
company William Press. As the firm grew, he progressed to management in London and then,
when it merged to become Amec, to Swindon, Wiltshire. After 23 years he moved to Calne,
Wiltshire, to run Avent PRS, a subsidiary of Brickhouse Dudley, specialising in the remote
replacement and repair of underground pipes. Avent was bought by Pirelli in 1986 and Ian
continued as a director. In 1988 he was recruited by building materials group Bowater to set up
a business based in Gloucester supplying new and replacement uPVC windows to local
authorities, housing associations and hospitals nationally, before becoming Chief Executive of
Dudley Training and Enterprise Council from February 1993. A year later he became head of the
Chamber of Commerce. Although he lives in Worcester he was, and remains, closely associated
with Black Country: he was Chief Executive of Business Link Dudley 1994-99, Chief Executive of
West Midlands Enterprise 1996-2009, a Director of Black Country Enterprise 2005-06 and of
Shireland College, Smethwick 2007-09, and a director of the mental health charity Dudley Mind
2007-14. He continues to act as a business consultant.

554 Michael (‘Mike’) Robert TIMMS (1944- ) (Inducted 20.4.1998; left in 1998/99 following a
member’s indiscreet remark about his father.) Solicitor. Practising as M R Timms & Co with
supporting staff from offices in Abbey Road, Gornal Wood. From 2010 he continued the
business as Timms Property and Probate Lawyers Limited, but as an individual dealing mainly
with corporate clients from an office at Louise Street, Gornal Wood. From 2013 he has worked
collaboratively with solicitor and licensed conveyancer Michael Higgs of Hagley, each being a
director of the other’s company. He was born and raised in Lower Gornal where his father was
vicar of St James’ church. At the age of 10 he was sent to boarding school in Lichfield where he
became a chorister in the cathedral. The family moved to Southwark in London in 1961 and soon
afterwards to Watton in Hertfordshire. He gained a degree in law at Newcastle University, then
trained as a solicitor with a large central London law firm. He qualified as a solicitor in 1969 and
remained in the Home Counties before returning to Gornal in about 1975 to set up his own legal
practice.

555 John Richard Baird GRAHAM (1956- ) (Inducted 27.4.1998; President 2006-07; still a member
at 2022.) General Law Practice. Partner in Tanfields, Wolverhampton
Street Dudley from 1988 until 2010 when Tanfields merged with the larger
law practice Talbots. John became an Associate of Talbots nominally based
at Stourbridge, where he remained until retirement in 2020. During his
legal career he practised in various types of litigation and disputes. John is
proud to be ethnically Scots - both his parents are from Fife - but he was
born and brought up in Maidstone, Kent. Inspired by his police officer
father who prosecuted in the local Magistrates Court, he decided to read
law at Birmingham University. After graduating he studied further at the
College of Law in Guildford and qualified as a solicitor in 1981. After initial employment with
solicitors Baches in West Bromwich he moved to Tanfields. He still lives in West Bromwich
where he is a past Churchwarden, current Treasurer, and member of the bell ringing team at All
Saints' Church. His other interests include the performing arts, music, theatre, ballet and food
and drink. He is an accomplished cook and, in his own estimation, an indifferent guitarist.