A North East military veteran who started his own businesses after leaving the armed forces has been recognised for his determination in the run up to the Invictus Games.
The Sage Power 50 – launched by tech giant Sage – showcases 50 leading veteran-run businesses from across the UK, Australia, the US and Canada. The collection includes business owners that have been nominated for their leadership and determination to succeed against the odds in the commercial world.
Taking his place among the Power 50 is Richard Tucker, founder of AAA Caring Caretaker Ltd.
Mr Tucker served as a Royal Air Force mechanical transport driver between 1976 and 1996, and is a veteran of the first Gulf War.
In 2015 he launched AAA Caring Caretaker Ltd. to support the work of AAA Property North East after discovering there was a lack of quality maintenance and repair companies in the market.
“We saw, as landlords ourselves in the student market, that it was increasingly hard to find reliable and multipurpose tradesmen who had the capability to take on the multitude of tasks that come with managing portfolios,” said Mr Tucker. “We soon realised that this issue was not unique to us but widely experienced.”
The Newton Aycliffe firm has since won numerous awards – including being named as the Employer of the Year. Mr Tucker has also been awarded an MBE.
AAA Caring Caretaker is based in the Blue Bridge Centre on Aycliffe Business Park.