Alumni Case Studies
Enterprise is by no means a new concept for York staff and students. Below are six examples of York graduates to whom the description "enterprising" applies. All the case studies illustrate how the individuals involved recognised and took opportunities, and in some cases have done so more than once. All have had diverse and varied careers, encompassing the media, entertainment, business and the community.
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Richard Harpin
Since an early age Richard wanted to start his own business. His first taste of success was with a mail order fishing tackle company he ran while he was at school and later at York. From small beginnings selling fishing tackle, Richard hit on the idea of making some of the fishing flies into earrings. "Hookers" was the obvious choice of brand name and with the help of about a dozen housewives as outworkers Richard supplied hair salons around the country. He got national television and radio news coverage and for about 9 months things were a real success before Richard moved on once he had completed his degree. |
York: 1982-1986 |
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Jerry Lockspeiser
Jerry Lockspeiser has had his fair share of ups and downs. He's had malaria while teaching English in Sudan and watched his first wine business fall apart amidst the recession of the 1990's. Jerry learnt from all these experiences though and he has definitely proven that determination, hard work and the ability to learn from your mistakes are part of the road to success. |
York: 1972-1975 |
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Linda James
Linda is an independent producer of over 20 award-winning drama series, 5 TV movies and 2 feature films and co-founder of Red Rooster Film and Television Entertainment, Alibi Communications Plc and Sly Fox Films, which she runs with her husband, the award winning director, Stephen Bayly. |
York: 1976-1979 |
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Gerard Lemos
Gerard Lemos sits composed and relaxed across the table. Smartly dressed, and with an accent the Queen herself would approve of, he carries the air of a self made man perfectly at home moving in high circles. Gerard's life has been lucky, he says as much himself, as his experience with social policy issues have been in demand since Labour won power in 1997. But there is also truth in the old adage that you often create your own luck and a quick overview of Gerard's career shows that he's had an unerring ability to be in the right place at the right time. |
York: 1976-1979 |
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John Smith
John Smith was one of the very first students at York, and after a stint in the civil service he ended up at Saatchi where he was a management consultant and became Managing Director of their public sector search consultancy. After 3 years with Saatchi's he started his own successful enterprise, Succession Planning Associates. |
York: 1963-1967 |
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Simon Best
Simon Best's career has never been mundane or to be honest one that you might expect from a music graduate! It is however a great example of how ideas, passion and a lot of hard work can genuinely produce some amazing results, leading Simon from York to America and back and from managing The Human League to working with multinational biotech companies. Full biography |
York: 1974-1977 |