SISIS - End of an Era
One of the industry's most recognizable (all 5ft 1in of her!) and well respected people has decided to call it a day. Lynn Hilton, Publicity Manager at SISIS, is retiring at the end of August after 42 year's service.
Lynn's late father, Eric Staniforth, was MD and retired after 51 years' service. Accompanying her father at the weekends, Lynn even spent some of her growing up years at the old SISIS factory in Cheadle. However, it was never her intention to join the company. She was pursuing a career at ICI Pharmaceuticals, but a family house move meant she had to leave. She took a temporary position with SISIS as PA to the Company Secretary and recalls that her first task was analysing the Shops, Offices and Railway Premises Act!
Lynn found herself enjoying the work and stayed on. Not one to resist a challenge, she worked in virtually every department in the company before finding her true vocation in Publicity and Marketing. That was 1970 and, as the saying goes, she has never looked back. In her time at SISIS she has seen it develop from a UK family based business to a multi-national one, and she has certainly played her role in that development.
Of her time at SISIS Lynn was keen to emphasise the support she has had from the team in her department. Jane Bayley has been with her since the department started 38 years ago and Veda Brindley has been there eight years. "They have given me tremendous support," said Lynn. "We are more like sisters. In fact, once when I was away on holiday they completely redecorated my office, just to surprise me. They are great fun to work with and I will miss them enormously. And the cream cakes."
Included in her numerous successes are the Grounds and Greens seminars staged in the 1990s, with over 200 delegates at each of the three venues around he country, with over 30 companies exhibiting at them.
Following her retirement, Lynn will certainly not be putting her feet up. In addition to spending more time with husband, John, she will be devoting more hours to her role as the editor of the Macclesfield & District Talking Newspaper for the Blind, a registered charity with 55 volunteers and an editorial 'staff ' of 12. As an avid reader she will no doubt be building up her library of art history books, and she has also admitted to a passion for painting, so "may get the brushes out again".
Whatever she decides to do, we wish her well.