Winner: Phil Redfern, REACT Engineering 

Sponsored by Rachael Bell Wealth Management  

The winner of the Businessperson of the Year Award is one of the hardest choices for the in-Cumbria team to make.  
2023 was as closely fought as any of the previous years, pitting Mark Telford, of Forth Engineering, against Phil Redfern from REACT Engineering and Kurt Canfield, of Delkia. 
However, in the end a decision had to be made and our judges plumped for Phil Redfern, who has led REACT through one of the busiest and most exciting years in its 29-year history with professionalism, enthusiasm and integrity. 
The company has grown significantly through a collaborative approach with local SMEs, and Phil has adopted new policies to ensure all working practices are aligned to the company’s values. 
Phil empowers his staff to take the lead on projects, no matter what their level of expertise. 
He is passionate about professional development and all staff are consulted on 
business matters relevant to their work - from apprentices right through to members of the management team. 
Phil said: "I started at REACT when I was 18. I honestly didn't have a plan that one day I would run it and own it. But the ethos of the business is really important and it's part of our USP that we try and do things differently.  
"We take a lot of pride in what we achieve but a particularly proud moment in the last couple of years was a day when we had REACT engineering staff looking at decommissioning projects on the north coast of Scotland and the south coast of England so we were UK wide, which felt really significant.  
“My job is helping everybody else to do their job to the best of their abilities. It's nice on a personal level to feel like I've made a little difference in making REACT stronger, more robust and more capable.” 
Rachael Bell, practice principal at category sponsor Rachael Bell Wealth Management, said: "We were delighted to award Phil Redfern with the Businessperson of the Year award. The judges felt that all finalists were fantastic, which inevitably meant that this decision was not an easy one.  
“However, Phil's vision, professionalism and enthusiasm for REACT as well as his ambitions for every individual in his team stood out. 
"His leadership has been a bright light that has yielded wide-ranging positive outcomes for the business, allowing it to enjoy significant growth over the past year. 
"Our congratulations go to Phil for everything he has achieved." 

Runners up: 

Mark Telford, Forth 
Kurt Canfield, Delkia