The Courier’s Impact 100 countdown starts with positions 100-81. See The Courier all this week for extra features, including more in-depth studies of the people who made the list.
100 CHARLIE KEANCharlie is a weel-kent face in Dundee who has turned his energy and given his time to raising a lot of money for good causes. He’s made a difference to many lives and shows what an ordinary citizen can do when they take on a project and see it through.
99 DAVID MACHDavid Mach is creative, controversial and never boring. He makes you look at the world differently by using everyday objects in an extraordinary way and by making art on a scale that hits you between the eyes.
98 BARRY SMITHDundee were granted an unexpected opportunity in the SPL and Barry Smith has had to step up to the plate to try to take them forward. It’s a big job and if the team survives in the top flight he’ll have performed wonders.
97 THE BAYFORD FAMILYA Lottery win of any amount over a tenner is a cause for celebration but a win on this scale is life-changing in every way you can think of. It’s the kind of news that has an impact on almost everyone who hears it, whether it be envy, delight on the winners’ behalf, amazement or curiosity about what they will do with the money and how they will cope.
96 LOCHY PORTERLochy made his mark by leading Angus Soft Fruits from being a relatively small player in the UK market to a major concern, supplying a range of soft fruits to supermarkets. He has been innovative in terms of extending the soft fruit season by using polytunnels and novel growing techniques.
95 IAIN HALLIDAY MBEIain Halliday plays a major role in the cultural life of the city of Perth. In 2012, the continuing influence of the citizens of Perth is embodied in the activities of those promoting its potential as Scotland’s newest city. The visit of the Queen in her jubilee year brought many of these elements together.
94 JOHN REIDMichelin is one of the most iconic employers in Dundee. John Reid is leading from the front in terms of keeping its presence very much to the fore in the city and beyond. He and his colleagues have shown confidence in the city at a time when industry is having to think carefully about where it puts its money.
93 PROFESSOR PETE DOWNESPete Downes is a leading academic in his field and a highly distinguished leader of the University of Dundee. He isn’t afraid to speak out on controversial subjects. As principal of one of Scotland’s most popular and forward-looking universities, he is at the forefront of the discussions that currently matter most to students and potential future employers.
92 JOHN LETFORD MBEJohn Letford is regarded by many of the citizens of Dundee as a favourite son and is seen as having done a lot for his city. He never missed a chance to speak up for Dundee, to praise it and its people and to use his office to showcase its achievements and character.
91 SCOTT MILNE; CRAIG NICOLThorntons intends to extend its activities and scale over the next few years which means the new team at the top will have a major role to play in the local area in terms of potential development, employment opportunities and a higher profile for an already major firm.
90 AIR COMMODORE GAVIN PARKERThe commanding officer at RAF Leuchars always plays a huge role in the local community in Fife because of the great significance to the base as a local employer. Ties between the base and the community have always been strong. At a time when the future of the presence at Leuchars remains uncertain, those aspects have perhaps never been more important.
89 RICKY ROSSRicky Ross is one of those figures who has a major international profile but never forgets where he came from. He makes a point of setting up high-profile performances here and he is keen to acknowledge and find out more about his roots and about the city of Dundee itself. His passion for that puts the city, its cultural life and its heritage on the map.
88 IAIN BANKSIain Banks is a highly individual voice, giving a gravitas and ‘respectability’ to science fiction and horror but also providing a very Scottish voice in his novels – The Crow Road, for example, so successful on TV and which launched the careers of Joe McFadden and Dougray Scott. He’s also a man of strong opinions and political insight.
87 TOM WINSORTom Winsor pulls no punches when he feels change and improvement are necessary in the organisation he oversees. He will have a tough job as Chief Inspector of Constabulary partly because of his “in-your-face” reports and partly because of what is seen as his lack of direct policing experience. But he is highly able, determined and clear-sighted.
86 JACK VETTRIANO CBEJack Vettriano’s popularity is immense across the world – he has the kind of style that seems to speak to people. He has changed a lot of attitudes to art and what it’s for and the belated recognition of his work in the Portrait Gallery is regarded by many as long overdue. Others have no time for him or his work, but he has certainly opened plenty of eyes.
85 WILLIE RENNIE MSPWillie Rennie is one of the batch of new party leaders in Scottish politics in the past few years and has shown himself willing and able to speak out on a range of subjects. It’s a difficult time to be a Lib Dem and he has tried to set the bar a little higher and stand up for the core values of his party against considerable public reaction in the wake of the Coalition agreement.
84 PAUL GRANT MBEWe can’t put it better than a report in The Courier last year explaining that Paul Grant of Mackays ‘was named Angus Ambassador for his entrepreneurial spirit, outstanding promotion of Angus around the world, support of the local economy and people and his strong sense of corporate responsibility.’
83 DESMOND CARRINGTONDesmond is a national treasure and a man who never stops extolling the virtues of Scotland. He’s an amazing ambassador for the place and shows that national and international broadcasting isn’t necessarily an urban activity. From Perthshire, he reaches out all over the world and is one of the great charmers of the airwaves.
82 JOHN MACLEANScots in the film industry are making more of a mark than they ever did and it’s a major step forward to see someone with John Maclean’s artistic background moving into working on the big screen. He already has a formidable contacts list and looks to be heading for great things in the movie world. Winning a BAFTA at this stage of his career is a real stepping stone.
81 PENNY UPRICHARDDoughty St Andrews-based campaigner Penny Uprichard has never been afraid to stand up for what she believes in. She has stuck to her guns and a protective Costs Order in her favour is a major first. It’s a huge thing for one person to have achieved in the fight against what she calls “a tsunami of development”.
In Tuesday’s Courier: we count down from positions 80 to 61