THREE York business leaders have been named among the finalists of this year’s Director of the Year awards for Yorkshire and the North East.

The annual awards, organised by the Institute of Directors, are this year being staged in York at the Principal hotel on July 5.

Among the finalists of the 11 categories are Jan Garrill, chief executive of the York headquartered Two Ridings Community Foundation, who is in the running for the Public/Third Sector award for her work supporting charitable causes across York, Hull, East Yorkshire and North Yorkshire through the Foundation.

Two York businessmen can be found in the Innovation category as finalists include Daniel Lee Burnsall, commercial director of Incremental Solutions, which specialises in GPS technology, and Gary Green, chief technology officer of brain scanning experts York Instruments.

Further afield in North Yorkshire Charles Fawcett, owner and managing director of Thirsk-based Twisted Automotive is also up for the Innovation award in recognition of his company’s work re-engineering Land Rover Defenders.

In the same category is Jacqui Hall, managing director of gas supplier CNG, based in Harrogate, while also representing Harrogate, Duncan Oakes, commercial director of ClearPoint recycling is shortlisted for the SME title.

In the Global category David Langworth, chairman of Knaresborough-based power network specialist NM Group is just one of two finalists.

The judging panel was chaired by Simon Walton, managing partner at Berwick Partners/Odgers Berndtson, in Leeds. He said: “I’d like to thank my fellow judges for their efforts in choosing this year’s top directors.

“The standard of entries was excellent and we faced some very hard decisions. With the bar set high, I’m looking forward to an evening that celebrates business excellence on July 5.”

The winners will be named at the black-tie dinner and will then go forward to represent the region at the national Director of the Year finals.