A second-generation baker, Sean Stafford, was elected president of the Irish Association of Master Bakers (IAMB) at its biennial conference earlier this month.
My main aim is to get our three Irish organisations working together,” he said in his inaugural speech. “We need to use joint lobbying to protect and develop our industry. We must work together for the good of the industry.”
IAMB comprises the FCBA (Flour Confectioners’ and Bakers’ Association), IBBA (Irish Bread Bakers’ Association) and NIBC (Northern Ireland Bakery Council).
Sean Maguire represented the Irish Bakers Benevolent Society and fraternal greetings came from Gordon McGhee of Scottish Bakers and Christopher Freeman of NAMB, who were present.
Niall Irwin, the outgoing president of IAMB, welcomed both Sean Stafford as president, and his own brother Brian Irwin (NIBC), who was voted vice-president at the conference, at the Ritz Carlton, Powerscourt, Co Wicklow. The vice-presidency should have rotated to a member of IBBA, but it did not put forward a candidate.
Sean Stafford’s father, also named Sean, set up Stafford’s Bakeries in 1955, in Gorey. Now the business includes a state-of-the art bakery supplying national multiples, as well as three Joanne’s cafés in local Co Wexford towns.
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