Full Name: Tom McKnight
Length of Society Membership: 31 years
Length of service on the Board: 8 years
I was born in Bellshill in Lanarkshire in 1943 and raised in the village of Bargeddie.
I was employed by Allied Suppliers in Glasgow for 11 years, where I received full training in road transport management Graduating in Industrial transport in 1967 and became a member of the chartered institute of transport.
I joined Dalziel Co-op Society, Motherwell in November 1975, as their transport manager. After the Merger with St Cuthberts Society of Edinburgh I became the transport manager of Scotmid Co-op in1983. This included the management of over 200 vehicles including HGVs and PSVs, travel agencies and horse drawn operations. The last 5 years of my employment also included the general management of our funeral division. I retired early in November 1999 due to family commitments.
During these 24 years as an employee I learned about and became 100% committed to the principles of Co-operation. I became dedicated to the continuation of our Society by supporting its development and modernisation to meet the challenges of competition from the ever expanding PLCs.
I am a father and a grandfather. May and I now live in Uphall in West Lothian.
I am an elder and the Treasurer of Corstorphine United Free Church of Scotland and have been a member of the SNP since I was a student in Glasgow in 1963.
I have represented members on the West Regional committee (or its equivalent) since 1983 being its Chairman at the present time, and have served on the Board of the Society for the last 8 years.