WITHIN the housebuilding sector and the City of London there was huge respect for Frank Eaton, a reputation not matched by his low profile in the North-East.

For over a decade he led one of the region's biggest companies, and one of Britain's biggest housebuilders. But he did not court the level of publicity commensurate with his status.

During his reign at Barratt, the focus of his attention was firstly to rescue the group from the brink of disaster, and thereafter enhance its reputation among its rivals, and crucially among potential house-buyers.

He became chief executive of Barratt, based in its North-East headquarters, in 1991, when it announced annual losses of £100m and its share price nosedived to just 35p.

Just two weeks ago he announced record profits of £178m, and the Barratt share price was riding high at 450p.

Fellow housebuilder John Callcutt, chief executive of Crest Nicholson, said: "Frank Eaton was one of a kind. He was an icon of commercial efficiency and nobody worked harder to improve shareholder value.

"He will be a hard act to follow. Men who have the vision and the strength of will to run an organisation of that size are not easy to find."

Mr Eaton steered Barratt through the toughest of times, leading the company to a return to its glory days of the 1970s.

He was plucked from the relative obscurity as a North-West regional chairman of Barratt to be group chief executive in 1991.

This was Barratt's darkest hour. The group, caught out by the recession and over-expansion overseas, plunged deep into the red.

Founder Sir Lawrie Barratt returned as chairman after a three-year spell of retirement to restore Barratt's fortunes and its reputation in both the City and construction industry.

With Mr Eaton as his right-hand man, Barratt was soon back in favour.

By 1997 Sir Lawrie retired for the second time, leaving Mr Eaton to fulfil the job of both chairman and chief executive.

When such dual roles were frowned upon by the City, it is testimony to the esteem held by Mr Eaton that, up to his death, he was able to keep both jobs, with little criticism from the markets.

Although he gave few interviews and was reluctant to comment on regional or wider economic issues, he emerged as one of the most respected figures in the housebuilding industry, outspoken on issues such as interest rate policies and planning regulations.

Thanks to his endeavours, Barratt is far fitter, leaner and stronger today than it was when he stepped up to chief executive in 1991.

It will be difficult to find one man or woman to fill the vacuum his death leaves, both within the company and the industry he represented with such dignity.