TWO appointments at South West Durham Training, in Newton Aycliffe, are to drive forward the company's development as a training provider in advanced engineering in the North-East.

Glenn Young and Wendy Chippendale have joined the company as development co-ordinator and business administration training officer respectively.

The company's Government appointment this year as the only Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) for advanced engineering in the UK prompted its decision to bolster its strong management team.

The company recruited Mr Young from the Learning and Skills Council in Yorkshire.

Ms Chippendale's role is to develop and expand the company's training resources and provision in business administration. Calling on experience from training roles at Thomas Cook and Bishop Auckland College, she will be working with school leavers to increase attainment of NVQ level II and III business administration qualifications.

* The Port of Tyne Authority has announced the appointment of a new managing director.

David Keates takes up the post of managing director (designate) on September 1 and will move to managing director upon David Clifford's retirement on January 1, next years..

* Insurance brokers and financial advisors BiB (Darlington) has appointed two new employees to its expanding commercial insurance broking team.

Debbie Rutter and Ian Miller join as commercial brokers in BiB's Northgate office. Ms Rutter gained her experience as a business account executive working for General Accident Insurance Company.

Mr Miller has spent the past two years working for BE Thompson & Co in Richmond.

* Builder Center, the builders' merchant, has appointed John Beck as manager of its Bishop Auckland branch. It has also appointed Grahame Herbert as manager of its Newcastle branch.

* Mike Berriman has joined Camerons Brewery as its new marketing director. Mr Berriman has more than 20 years' experience in the brewing industry having previously worked for Vaux Breweries and latterly with Federation Brewery as marketing manager.

* Mitchells NorthEast, chartered accountants and business advisors has promoted Andrew Houghton to the position of associate. Mr Houghton joined Mitchells in February 2000, and for the past two and a half years has been a senior manager within the firm's business development department. ice.

* Property consultancy CSH is strengthening its agency team with the appointment of Neil Mortimer. Former Merchant seaman Mr Mortimer, who has more than 25 years' experience in the North Yorkshire property sector, joins CSH as director of the residential division. He will be based in Northallerton.