Insurance group BiB has appointed STEVE RECORD as managing director of its agricultural and rural underwriting division.

Mr Record, who has been with the Darlington-based group for six years, moves up from operations director.

He has taken over from David Carter, one of the founders of the group in 1981, who has retired but will remain as a consultant.

LIBBY Owens and LEANNE GROOM have moved from the postroom to the first steps of a career in the legal profession with North-East law firm Gordon Brown Associates.

Ms Owens, 18, from Durham, and Ms Groom, 17, from Burnhope, were recruited from Durham Business Club last July as postroom assistants with the Chester-le-Street firm.

After gaining their NVQ level two in business administration, they have been promoted to support typists in the conveyancing and litigation departments.

THE Wolsingham office of the rural property agent George F White has appointed CLAIRE THOROGOOD as a rural surveyor.

Ms Thorogood, originally from Essex, has a farming background.

Before joining George F White, she took a year out to travel to New Zealand and Australia, where she worked on farms and for the New Zealand Farmers Weekly.

BUSINESS Link Tees Valley has appointed LAURA BELL as quality manager. Her most recent role was training and business development manager for the Newcastle operation of West End Training, one of the UK's largest private training companies.

Intermedia Web Development, in Darlington, has appointed BEN MOLLOY as business development manager for its new brand, Geo-Net Solutions.

Mr Molloy, 22, from Merrybent, near Darlington, a former Yarm Grammar School pupil, will manage pilots of the brand.

ANDREW LEEMING has joined the York and North Yorkshire Partnership Unit as head of programme development.

He will co-ordinate regeneration funding programmes across North Yorkshire.

For the past five years, Mr Leeming, 38, has led the economic development and tourism section at Ryedale District Council.

Patterson Motor Group has made a triple appointment at its Shiremoor dealership.

Following a £1.4m re-development of the dealership, Patterson has recruited Dave Rhodes, Marc Prendergast and Michael Rice to strengthen the Shiremoor team. Mr Rhodes has been appointed used car sales executive and arrives from Sage. Mr Prendergast joins as an apprentice body fitter and Mr Rice has been recruited as a painter.

Teesside cost consultants Faithful and Gould has appointed former employee MIKE MILLETT as managing surveyor. Mr Millett, from Billingham, worked for Faithful and Gould for ten years before moving to Turner and Townsend, in Leeds, in February.

Lambert Smith Hampton's North-East building surveying team has made two appointments.

SIMON FREETH, senior surveyor, and TOBY WARE, graduate surveyor, have joined the Newcastle team.

HELEN WILSON has joined North-East law firm Ward Hadaway.

The 23-year-old, who studied for a masters degree in town planning at Newcastle University, has spent the past year studying regeneration, housing supply and affordable housing in rural areas. Originally from North Yorkshire, she wanted to stay in Newcastle after finishing her studies.

LAW firm Watson Burton has appointed Philip Jordan, formerly an equity partner with Ward Hadaway. He has corporate law experience with clients worldwide.

TEES Valley business law firm The Endeavour Partnership has appointed JOANNA SMITH as its eighth partner.

Ms Smith joined the firm's company and commercial department in August 2000 after training with Watson Burton, in Newcastle. She becomes the second partner in the department's corporate team.

The company and commercial department has also appointed another two new members, LEWIS GOODWIN and FIONA DENHAM. Both join as assistant solicitors.

CRAIG GARBUTT has been appointed as commercial lending manager at Universal Building Society. The 28-year-old, from Cramlington, Northumberland, recently completed a diploma in financial services management.