TTBS CEO to retire in May

9 March 2023


After nearly 63 years of unbroken service in the timber industry, Timber Trades Benevolent Society (TTBS) chief executive officer, Ivan Savage will be retiring on May 4 at the society’s annual general meeting at the Royal Air Force Club, 128, Piccadilly, London.

Born in November 1943 in Hove, Sussex, the youngest son of Ronald and Yvonne Savage, Mr Savage was educated initially in Hove and subsequently Bognor Regis, where he moved due to his father’s transfer within the Rank Organisation. He completed his education at Chichester High School, a highly respected grammar school in the heart of Chichester.

He started work in the timber industry in October 1960 as a management trainee with A Olby & Sons Ltd at its main softwood depot in Bognor Regis (now part of the Cover Group) and in 1976 he moved to Staffordshire to join Cox Long Ltd (now part of the Walker Group) until 1983.

Following a short period as senior training officer at TRADA in High Wycombe, he returned to the Midlands to join ex Cox Long colleagues at S Jackson (Walsall) Ltd and was appointed sales director.

In August 1993, S Jackson was purchased by the Carver Group in Wolverhampton and in 1994, Mr Savage was appointed as the Carver Group sales director, the first non- family director in nearly 100 years, a position he held until his semi-retirement in November 2008. He continued as a director of ETS Ltd until 2011, when, with his appointment by the trustees he took up the position of general manager for the TTBS.

In May 2021, he was appointed by the trustees as the society’s CEO in recognition of his exceptional work for the society, both in administration and also for his involvement with the timber industry promoting the TTBS work assisting the less fortunate.

During his years at Carvers, the Wolverhampton group increased sales to over £33m and expanded into timber engineering with design and supply of engineered timber joist sets, trussed rafter manufacture with its subsidiary Engineered Timber Solutions Ltd, Rodington and timber framed production with Timber Kit Solutions Ltd, Shrewsbury.

Throughout the 1980s and 90s, Mr Savage was a prolific distance runner and triathlete and competed in 29 marathons, including Amsterdam and five London marathons and over 130 open water triathlons as well as many other long distance road races and fell running events.

He was secretary of Stone Master Marathoners veterans athletic club and also secretary of the North Staffordshire Triathlon club for many years and a member of the British Triathlon Association. He was also a keen walker, completing the 192 mile Wainwrights Coast to Coast in 1993, together with many other UK long distance pathways.

Together with the late Roy Carver, in 1998 Mr Savage revived the Wolverhampton City Marathon, supported by the Carver Group which has continued for over 20 years and has raised over £400,000 for local Wolverhampton charities – sadly the 2020 Covid pandemic put an end to this event.

Outside of his full time TTBS work and industry responsibilities, Mr Savage is a member of Stone Golf Club in Staffordshire and continues to enjoy competitive golf with his playing partners.

Mr Savage said that the final 12 years of his 63-year timber industry career, when he headed up the TTBS had been a great honour for him.

Following the AGM, the TTBS will announce the new office address and the contact details for Mr Savage’s successor.

Ivan Savage retires as TTBS CEO in May