STA’s CEO and President Both Granted Chartered Manager Fellow Status by CIMSPA
STA’s CEO, Dave Candler, and STA’s President Ali Beckman have both been granted Chartered Manager Fellow status by CIMSPA, the professional development body for the UK’s sport and physical activity sector.
Chartered status is the pinnacle of professional recognition awarded by CIMSPA. It is a nationally recognised hallmark of a qualified professional who has demonstrated excellence and impact in their field.
With over 25 years of experience in teaching swimming and leisure management, Dave became the CEO of STA in 2016. Since taking on the role, he has strategically enhanced STA’s positioning, more than doubled membership and played a pivotal role in building valuable partnerships that have strengthened the industry; including more recently, signing the historic MoU with Swim England to help positively shape the future of grassroots swimming.
Under Dave’s leadership, STA became a CIMSPA Education Partner and was awarded the prestigious title of Supplier of the Year by ukactive in 2019. His noted team-driven efforts to support the leisure industry throughout the pandemic also contributed to STA being awarded ‘Education Provider of the Year’ by ukactive in 2022.
In the aftermath of the pandemic, Dave was also credited for driving impactful charitable initiatives such as STAnd Up for Swimming and STArLIGHT to support the aquatics community during this challenging time. These efforts were recognised when STA received the ‘Innovation of the Year’ award at the 2023 Federation of Awarding Bodies (FAB) Awards.
Ali Beckman, STA’s President said: “Congratulations, Dave! Your passion and dedication to grassroots swimming is unwavering, and your achievements since becoming CEO truly speak for themselves. Whether it’s shaping STA’s qualifications to align with industry and learner needs, supporting STA members, or being a powerful advocate for aquatics, it’s clear for everyone to see the difference you have made, and will continue to make in your role as CEO. You very much deserve this prestigious accolade. It’s a pat on the back for both us and an achievement we can both be very proud of.”
Dave said: “Ali has made such a significant impact in aquatics over her 30-year career, particularly in advancing baby and pre-school swimming through her role as a STA National Tutor and as a Director at Puddle Ducks. It is therefore fantastic to see all her hard work, and all that she does freely to support STA as our President, recognised by CIMSPA.”
“Every day, it’s a privilege to work alongside Ali, as we both share a genuine passion for STA and are committed to advocating for and representing the best interests of everyone involved in grassroots swimming – neither of us are afraid to challenge the status quo and stand up and be heard! This is why we both independently chose to complete the challenging six-month accreditation process with CIMSPA, as it allowed us to undertake a roots-and-branch review of our strategies and demonstrate our own personal commitment to continuous professional development.”
“For me, as well, gaining this Fellow status has always been a personal goal of mine. This dates back to when I received the HR Austin Award for achieving the highest overall mark in the Sport and Recreation Management Certificate exam in 2004. I’d therefore like to express my thanks to George from CIMSPA and Sue, my assessor, for their guidance and support in helping me achieve this,” confirmed Dave.
Tara Dillon, CEO of CIMSPA, said: “We are delighted that Dave and Ali have achieved Chartered Fellow status and that their contribution and commitment to the sector has been recognised. Chartered Fellow status is only awarded to professionals who have shown exceptional innovation and impact in the sector. As Chartered Fellow CIMSPA Members, Dave, and Ali embody the highest standards, backed by their qualifications, experience, and expertise. Through the assessment process, they demonstrated exceptional skills and knowledge and are true assets to the sector.”
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