Darlington Building Society has announced that Bob Cuffe has been appointed as a non-executive director.

Cuffe has worked for a number of regional newspapers in various capacities culminating in the role of North East regional managing director for the Gazette Media Company and ncjmedia business. His current role is as director of recruitment for Marske Site Services Recruitment – a recruitment agency serving the engineering sector.

The native Teessider is also a Governor of Teesside University and sits on the Advisory Council of the University’s Business School and additionally has chaired the Tees Valley Chamber of Commerce and served on the Chamber’s regional council.

He said: “I am really pleased to be joining the Board of the North East region’s only local building society.

“I am passionate about promoting the successes of north east based businesses and we are fortunate indeed to have based in our region a local building society dedicated to looking after local interests. As well as providing mortgages and savings accounts to local people through a convenient and inviting branch network the Society is renowned for its support for local communities, particularly in the fields of charities, the arts and sport.”

At the conclusion of the 2013 Annual General Meeting Chris Fleetwood retired after over 17 years on the Society’s board, the last four as Chairman. James Ramsbotham, the Society’s Vice-Chairman was elected to replace him as Chairman. The new Vice-Chairman is Alison Thain, who was elected to the Society’s board in October 2011 and is Group Chief Executive of Fabrick Housing Group.

Ramsbotham said: “Bob is very well known in our region and he brings with him a wealth of invaluable experience, particularly in the field of regional media.

“This experience should help the Society to maintain its current positive trajectory as it looks to build upon its strong foundations and remain a mutual, independent building society dedicated to looking after the interests of its members.”