Team manager honoured for "exceptional" career

A team manager in Protective Services Trading has been honoured by her peers for her “exceptional” career.

Alexandra Connell was recognised with a fellowship of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) at its recent conference.

Alexandra, who is the Team Manager for Business Compliance (Trading & Licensing Standards), has been a member of the Institute for nearly two decades.

Exceptional contribution

Fellowships are only awarded to members of at least ten years standing who have made an original and exceptional contribution to trading standards, and/or have rendered outstanding and distinguished services to the objectives that the Institute serves.

Alexandra’s award citation praised her “passion” and “commitment”, adding: “She leads, motivates and walks the talk, forever looking to do more and always wanting improvement.”

Since earning an HND in Consumer Studies in 1987 from The Queen’s College, Glasgow – now part of Glasgow Caledonian University – Alexandra went on to notch up a string of professional qualifications and then joined the Institute's Qualifications Awards Board in 2014, becoming Lead Officer for Education & Training in 2019.

Her past roles include working as a Consumer Adviser with the Central Regional Council in Falkirk in the early 1990s and a Trading Standards Officer in Lincolnshire while living in England with husband Alastair and their two daughters.

Alexandra joined the Institute’s East Midlands Branch in 2006. Qualifying as a Trading Standards Officer, she later served as the branch chair.

'Extremely honoured'

After returning to Scotland in 2019, Alexandra joined East Lothian Council as a Trading Standards Manager and was elected chair of the Society of Chief Officers of Trading Standards in Scotland (SCOTSS) in 2024. 

Alexandra said: “I was extremely honoured to be awarded fellowship of the CTSI at our annual conference. I’m incredibly humbled that colleagues feel that I am worthy of this and believe I’ve made significant contributions to the profession.”

Congratulations!