CHARTERED accountants Keith Robinson & Co have appointed Chantelle Richardson as audit and accounts assistant. The 23-year-old is training to be a fully qualified chartered accountant and is undertaking professional exams within the next year.

In her new position at the Middlesbrough-based chartered accountants and business advisors, she will provide assistance to managers and prepare accounts and auditing.

* The owners of a well-established Wearside business, Harker's Transport, are keeping success in the family by recruiting and training their 18-year-old daughter, Louise Harker, with help from training provider Access Training. Harker's Transport specialises in home deliveries for some of the biggest names on the high street.

Ms Harker is working towards an NVQ level two in administration while working in the dispatch office in Southwick, Sunderland.

* Camerons Brewery has added a new member to its sales team with the appointment of Carol BorwellL as a business development manager. She joins Camerons from Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries where she was employed as an area sales manager for Hartlepool and Teesside.

* Robert Muckle has appointed Jennifer Mills as an assistant in its rapidly expanding property services group.

Ms Mills graduated from Northumbria University in 1996 and qualified as a solicitor in 2000. She previously worked in the commercial property department of Eversheds, acting for landlords, developers, breweries, individuals, plcs and investment companies.

* The Tees Valley Housing Group has added two members to its board. Denise Caudle and John Foster have joined the 12-strong board, which oversees the group's work, bringing with them a wealth of experience in housing and the local Government sector.

Until her retirement last month, Ms Caudle was director of communities and learning at the Government Office North-East.

Mr Foster's career in the Tees Valley has included spells as chief executive of Middlesbrough Council, chairman of the South Tees NHS Trust and the Butterwick Hospice, and as an Audit Commissioner.

* Durham IT solutions company OmniCom CTi has appointed three members of staff. They include two experienced account managers, Alistair Sutherland and Jamie Hind, to cover business to business accounts. Meanwhile, Jane Fox has been recruited as a marketing executive. She recently graduated from Teesside University with a BA (Hons) Marketing degree.

* Business Link's Tees Valley operation has recently welcomed two members of staff to its expanding team.

The dual appointment of Paul Mines as account manager and Paul Martin as UK Online business advisor reflects Business Link's continued efforts to increase its impact with customers.

Both recruits will take a hands-on approach to their roles, working throughout the Tees Valley business community to offer a mobile and flexible service.

Mr Mines was previously business manager for Barclays Bank in Middlesbrough, while Mr Martin previously worked as a developer for corporate IT systems at Nestle UK and more recently as a business analyst and project manager within the information and communication technology department of Cleveland Police.

* Carpet retailer Bernard Povey Carpets has appointed Ted Collop as a sales consultant. Mr Collop, who has lived in Essex all of his life, moved to the North-East last year to his wife's home town of Billingham. He has 30 years' experience in the flooring retail industry and has worked in managerial roles for companies including Collop Carpets, Direct Carpets and Pynes Department store.

* Planning and regeneration expert Jim Johnstone, from Stockton, has been appointed to lead an ambitious bid to transform Tees Valley's housing market. He is currently regional planner for the North of England at the House Builders Federation, but will become director of the Tees Valley Housing Market Restructuring project from September. His key task will be to work with a broad range of housing and economic regeneration bodies to put together a strategy to reshape and renew the Tees Valley's failing housing markets and attract major funding.

* North Yorkshire insurance brokers Gale & Phillipson Group has appointed Linda Davy and Pamela Brown as executives. Mrs Davy joins the company as claims manager, while Mrs Brown has been appointed as marketing co-ordinator. Mrs Davy has 17 years' experience in the insurance industry, working in claims broking before moving into loss adjusting.

She is a graduate with a BA Honours degree in French and European Studies and an ACII qualification. Mrs Brown will provide a focal point for co-ordinating the company's new business strategy. Her background of 14 years working with insurance brokers in Glasgow will allow her to provide well informed support to her colleagues