IT is easy to talk about what is wrong with the world but how many of us actually get up and try to make things better?

Barry Dodd was someone who let his actions do the talking.

Actually, that is not altogether true. Anyone who met Barry will know that he was a great talker too. Sharing was part of his DNA. Plenty of successful business people are reluctant to pass on their secrets but Barry loved to impart his knowledge and offer encouragement to budding entrepreneurs.

He was worth listening to. A successful entrepreneur, Barry was a self-made man. Following university he worked for ICI including a spell on Teesside. Electing to work for himself, his road to success started on the top floor of a terraced house and took him to running a multinational global services and manufacturing group. His business interests extended to high-tech software and systems.

Barry’s infectious energy and desire to help others made him a natural choice when the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership needed a leader. He led the LEP from its creation in 2011 until he stepped down earlier this year and under his tenure it attracted over £250m of government investment into the region.

He was a passionate advocate for the region who possessed a deep commitment to unpaid community work – in 2004 committing himself to devoting at least one day per week to public service.

Following his tragic death this week there has been debate about how Barry’s memory can be honoured, perhaps by naming a business award in his name or setting up a fund to support businesses.

A fitting way to remember him would be for more of us to follow his example and do more to make the world around us a better place.