Our ethos at Collins is to be honest, reliable and provide the finest quality fish that the ocean has to offer, and by calling us up we will only recommend the best Frozen at Sea fish suitable for your business. Our sales team have been following this mantra and providing exceptional service to our customers since 1980.
But who are our sales staff, and what does a day at Collins involve for them? We have some interesting facts for you about each team member, so without further ado, let’s meet the people behind the phones…
Craig English, Managing Director
- Craig was sales and general manager of the company from 2000, then he took over as managing director in April 2022 when our founder, Richard Collins, retired after over 40 years in business.
- Craig was born in Burnley, Lancashire in 1970, and his mother told him that he was the first baby born in that decade in Burnley General Hospital.
Toni Pagnanelli, Sales & General Manager (North East)
- Toni started with us in March 2022 after working in the fresh fish industry for 26 years.
- Toni’s favourite place to go on holiday in the UK is Whitby.
Elaine Armstrong, Sales Administrator (North East)
- The work never stops for Elaine, as when she returns home after Collins, she has two children and a smallholding to look after!
- She sometimes writes poems for our social media pages.
Carol Leybourne, Sales Administrator (North East)
- Carol has been with us for around 30 years and counting.
- One of her hobbies is gardening and she has many different plants!
Hazel Silvester, Sales Administrator (North East)
- Hazel is the newest member of our team – she recently joined Collins after working at Mike’s Fish Bar for 18 years.
- She loves music and craft.
Kevin Hayton, Sales Executive (Yorkshire)
- Kevin co-founded Wraggs Seafoods, which was bought by Collins and is now known as Collins Yorkshire.
- He previously owned fish and chip shops, and he gets fish and chips every single Friday from his old shop, Hilltons.
Martin Robson, Sales Administrator (Yorkshire)
- Martin started with us as a driver until he became a sales administrator for Collins Yorkshire.
- One of his hobbies is fishing.
Jonathan Naylor, Sales Administrator (Yorkshire)
- Jonathan co-founded Wraggs Seafoods with Kevin.
- He has been a member of the International Wine and Food Society for over 30 years and he serves on the committee of the West Riding Branch.
Mick Laverty, Sales Administrator (Yorkshire)
- Mick began his journey with us as a delivery driver in 2008, and then became a sales administrator for Collins North East in 2022, but switched over to Collins Yorkshire in May 2023.
- He enjoys staying in his caravan at the weekend at the South Lakes.
No two days are the same for our sales team, but on a typical day at Collins, they receive inbound calls and make outbound calls, familiarise themselves with the products we have in stock to ensure the best deal for each customer, organise the driver’s routes, offer product advice to clients, take orders, produce invoices, resolve any problems as efficiently as possible, and deal with incoming queries – all in all, keep customers happy and operations running smoothly!
There is a new challenge for our sales team to face every day, but they work well together and our customers benefit from their extensive knowledge and experience.
If you have any feedback about our sales team, send an email to marketing@collinsseafoods.co.uk.
