B&B Ireland, the all-island body promoting and representing B&B owners in Ireland, has announced the appointment of former Donegal County Manager Michael McLoone to its board of directors. Mr McLoone says “greatly welcomes the opportunity to promote and market the unique accommodation and family hospitality offering of the approved B&B sector to a variety of markets with growth potential.”

“I have been very impressed with the evolving marketing strategy of combining classified 3, 4 and 5 star accommodation with activity holidays like walking, golfing, angling and so forth.  I believe this joined-up thinking to market products and accommodation to specific target audiences is the way to go’.

B&B Ireland CEO, Helena Healy says Mr McLoone has over 16 years of experience of serving on a range of national and regional bodies and will make a major contribution to the ongoing development and regeneration of the organisation.  “He brings a knowledge and experience that will assist the Company grow further in these turbulent economic times.”

Mr. McLoone spent 44 years in the public service including 25 years with the North Western Health Board before he was appointed chief executive of Beaumont Hospital in Dublin in 1988. He then went on to take up his post as County Manager of Donegal in 1994, retiring just last year.  Outside of this wealth of professional experience, Mr McLoone is chairman of Donegal Airport and Sector chair of the Public Service Implementation Body.

 In the past, he spent 16 years as Chairperson of Donegal County Enterprise Board, has served as Chairman of the Letterkenny Institute of Technology, the Irish Blood Transfusion Board and the Donegal Employment Initiative Task Force and has been a board member of the Western Development Commission, the Commission on Financial Management and Control-Health Services, and the Health Service Executive.