Staff at the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA) held a lunch last week to mark the retirement of Michael Darke who leaves the Association on Monday (June 30) after well over 30 years.
Michael first joined AEA as an external political adviser and lobbyist but soon joined the permanent staff and became the Company Secretary, a post he has held until this year when he handed over the role to John Marlow.
CEO of the AEA, Roger Lane-Nott said, "In his time Michael has tackled many association tasks including negotiating the move of the offices from London to purpose built premises in Orton, Peterborough in 1988. He subsequently negotiated a further change of home for the AEA when we moved from Orton to Hampton in January 2008. More recently he has been occupied in the purchase and development of land adjacent to the offices.
"Other major association negotiations over the years have included the eventual termination of the Smithfield Show, which had initially in earlier years been a jewel in the AEA crown. For the few long enough in the tooth to remember, there was also the infamous competition enquiry made by the European Commission into the UK Tractor Registration System which took a huge resource and cast a long shadow over association activity; Michael led our defence.
"For the members Michael provided an invaluable service of advice, particularly legal but sometimes simply just good common sense. Those members who used his service could count on his professionalism and discretion; we know that he has been widely respected by all he has encountered.
"We are assured that Michael has no intention of lying fallow, not for him the pipe and slippers (or golf despite him being for many years the association’s golfing secretary!), and we may hopefully see more of him in years to come but no longer alas at the Hampton office."
To replace Michael Darke the AEA have appointed Richard Lewis of Maples Solicitors in Spalding.
