The outgoing chief executive of CN Group, Robin Burgess, is to receive a 'lifetime contribution to Cumbria' award at the behest of Cumbria Chamber of Commerce.

CN Group is the Carlisle-based business behind The Cumberland News, the News & Star, and a host of other newspapers, magazines, web sites and radio stations.

Mr Burgess, who retires in January, is the fourth generation of his family to be involved in the business, which marked its 200th anniversary this year.

Under his leadership, CN Group has evolved from being solely a newspaper publisher into a fully-fledged multi-media business operating in Cumbria, Lancashire, Northumberland and south-west Scotland.

He will receive the award from chamber chief executive Rob Johnston at the CN Group Business Awards on October 21.

Mr Johnston said: “It would have been easy for him to have sold out to one of the national newspaper chains, but Robin Burgess has kept a valuable asset to the county under local ownership.

“That's not easy in an industry that's going through fundamental change, and it is his single greatest achievement.

“He has done it through some really testing times, through the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001 and the recent financial crisis when the economy was hammered.

“He has shown exceptional business acumen.”

Mr Johnston added: “CN Group's publications are not also-rans, they are award-winning titles. Every time a CN Group title wins an award in London, it says something positive about Cumbria.”

Mr Burgess joined the family firm in the mid-1970s after three years as a second lieutenant in the King's Own Royal Border Regiment, and three years working for the regional newspaper business Emap in East Anglia.

His first role was to head up the stationery division of the CN Print business in west Cumbria.

He moved to Carlisle as assistant general manager, and later advertisement director, before taking the reins in 1985.

He has remained in charge ever since.

He retires as chief executive on January 31, his 65th birthday, but will remain involved as non-executive chairman, succeeding Lord Inglewood.

Mr Burgess has played an active role in the industry and the wider community, notably as Cumbria's High Sheriff in 2006-07.

He was president of the Newspaper Society in 1996-97 and in 2008 was awarded the OBE for services to the newspaper industry and to Cumbria.

He has served on the boards of Cumbria Inward Investment Agency, Cumbria Vision and Carlisle Renaissance.

Mr Burgess is a trustee and former chairman of the Lake District Calvert Trust, and has been a trustee of Cumbria Community Foundation almost since its launch in 1999.

He is also a trustee of the Carlisle Cathedral Development Trust, president of Cumbria Deaf Association, and is a former treasurer of Carlisle Talking Newspaper.

He is a church warden at All Saints in Scaleby, near Carlisle, where he lives with his wife Alex. The couple have four grown-up children, Rose, Kate, Rachel and James.

The CN Group Business Awards celebrate the achievements and enterprise of Cumbrian businesses.

We revealed this year’s shortlist last month. The winners will be presented at a gala dinner at Carlisle Racecourse on October 21.

The lifetime contribution award is the only one announced in advance.

Unlike the other categories, there are no nominations or shortlist.

The award is made at the judges’ discretion if they feel there is a worthy recipient who has made a “significant and positive impact” on Cumbrian business over several years.

Last year the award went to Chris Holmes of Carr's Group.

The awards are sponsored by Cumbria Business Growth Hub and Rural Growth Network.

The Chamber is lead partner in the Growth Hub and, as one of the judges, Mr Johnston was adamant that the award should go to Mr Burgess.

He said: “CN Group is a business that touches the citizens of Cumbria in so many ways from recording births, marriages and deaths, to selling cars and houses, to telling people what's going on in a way no other media can. 

“Running it is a big responsibility. It's a business like no other.”