Alumni Business Person of the Year 2026
Category criteria
- Entrants for this category must be University of Staffordshire alumni.
- Entrants could be employed or self-employed but should be directly responsible for the success of their enterprise.
- The judges will be looking for evidence of the entrants’ determination to make the most of new opportunities to help fuel their company’s success.
Tomasz Putynkowski
Alumni Business Person of the Year entrant
It’s been a successful year for University of Staffordshire alumnus Tomasz Putynkowski, including reaching the finals of the LUCA Awards — the highest national award in the UK for bookkeeping and accountancy professionals.
Tomasz is the founder of Fenton-based JMT, an accountancy and business advisory firm that has now supported more than 170 small and medium-sized enterprises across Staffordshire and beyond.
He is also the CEO of a supported living non-profit organisation dedicated to providing quality housing and support for less fortunate adults in the Staffordshire area.
Over the past two years he has collaborated with University of Staffordshire, where he studied for a number of professional qualifications, and Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce to mentor aspiring entrepreneurs, share real-world business insight and bridge the gap between academic learning and practical application.
His involvement helps equip students with financial literacy, entrepreneurial confidence and a clearer understanding of the challenges and rewards of running a business.
Over the past three years alone, Tomasz has helped raise and donate more than £7,000 for local charities and community initiatives. He has organised and supported numerous fundraising events and continuously promotes civic engagement within the business sector.
Previously serving as Treasurer of the Staffordshire Autistic Society, he has contributed financial governance and strategic oversight within the charity sector, demonstrating responsibility and accountability beyond his own enterprise.
“I love my job and what I do,” Tomasz said. “It gives me the opportunity to be involved in so many positive things and to help as many people as possible. Everything is going in the right direction.”
Tomasz has entered the Entrepreneur of the Year and Alumni Business Person of the Year categories of University of Staffordshire Business Awards.
Jodie Steele
Alumni Business Person of the Year entrant
University of Staffordshire alumna Jodie Steele has created three brands inspired by her own experiences with neurodiversity.
The 44-year-old, from Stone, graduated in Marketing in 2003 and went on to work in high-pressure sales and marketing roles for multinational businesses including five years working overseas. She has worked for newspaper groups and in both radio and television.
During the pandemic she had a neurological crash which caused problems with her vision and a loss of motor skills on the right side of her body. She also had a late diagnosis of ADHD.
Jodie has spent several years rehabilitating during which the marketeer in her realised that her own lived experience was the basis of a brand that could help other people. That brand is also now becoming an income stream for Jodie.
She founded NeuroTalks, a lived experience led training and consultancy business that supports organisations to build neuro-inclusive, high-performing and psychologically safe environments.
A growing suite of digital products have been developed including free and paid workbooks, training resources and recorded content.
Alongside Neurotalks she has developed complementary ventures Alchemy Souls Travel, an inclusive and wellbeing-led travel storytelling brand, and Aura & Ash, a sustainability-focused lifestyle brand.
All three brands are gaining increased social media interaction. Jodie has been doing paid work through her brands since November including collaborations with the likes of the RSPCA.
Jodie said: “This could have broken a lot of people but if I can use it to help other people then I think that’s a really positive thing and it motivates me to do more.”
Jodie has entered the Alumni Business Person of the Year category of the University of Staffordshire Business Awards and has entered NeuroTalks into the Innovation, Skills For The Future and Business in the Community categories.
She added: “I’m a graduate of University of Staffordshire and this is not simply a historical detail; it is part of my identity as a business leader. The value of that learning, real-world relevance and community connection continue to influence how I operate today.
“I represent the kind of graduate who builds impact over time and offers sustained contribution; not a single business, but an ecosystem; not profit at the expense of people, but performance through inclusion.
“To be recognised as Alumni Business Person of the Year would not only reflect my own journey but would shine a light on the importance of neuro-inclusive leadership, wellbeing-led innovation and values-driven entrepreneurship - areas that increasingly define future work, travel and community life.”