Wes is a country boy at heart. Born into the farming community of Co. Monaghan, he had a national school education before attending Omagh Technical College and then Coleraine Academical Institution. He took up employment in a privately owned Aerial Survey Company in Surrey, England and studied Photogrammetric Engineering -the science of making precise engineering maps from aerial photography. When the Company went public, he was promoted to Group General Manager and sat on The Board of Directors of the Companies in Leatherhead, Surrey; Coleraine; Dublin; and Ottawa, Canada. As a member of the British Institute of Management and ultimately, as Group Sales Director, he travelled extensively, before resigning, after seventeen years, to start his own business.

Always interested in boats and water sports Wes developed his own marine business in Coleraine and expanded to Dublin and New Ross, Co. Wexford.

At a weaker moment, he accepted the challenge to break the record for power boat racing round Ireland and, sponsored by Smirnoff vodka and BMW Marine, he, together with three other colleagues, successfully established a new world record in June, 1987 by circumnavigating the island in 33 hours, 36 minutes and 12 seconds.....Smashing the old record by over 40 hours.

Wes has many and varied hobbies, including boating, golf, woodworking, and classic car restoration. He has a couple of award winning classics and enjoys using and "showing them off" at many of the rallies throughout Ireland. He is also a lifelong supporter of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club Wes was a member of Coleraine Round Table and was Chairman in the Jubilee Year. Later, having joined the Ex-Tablers Club he became Area Chairman, and held the All Ireland Conference in the Slieve Russell Hotel and Leisure Centre, Ballyconnel, Co. Cavan in 1994.

Wes joined Rotary in 1980 but, for personal reasons, was not able to take up the position of President until the Centenary year, 2004/05. In 2006, he was honoured by his Club, when he was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship and in 2007 he became a Rotary Foundation Benefactor. He served four years in District as Membership Services Chair before being elected District Governor Nominee.

He has two sons, Gary, a local dentist, and Mark, an electronics engineer, living in Cheadle, Cheshire. He has three grandchildren, Carla, Michael and Peter. Sadly, he lost his first wife, Dorothy, almost twenty years ago, but, happily she did live to see both their sons graduate before passing on. His second marriage of fifteen years to Helen with whom he travelled round the world was ended when Helen was suddenly called away for higher services, almost two years ago. His greatest regret is that Helen, a loyal supporter of Rotary, was not spared to be by his side in his year as District Governor.