8:57 am, January 6, 2017
A LEADING north-east car dealer boss has been honoured for his charity work and contribution to the economy with an OBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours list.
Nas Khan, owner and managing director of Jennings Motor Group, which operates Ford, Kia, Mazda, Seat and Mitsubishi branches, in addition to two Harley-Davidson dealerships and a Subway store, is also founder of the Emaan Foundation charity.
He said: ‘I am very humbled and honoured. I really didn’t expect it.
‘I’m extremely grateful for the recognition, but that isn’t why I do what I do.
‘I’ve had a wonderful life and achieved much more than I ever thought I could. I think people in the north-east are very generous, there are so many people who have helped me.’
In 2010, Khan, from Stockton in Teesside, launched an appeal to help save and rebuild the lives of people from his native land in Pakistan, following devastating floods.
Raising £120,000 not only provided essential life-saving aid in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, but it also financed the construction of a new village consisting of 60 homes, including livestock and fresh water for the people of Rahim Yar Khan.
Not resting on his laurels, in 2015, the philanthropic MD launched a second appeal to build a health centre for the people of the village, which has now been officially named ‘The Emaan Village’. Fundraising for the appeal currently stands at £20,000.
In addition to raising funds for the Emaan Foundation, Khan is also committed to the local community and charities. For the past 18 years, the Salvation Army has received support with its annual Christmas present appeal, as well as Teesside Hospice and the Great North Air Ambulance being the company’s nominated charities.
As owner and managing director of multi-award winning Jennings Motor Group, Nas is also responsible for 513 members of staff across the company’s north-east and West Yorkshire-based branch network.
Khan said: ‘These are very busy, but extremely exciting, times for Jennings Motor Group with a number of expansion and investment plans coming to fruition and many more future projects to look forward to.’
In 2015, Khan was one of six people worldwide to receive the Ford Motor Company’s ‘Salute to Dealers’ award, in addition to being awarded Teesside Business Executive of the year at the North East Business Awards.
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