Bernadette Farrell-O'Neill, B.B.S.,F.C.A,.Cert.(Psych.),Dip.(Training)

Bernadette is the founder of ACE Training. She co-ordinates all training programmes and trains the Train the Trainer course, Start Your Own Business, Finance and Accounts.Bernadette is a Chartered Accountant with an Honours Degree in Business Studies from Dublin City University. She also has a Certificate in Counselling and Psychotherapy plus a Diploma in Training and Continuing Education. She worked in the corporate world for a number of years before setting up ACE Training over eleven years ago. Bernadette has combined over eighteen years experience in finance and fourteen years experience in adult education to build a successful training company – ACE Training Ltd. ACE Training is based in Kilbeggan, Co. Westmeath and provides training to groups and individuals in the areas of business, finance, marketing, training and management. Bernadette is passionate about education and training and even wrote FETAC descriptor for Finance FETAC Level 6 programme. Bernadette continues to develop her interests in education and business.

Helena Grattan CIMA

Helena is a Management Accountant and runs a fulltime highly successful accountancy practice in Rhode, Co. Offaly. Helena won a CIMA Award for coming 5th in Ireland in the Business Strategy module when sitting her CIMA accountancy exams.  She has an honours degree in Business Studies and a Certificate in Training and Continuing Education from NUI Maynooth.. Helena has spent over ten years working in finance and accountancy.

Helena spent two years training with O’Kelly Sutton consultants delivering a wides range of training and mentoring to clients such as Offaly County Enterprise Board, FAS and private companies. She has been running her private practice since August 2004. Helena has considerable practical knowledge and experience in financial matters, starting and developing a small business.

She has delivered training and mentoring with ACE since April 2006 on a number of successful programmes such as Finance FETAC Level 6, Start Your Own Business FETAC Level 5, Bookkeeping, Credit Control , Taxation, and Costing & Pricing. Helena has  also provided follow-up mentoring support on programmes in Longford and Cavan. Trainee feedback on Helen’s training has always been excellent.

Melanie Guing, A.A.T, M.I.I.

Melanie is an inspirational trainer and speaker. Her high energy and interactive training sessions inspire individuals to self belief and ultimately success.  Since 1997, she has helped business people realise more of their potential.  With a strong background in finance as a Accountant Technician and an IITD trainer, she has a true understanding of the issues facing business people today.  Melanie has recently assisted her accounts clients successfully though revenue audits.

Melanie is a as spent over seven years studying conflict resolution and mediation. She completed the Diploma in Organisational Conflict Resolution and Mediation in UCD. She has full practitioner’s status of Mediator with the Mediators Institute of Ireland. She is currently completing her Masters in Mediation at NUI Maynooth. Melanie has delivered with ACE since 2006 on the Start Your Own Business, Programme, Bookkeeping, Finance and FETAC Levels 5 and 6 Accounts training. She recently delivered, with ACE, a number of popular training programmes (FETAC Levels 3- 4) in communication skills, assertive skills and time management. We are very proud of the results of these programmes as Trainees have put their learning to practical tangible, life changing uses!

Nikki O’Neill, B.A. H.Dip. M.Sc. M.B.S. (HRM) FCIPD

Nikki O’Neill is the latest highly qualified Trainer to join the ACE Training team. Nikki recently became a Fellow with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. She completed a Masters Programme in Human Resource Management (MBS) in 2008, has over 20 years experience in training and coaching. She has over 13 years experience in recruiting staff, drawing up policies and procedures, managing and motivating various teams. She has a working knowledge of employment legislation and has in the past year prepared a number of companies, (small and large) for NERA inspections. 

Nikki founded and developed Irish Business Training for over 7 years, sold it in 2005 and since then runs Training Inc. in Limerick. Nikki has worked with a range of clients from small, medium and large enterprises.

Janet Cavanagh

Janet has over 20 years’ experience of marketing in the technology sector.  After 14 years working in the UK for Logica, BT and Nortel Networks, Janet returned to Ireland in 2002 and began working with Irish businesses in market and business planning and strategy.  Since then she has worked with a large number of established and start-up businesses, mainly in the West, Mid-West and South-West regions of Ireland.  In conjunction with O’Kelly Sutton strategy consultants, she has acted as a mentor and consultant on Shannon Development’s Venturestart II project, a development programme for start-up businesses based in Limerick.  

Janet has a BA in modern languages (French and German), and an MBA from the European School of Management, where she specialised in marketing. Janet has been working with ACE since October 2007. She has delivered ACE Training modules in market research and market planning as part of our Grow Your Own Business course at Laois and Offaly Enterprise Board to excellent acclaim.