QUEEN of the Ouse Denise Howard today wins recognition for her work as a champion of York's vital tourism industry.

There are also New Year honours for Professor Thomas Baird Clarkson McGuffog, a former Nestl Rowntree boss, John Henry Gibson, the founder of an East Yorkshire football club, and several health service workers from across the region.

Mrs Howard, who is the owner of the Ouse cruise firm YorkBoat and a former chairman of the York Tourism Bureau, has been made an OBE for her services to tourism in Yorkshire.

She was chairman of the tourism bureau for three years and remains a director.

In 1993, White Rose Line, as her business was formerly known, won the Evening Press Small Business of the Year award.

The firm participated in the Evening Press Proud to be York campaign, and Mrs Howard has spoken out on a number of issues, from safety on the Ouse to the importance of training in the tourist industry.

Innovative ideas pursued by YorkBoat itself have included: Caribbean cruises on the Ouse, complete with cocktails, dancing, barbecues and a specially-painted mural to set the scene; a ghost cruise; and playing a recorded message from the Archbishop of York, Dr David Hope, while boats are opposite his home at Bishopthorpe Palace.

John Henry Gibson, chairman of the Bridlington Rangers Football Club, which he established in 1979, has been made an MBE for services to the community - especially young people in Bridlington.

The 64-year-old former chief executive of East Yorkshire Borough Council, who helped train three England U21 internationals, said: "I set the club up in 1979 with just 11 players. It now has 230 youngsters, aged six to 16.

"The highlight of my football career was a few years ago when we had three lads from the Rangers playing in the same team for the England under-21s against Sweden."

Mr Gibson, who is also secretary of the Bridlington Boys Club and secretary of the East Yorkshire Football League, thinks he may have also been nominated for his work in helping to organise elections in Eastern Europe.

"I was returning officer for the council and as such I was chosen to be part of an international delegation which supervised elections in Serbia, Bosnia and Albania," he said.

"I have no idea who has nominated me, but it was a great surprise when I was told - I was on holiday in Australia when I found out."

Professor McGuffog has been made an MBE for services to electronic business.

The 60-year-old father-of-four is vice-chairman of the Simple Trade Procedures Organisation (SITPRO), set up to promote and develop better methods of doing international trade.

Professor McGuffog worked for Rowntree and Nestl for 34 years, during which time he was director of logistics, information technology, purchasing and electronic business. But he has now retired.

During the nine years he spent with Nestl, he commuted to the company's headquarters, in Croydon, Surrey, rather than give up his home, in West Bank, York.

Professor McGuffog has now retired, but still holds non-executive directorships with SITPRO, the Ministry of Defence's procurement arm, and UK Partners for Electronic Business, of which he is chairman.

SITPRO - funded by the Department of Trade and Industry - was set up to bring in private-sector expertise to work with the Government and civil servants to make international trading simpler and more effective.

Professor McGuffog said: "For example, we have developed a computer package over the Internet which enables companies involved in importing and exporting to do their international trade documentation electronically.

"It allows information to flow automatically into other computer systems, which ensures the paperwork arrives first and is correct."

Professor McGuffog, who has lived in York since 1967, said he was delighted with the award - but, like any professor worth his salt, he insisted there was still a huge amount of work to do to get the most out of electronic business.

He said: "It's still in its infancy, but e-business is essential in improving the way we trade internationally."

He is pictured with his latest book, due to be published soon, called B.e.e. (Business enabled electronically). The cover, shown on the computer screen, has been designed by his son, Douglas, who grew up in York.

A senior home care assistant with North Yorkshire County Council, Margaret Ann Carrick, who works out of the Silver Birches retirement home, in Filey, has been made an MBE for her services to home care.

Janet Soo-Chung, the chief executive of East Riding and Hull Health Authority, has been made a CBE for services to health care.

Jayne Barnes, 41, of Wetherby, who is director of nursing and service modernisation with West Yorkshire Metropolitan and Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Services, has been made a CBE for services to nursing.

Roger de Lacy Holmes, who moved recently to the York area, has been awarded the Order of the Bath CB.

He has been deputy master and comptroller of the Royal Mint since 1993 until he left recently.

Updated: 10:28 Monday, December 31, 2001