Managing Director of Fast and Fresh Restaurants and Subway Development Agent Steve, was last year awarded as the 70th fastest growing business in the Virgin sponsored 'Fast Track' Awards and his efforts across the North West have helped cement the Subway brand as the UK's leading sandwich retailer.
And with the promise of opening 10 stores by the end of 2009, Steve is hoping to secure yet another Fast Track award in the Spring.
Steve, a former Longridge High student, moved into the family building company on leaving school before launching a shop-fitting venture with his brother.
At the age of 26 and despite a successful business, Steve decided to take a year out and embark on a trip around the world.
It was on a tour of Australia that he first came across the Subway brand and realised that a British franchise had major potential, he says: "When I came back home, there was only one Subway store in Brighton.
"The brand was relatively unknown in the UK and I realised it was something that could be built on. I was keen to learn more about the business so I went back to Australia for six months."
Steve spent his time at a Subway store in Sydney as a 'sandwich artist' and said it was the best move he ever made, he says: "I learned everything from making a sandwich to running a business and after only a short time I was convinced that I wanted to work in the restaurant business."
When he returned to the UK, Steve applied to the Subway chain's headquarters in the States to be a franchisee and in 1998 opened his first store in Blackpool.
Now based at the head office on Bluebell Way in Longridge, 40-year-old Steve has gone on to open 42 stores across the North West and owns the Subway franchise rights for Lancashire, Merseyside, Cumbria, Cheshire and the Isle of Man.
And the Preston company has been a great boost to the economy employing around 700 staff with further plans of expansion throughout the region.
Steve even has four stores in Sydney. Efforts for now though are geared towards the opening of the store at Walton-le-Dale's Capitol Centre, Steve says: "Everything is ready to go with the new store and it is a popular location.
"The plan is to have it opened within the next three to four weeks."