This year’s International Women’s Day is particularly special for us at OCS as it coincides with our 125th anniversary. To celebrate, we’re shining a spotlight on three trailblazing women from our history—Rita, Scottie, and Judy Bartle—whose leadership and impact helped shape our legacy.
From managing ringing phones to running company-wide public relations, Judy Bartle was a powerhouse of efficiency, adaptability, and communication. A master multitasker, she worked at lightning speed—literally, with a shorthand speed of 120 words per minute in three languages and the ability to juggle 18 ringing telephones at once.
Judy joined OCS as a Secretary and PA in the Sales & Marketing team, quickly becoming an essential part of the company’s operations. She brought with her a background in conference and exhibition management, which proved invaluable as she helped organise promotional events across the country. Her role soon expanded beyond administration—she found herself stepping in as a projectionist at the company cinema, handling last-minute technical hiccups with a laugh, and chasing press stories to keep OCS in the public eye.
Judy at an event.
Her talent for storytelling and communication led her to a new frontier: Public Relations. As the company’s PR Executive, she managed media relations, worked with PR firms in London and Scotland, and became Assistant Editor of “The Centuryan”, the OCS house magazine. She blazed a trail in internal PR, ensuring that “the left hand knew what the right hand was doing” within the company—an often-overlooked but critical function.
Judy wasn’t just a behind-the-scenes operator—she brought energy, creativity, and a personal touch to everything she did. Whether coordinating sales campaigns, managing press coverage, or adding life and colour to corporate presentations, she was known for her enthusiasm and relentless drive.
Her impact was felt far and wide, and when she left OCS after nine years to start a new chapter as Judy Turnbull, her absence left a big hole that wasn’t easy to fill. But she departed to begin a family, with the well-wishes of the countless colleagues she had inspired along the way.
On this International Women’s Day, we celebrate Judy’s legacy as a communications pioneer, proving that great businesses are built not just on strategy, but on the voices that connect people and bring a company’s story to life.
