Meet the team

MEET THE TEAM

Decades of local knowledge

Ben Runciman – Chartered Surveyor MRICS

Ben has over 20 years experience in the property industry having previously worked for both Hamptons and Savills before joining Byrne Runciman. He is a qualified Chartered Surveyor who specialises in property valuation. Ben is married and lives in the Meon Valley with his family, which includes an assortment of dogs, cats and horses.

Rona Thurston – Sales Manager

Rona helped John Byrne establish the business in 1990, having previously worked at Barclays Bank. She has a wealth of local knowledge, and clients value her advice as she has frequently sold the same houses several times over the years. Rona has two grown-up daughters and lives in Wickham village centre. She is a keen tennis player, regularly playing for Swanmore and Wickham tennis clubs.

Catherine Smith – Sales

Catherine joined the team in 2011, quickly becoming an asset to the firm. She has a Masters degree in Engineering from Brunel University, and worked as an Engineering Control Manager before starting a family. Catherine lives in Soberton with her husband and two children.

Gill Cox – Sales Administrator

Gill joined us in 2001, having originally qualified to teach infant school children, she has since held administrative roles in two other Hampshire estate agencies. She has three grown-up children and lives with her husband in Stubbington.

Gillian Thomson – Lettings Manager

Gillian joined us in 2014. With a background in finance as an Equities Trader she worked in both London & Tokyo before changing career to work as a Relocation Consultant in Hong Kong. She has also lived in New York but is now happy to call Wickham home, where she lives with her husband and two children.

Stephanie Cruse – Administration Cover

Stephanie joined us in 2017 having moved to The Square some 3 years previously. She has a background of working as support for a local chartered surveyor and estate agent spanning many years but more recently has been managing a day care facility for the elderly frail in Alton. We are ‘tapping’ into her experience and localised knowledge for our Saturday opening times, holiday cover and support for the team which she is managing around her 3 grown up children and grandchildren.

John Byrne – Consultant, Chartered Surveyor FRICS

John qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 1980 and owned a successful surveying practice in Southampton before establishing John Byrne Estate Agents in Wickham in 1990. In 2013 John stepped into a consultancy role, while maintaining a strong client base for surveying and valuing for banks and private clients, drawing upon his lifetime of experience in this field.

WHAT OTHERS SAY ABOUT US

‘This is just a brief note to thank you for services selling my late mother’s property. I am in no doubt that your friendly, helpful and professional approach and your knowledge of the town has helped to achieve a sale in good time.

I am also grateful for the way in which you kept us informed of all activity during the process, followed up every viewing and even kept an eye on the property for us. This was a great comfort given that we are 200 miles away.’

‘Thank you for all your hard work in helping the sale to be as painless as selling any property can be’

‘A big thank you for all your help in our move. We have settled in well and started to meet our neighbours’