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Congratulations to the WINNERS!

NCB congratulates the Awardees for the 2012 NCB Nation Builder Awards

NATION BUILDER AWARD } Canco Limited

START-UP AWARD } Essex Valley Community & Associates

2012

INNOVATION AWARD } Kingsley Palmer Farm - KPF

WOMEN IN BUSINESS AWARD } Denese Palmer, Director South Side Distributors Ltd.

IMPACT AWARD } St. Patrick’s Foundation

The NCB Nation Builder Awards was established to celebrate small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which demonstrate outstanding entrepreneurial performance and strong community impact. NCB also recognizes the work of Jamaica’s community builders, and encourages the development of business ideas through these awards.

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Special message

Audrey Tugwell Henry Senior General Manager, Retail Banking Division

his year, as our nation celebrates its golden jubilee anniversary, much focus is being placed on the transformation we have undergone and what we can truly celebrate as Jamaicans. Even as we examine our experiences and debate the results, Jamaica, like many other nations, can claim entrepreneurial successes. At NCB, we take great pride and actively carry out our role in promoting the entrepreneurial spirit of our nation; therefore, at the heart of our Nation Builder Awards programme, we celebrate our SMEs for not only doing well but ‘doing good’. The programme marks its fifth anniversary this year and while we continue to provide financial solutions for our SME customers, we are mindful of the need to encourage not only their successes, but also their ability to impact their communities and ultimately create a ripple effect of positive change in Jamaica. It is our duty as your bankers to be fully aware of economic and operational environment in a very broad spectrum. We note that this has been a challenging period for business and industry growth in Jamaica as global macro-economic uncertainty has caused many businesses to revisit their

operational framework and scale back to survive. However, entrepreneurs continue to be the pillars supporting our economy. Recent empirical studies show SMEs and informal enterprises account for more than 60 per cent of GDP and more than 70 per cent of total employment in low-income countries, while they contribute more than 95 per cent of total employment and about 70 per cent of GDP in middle-income countries. By virtue of their macro-economic impact alone, SMEs are instrumental to development in our society. They are the engines of growth and in addition, the SMEs honoured with the Nation Builder Awards go a step beyond this and have dedicated time and resources to creating a greater impact on their communities. I want to congratulate all the Nation Builders winners and nominees whose work helps to build Jamaica and who make a considerable and admirable effort to build and sustain the communities in which they operate. We agree with the idea that “the good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life”.

NCB rewards

2012 Nation Builders sustain the Jamaican economy. We’re constantly engaging with our consumers and absolutely committed to keep providing affordable loans which can help to give farmers all they need for business growth,” he said, citing reference to a farm loan created in 2009. Kingsley Palmer, whose namesake farm won the Innovation Award, was enthused about the win and thanked NCB for giving farmers the recognition they deserved. “I think this award will help to encourage more farmers about the work they’re doing and even help inspire more innovation and entrepreneurs in the sector,” he said. (L-R) Bernadette Barrow, NCB Assistant General Manager, Small and Medium Enterprises; Rex James, former NCB Managing Director (1994-1995); Sandra Glasgow, CEO of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica and Christopher Wain Lowe, former NCB Managing Director (2000-2002).

ational Commercial Bank marked its fifth Nation Builder Awards on November 18 with a grand ceremony held at The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel. This year, the ceremony not only feted the 10 nominees but honoured the contributions of current and past Managing Directors to the bank’s development over the years. Emceed by Mike Fennell, the fifth staging of the awards saw all nominees being awarded respective regional trophies before the winners of the national awards were selected. The night’s keynote presentation came in the form of a legacy discussion between Fennell and current Managing Director, Patrick Hylton and past leaders Rex James (1994-1995), Christopher Wain Lowe (2000-2002) and Aubyn Hill (20022004). The conversation saw the stalwarts of NCB’s solid foundation answering a range of questions from the value of SMEs to the economy and the plans NCB has in store for them. “SME’s have been game-changers. They not only provide employment but they provide a boost for the local economy,” said James. Hill agreed, stating: “SMEs do something amazing to individuals. It takes the best of the human spirit, engenders it and brings out something special, fuels their creative juices and pushes them to be great.” When asked if NCB has any plans to partner with members of the agriculture sector to help modernise operations, current managing director Patrick Hylton gave a positive response. “NCB certainly recognises the importance of the sector that feeds the nation and one of the sectors which has helped

Marcia McLeod from Impact Award winner, St Patrick’s Foundation, was excited about the opportunities the award will open up for them. “Winning an award like this will definitely give us visibility and others will know about the work we are doing, which will hopefully lead to funding so we can continue in our mission,” she said. The top prize of the night, the overall Nation Builder Award, went to this year’s only double nominee, CANCO Limited. Managing Director Dorothy Ramsay was overwhelmed. “I didn’t expect it. We’re very happy and appreciative to be the recipients of this award. It’s very encouraging and gives us the added motivation to go forward with what we’ve been doing,” she said. Other awards for the night included the Start-up Award, won by Essex Valley Community and Associates and the Women in Business Award, which went to Denese Palmer, owner of Southside Distributors Limited.

Start-Up Essex Valley Community and Associates (Winner) Essex Valley Community is a non-profit organisation created in 2009 to provide employment for persons living in and around the 45 Alpart communities. A business unit of the Alpart Community Council, the company employs about 250 persons to do descaling, janitorial/ landscaping and other auxiliary work on a rotating basis. From the jobs it receives from Alpart, the surplus money is used to fund community projects in the 45 communities. Since the start, the company has completed more than 60 projects at a cost of $9 million, 32 of which were done in schools. The rest done in health centres, police stations, community centres and fire stations. The money is also used to help farmers, as well as fund an annual backto-school programme to help some 450 students with financial assistance annually. Pamela Miller, President of the Lion’s Club of New Kingston, presents Lenworth Blake from Essex Valley Community and Associates with the Region 1 Startup Award. Beside him are Adassa Johnson, secretary at Essex Valley; Lloyd Coke, director at Essex Valley, Julian Keane, another director at the company;Tracia Wood, Banker at NCB Junction and Orett Bryant, Relationship Manager at NCB Junction.

No Brand Chemicals No Brand Chemicals Limited is owned and operated by Jason and Susan Dear and Gregory Pearce. The company began operations in March 2011 with a vision to become Jamaica’s first true discount manufacturer of industrial and household cleaning products. The company’s primary focus is to ensure that its products not only satisfy the needs of end-user customers, but to create profitable entrepreneurial partners that provide a greater benefit to the economy. No Brand currently manufactures 22 cleaning products, ranging from bleach and soaps to more specialised products like a tile grout cleaner and an industrial degreaser. By the end of 2012, Dear wants to increase the number of product offerings to 24. The company’s flagship product, ‘The Sachet’ is primarily sold in its biggest market, downtown Kingston, selling approximately 10,000 – 15,000 pouches per week. The company not only produces its own affordable items, but does factory direct manufacturing, distribution and contract packaging for companies who want their own brand label products.

Jason Dear, Managing Director of No Brand Chemicals (2nd right) accepts the regional Startup Award from Director of Marketing at RJR, Gary Cole. Looking on are Marva Peynado, Branch Manager at NCB Knutsford Boulevard and Stevie Barnett, Business Banker at NCB Knutsford Boulevard.

Innovation Kingsley Palmer Farm (Winner) Although registered as a company in March 2012, Kingsley Palmer Farm, has been in existence for 10 years and is a family tradition passed down from Clinton Palmer to son, Kingsley. Located in Potsdam, in south St Elizabeth, the company is considered innovative for a number of reasons, chief of which is how it harvests water for irrigation. The farm uses rainwater that is channeled along a concrete pavement into a gutter system and caught in a pond that was dug and lined with plastic. The pond has the capacity to hold 200,000 gallons of water. When the rain runs along the concrete, it picks up the calcium and helps the alkalinity of the water. When the water mixes with excreta of the freshwater fish in the pond, it is enriched with nitrogen, which reduces the use of inorganic fertiliser. The farm also uses a computerised drip-irrigation system where a specific amount of water is applied to each plant at designated times and volumes, ensuring no water is wasted. Kingsley Palmer, owner and operator of Kingsley Palmer Farm, holds his Regional and National NCB Nation Builder Awards. He is flanked by NCB’s Audrey Tugwell Henry, Senior General Manager, Retail Division; Patrick Hylton, Group Managing Director; Bernadette Barrow, Assistant General Manager, Small and Medium Enterprises and Dennis Cohen, Group Deputy Managing Director.

Traditionally, farmers in St. Elizabeth use grass mulch to keep moisture in the soils. However, Palmer uses both grass and plastic to cover the soil, ensuring that moisture is conserved at all times. Because of this innovation, he is able to produce high quality romaine lettuce, tomatoes, sweet peppers and other vegetables for his client list, which includes supermarkets and hotels and create consistent employment for people within the community.

Impact St Patrick’s Foundation (Winner) Established in March 1994 by Monsignor Richard Albert out of a love and passion to serve the poor and to help with the alleviation of poverty and crime, the St Patrick’s Foundation is a non-profit organisation that provides remedial education for children 10-15 years old and skills training for those over 15. The organisation operates two centres: St Margaret’s Human Resource Centre (based in Olympic Gardens) provides training in garment construction, woodwork and electrical installation and Christ the Redeemer (located in Seaview Gardens) offer food preparation, cosmetology and business administration classes.

Nordia Craig (right) Advertising Operations Manager at The Gleaner, presents the Regional Award for Impact to Maricia McLeod (centre) and Crystal Hydol (left) of the St Patrick’s Foundation.

The organisation operates two early childhood centres in Riverton City and Callaloo Mews that also offer parenting skills training to the parents, as well as St Monica’s Home in White Marl, St Catherine, which houses the abandoned elderly and adults living with HIV/AIDS. The foundation also has a popular marching band, which helps the members earn an income and a community project in partnership with Catholic Relief Services called St Patrick’s Rangers, that trains more than 150 young people in disaster risk reduction and emergency response, proposal writing, search and rescue, first aid and vulnerability capacity assessment. In partnership with stakeholders such as Citizens Security Justice Program (CSJP) and the Social Development Commission (SDC), persons receive employment and financial assistance in furthering their education. Hanover Charities The Hanover Charities was started in 1957 out of the kind works of then Custos Rotolorum of the parish, Willy De Lisser and his wife Ida. Every Christmas, the couple would slaughter a cow for the hospital and infirmary patients’ dinner. This then led to them supporting other people in the parish. During the year, De Lisser would contact the Poor Relief Officer to identify the parishioners who most needed assistance and at Christmastime, each adult would get five shillings and the children one shilling each.

Kathrin Casserly, chairperson of Hanover Charities (2nd right) accepts the regional award for Impact from Nordia Craig. Beside Casserly are Toni Wanliss, Business Banker at NCB Lucea and Kevin Hall, Relationship Manager at NCB Lucea.

Today, the charities, under the chairmanship of Kathrin Schafelner Casserly, continue the mission to improve the education and health of the citizens of the parish through various initiatives. These include feeding programmes for children, the elderly and indigent; facilities, clinics, institutions and projects that provide health care; organisations that promote positive values and education for children and providing financial aid to promising students through the Morris-Watkins Memorial Scholarship. This year, the charities’ annual fundraiser, the Sugar Cane Ball, was featured in US magazine Town & Country.

Nation Builder CANCO Limited (Winner, also nominated for the Innovation Award) Over the past 26 years, CANCO Limited has developed a reputation as the brand of choice for canned ackee and callaloo for export to the US market. When the company started trading under its own brand in 1992, it did so under the name ‘Country Choice’. However, it was challenged by another company of the same name in the United States and in 2006, it began trading as Linstead Market Jamaica. The company branched out into the local market in 2007, producing seasoned and unseasoned coconut milk, traditional canned soups, gourmet jams and chutneys. CANCO employs more than 230 persons in the high season. In 2010, CANCO created Ecowells Soil Conditioner as a means of turning the waste material from its production facilities into organic compost, which is used in gardens, landscape areas and golf courses. CANCO is continuing its focus on becoming a leading local brand that consistently produces high quality goods and provides quality service to customers.

(Front, L-R): Members of the CANCO Limited team - Keadine Callum, Marketing Assistant; Norman McDonald, Chairman and owner; GeAnne Dwyer, Marketing Manager and Dorothy Ramsay, Director. (Back, L-R): Members of the NCB team - Bernadette Barrow, NCB Assistant General Manager, Small and Medium Enterprises; Audrey Tugwell Henry, Senior General Manager, Retail Banking Divison; Patrick Hylton, Group Managing Director and Dennis Cohen, Deputy Group Managing Director.

The company has a breakfast feeding programme at the Seaforth Primary School, supports Seaforth High School’s art department, gives funeral, housing and medical grants to staff members and sponsors various community, school and church activities. In July 2012, CANCO took over its own local distribution, investing in two branded vans and 10 new employees. The company plans to launch new products and strengthening its distribution network locally and overseas. Over the medium term, CANCO is looking to expand distribution into Europe and other new international markets.

Mystic Mountain Rainforest As one of Jamaica’s premier attractions, Mystic Mountain is truly a destination-defining attraction. Built over 10 months, it is spread over an estimated 100 acres of forested land and ascends 700 feet and has invested millions in ensuring it leaves a minimal footprint on the surrounding seaside and forest environment. As an ecotourism park, Mystic Mountain averages 800 visitors per month and has more than 40 tours and features a zip-line, a bobsled ride and a sky lift among its main amenities. Everything done inside the park works in tandem with the environment - no plastics or paper towels are used on the compound and nothing was placed in the ground during the building of the park

Stuart Reid, Assistant General Manager of NCB, St Ann’s Bay, (right) presents the regional award for Nation Building to Mike Drakulich of Mystic Mountain. Beside him are Atlee Shaw, Business Development Banker at NCB St Ann’s Bay; Norma Clarke and Donovan Reid, Branch Manager at NCB.

Mystic Mountain employs more than 130 full time employees and is a leader in alternative energy, using solar panels, wind-generation and hydro technology as their sources for electricity. Additionally, the company sponsors local charities, sponsor local primary schools and conduct an awareness program in the area to help youth understand the importance of environmental sustainability.

Women in Business Southside Distributors (Winner) Six years ago, when Denese Palmer was unable to convince her former employers to venture into the field of jerk seasoning, she launched out on her own and gave birth to Southside Distributors. Today, the company manufactures and exports a wide range of products, including canned ackee, callaloo, pineapple juice, tomato and mango nectars, maple and chocolate syrups, ketchup and the company’s flagship product, jerk seasoning. The company offers employment to 20 persons, purchases food crops from 20 farmers and to date, has received many awards. Through her business, Palmer provides work experience and mentorship to students, sits on school boards, provides GSAT scholarships and offers assistance to libraries and reading centres in Comma Pen, St Elizabeth, where the company is based. Denese Palmer (2nd right), Director of Southside Distributors, accepts the NCB Women in Business National Award from Sandra Glasglow (right), CEO of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica. Beside Palmer are employees (from left) Cassiena Dunkley and Felecia Cowan.

Strawberry Fields Together Far Away from the hustle and bustle of commercial life lies Strawberry Fields Together, one of Jamaica’s leading eco-tourism adventures. Located in Robin’s Bay, St Mary, Strawberry Fields Together features several miles of coastal trails and empty beaches. Kim Chase, the woman behind this piece of paradise, admits that business in Jamaica is challenging, but finds it a rewarding experience. The company provides employment for eight full time staff members and up to 20 day workers and uses a business module service to engage human resources in the surrounding community. With a focus on community development, Kim uses her company to facilitate development and mentorship programmes with local and international groups. She works to support the Annotto Bay Hospital, hosting and arranging annual medical missions and structural development support. Through her work with the hospital, she adopted an abandoned baby, who is now 12 years old.

Valerie Veira, CEO of the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (right) presents the the regional Women in Business Award to Beulah Wright of Strawberry Fields Together. Wright was collecting on behalf of CEO, Kim Chase. Looking on areTolcia Small, Business Banker, NCB Annotto Bay (left) and Doreen Pindling, Branch Manager of NCB Annoto Bay (2nd left).

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5 reasons for your small business to give back

Moral obligation The old saying stays true: “No man is an island, no man stands alone.” Almost every business was built from an idea, hard work, networking and opportunities. It was never done alone. When you’ve done well, help others succeed. The more you give of yourself, the more you’ll receive.

n the world of business, giving back is no longer just a nice thing to do – it is something that must to be done to help your business grow. No matter how small your business is, philanthropy benefits your company in ways that you can’t possibly produce on your own. Here are five reasons your small business should give back:

Less taxes When companies give back, people take notice, including the government. According to Jamaican law, charitable donations are allowable tax deductions.

Attracts employees All businesses need employees and no employee wants to work for company that has a reputation of being stingy. A reputation like that gives prospective candidates the

idea that their working experience will be lacking as well. It pays to give back if you want to attract good, well-rounded people to your business.

Creates opportunities Philanthropy is a sure fire way to get the word about your business. In any community, this causes a positive chain reaction that you have no control over. You never know who may hear about your deeds and want to partner with you.

Improves perception Looking for ways to get your name out in the community? Give back. Companies that are known for philanthropy have a better-perceived reputation amongst their employees, customers and the wider community. You know what they say about image - it’s everything.

5 ways your small business can give back

e’ve already established why your business should give back. It can create business opportunities, improve the way your company is perceived, attract employees and it’s the right thing to do. But giving back is one thing. Figuring out how to do it is a different ball game. There is no one right way to give back Check out these 5 ways you can give back: Fete them

Having a customer appreciation day is one of the easiest ways to give back. You can make it a family day with refreshments and fun activities. This gives your company a chance to bond with your customers outside of the business place so they can see you in a more ‘friendly’ light.

Offer internships

This is better than any amount of money you could give. By exposing people who are eager to learn to your business, you are giving them the opportunity to learn a skill and that’s something that will last for life.

Donate

Find a need and fill it. Go out into your communities and find out what the people need and how you can assist. You can even create a community fund. Then by capitalising on your reputation, you can use your resources to create a solution to the problem

Scholarships

Children are the future and giving to youth offers more benefits. You are not only giving a child an opportunity to get an education but, if done right, that child can become a mentee and groomed to be a future business leader, like yourself.

Volunteer

This can be anything from painting a mural, reading to children, helping the staff at a golden age home or taking groceries to families in need in your community. Volunteering gives your company a strong presence within the community and again, creates a favourable impression amongst current and potential customers.

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