Evette Wright-Williams, little dynamo behind credit union

Keisha Hill, Gleaner Writer

Quiet and unassuming, these are the words that would best describe Evette Wright-Williams, general manager of Broadcast and Allied Services Co-operative Credit Union Limited (BASCU). However, with 23 years under her belt in the field, this chartered accountant is no pushover.

From as early as third form at St Jago High School, Wright-Williams chose business subjects over the sciences and had the inclination that she would pursue a career in accounting. "My step-mother had a friend who was an accountant. I was enthused by what he did and when it came time to choose subjects, business and accounting came naturally," Wright-Williams said.

Following high school, Wright-Williams began her dream career as a trainee auditor at Pricewaterhouse-Coopers. During her eight years at the company, she started and completed her Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) examinations and became a chartered accountant. She also became a registered member of the ACCA and the local accounting professional body, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica.

"Becoming a chartered accountant opens the door to a general career in business administration. It does not limit your career choice to only accounting functions. You can choose a career in finance or business," Wright-Williams said during an interview with The Gleaner.

Wright-Williams moved on from PricewaterhouseCoopers as a senior accountant and decided to pursue a career in accounting as the chief accountant in a large retail organisation. She then joined the credit union movement at the St Catherine Co-operative Credit Union as its chief accountant. Within a year she was promoted to general manager and spent four years in this capacity.

Second year

She is now in her second year as general manager of BASCU. "I am responsible for the general operations of the company including the finances and I also play an integral role in the marketing and general administration of the credit union," Wright-Williams.

Professionally and personally, Wright-Williams said a career as an accountant is very rewarding. The profession she said is critical to life in general as it plays an integral role in the operations of an organisation and the lives that it impacts.

"The services we offer are very relevant to most organisations and to most individuals, especially if you are dealing with retail financial services where you have to deal with members on an individual basis," the soft-spoken Wright-Williams said.

She also loves the fact that she has greater contact with her membership.

For persons who want to pursue a career in accounting, Wright-Williams said it is important to have a love for the profession. The profession she said is an accessible career that offers many opportunities and benefits.

How to Become an Accountant

"You can go directly into the ACCA programme with two A'Level subjects, or students over 21 years have the option of a Mature Student's Matriculation. With CXCs you can start the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) or Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) programme, then go into the ACCA programme," Wright-Williams said.

"You will also need three years of pre-qualification experience with a chartered accounting firm plus completing the examination," Wright-Williams added.

A devout Christian since 1998, Wright-Williams credits much of her success to her faith and the support of her family and the church. She is married to Christopher and they have one son.

keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com