Along with the presentation of awards for their achievements in business and contribution to nation building, the nominees for the prestigious NCB Nation Builders Awards will this year have access to NCB's top leaders at the award's gala event. In forming its keynote presentation, this year's panel of speakers will comprise former and current managing directors of the NCB Group, who will be sharing their experience and leadership philosophy within the context of businesses utilising sound leadership to advance their legacy.

The award, in its fifth year, continues to seek ways in which it can not only recognise quality business practices but also engage and develop the small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) that are known as drivers for economic development during times of severe hardships. Bernadette Barrow, assistant general manager, SME, said, "NCB is proud to be a strong Jamaican institution that has grown with generations of Jamaicans for almost two centuries. Over the years, we have broadened the services that we provide in response to our customers' needs. The legacy conversation is necessary as we join our SMEs to reflect on the past and plan for the future." It is against this background that the bank has invited its past and current managing directors to speak at the event, as well as field questions from the audience.

lauding outstanding smes

The annual awards programme was introduced by NCB to celebrate small and medium-sized businesses that demonstrate outstanding entrepreneurial performance and strong community involvement and impact.

This year, NCB will host 'Legacy Conversations' with questions from the programme's nominees being fielded to a panel of the bank's former and current managing directors - Rex James, Christopher Lowe, Aubyn Hill and Patrick Hylton.

"Jamaica's Golden Jubilee anniversary presents the opportu-nity for reflection and planned growth and is a significant time for our nation. As NCB celebrates a milestone 175 years of financial services to Jamaica, we are happy to continue to be an integral part of helping entrepreneurs to reach and celebrate their own milestones," said Audrey Tugwell Henry, senior general manager, retail banking division.

"We recognise that it is through no small feat that the spirit of entrepreneurship on which our country thrives continues to yield top performers such as those nominated in this year's programme. At NCB, we continue to share meaningful and real experiences with our SMEs in order to encourage their growth. This keynote format affords us an opportunity to have a customer-banker dialogue ."

Among this year's nominees are Canco Limited and Mystic Mountain Ltd for the Nation Builder Award, and No Brand Chemicals and Essex Valley Community & Associates Limited for the Start Up Award. For the Innovation Award, nominees include Kingsley Palmer Farm and, again, Canco Limited. As women in business, owners Kim Chase of Strawberry Fields Together and Denise Palmer of Southside Distributors Limited are the nominees in that category, while the St Patrick Foundation and the Associated Hanover Charity are the Impact Nominees.

Winners will be announced in the press.