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McLean exits EXIM Bank

Published:Friday | May 7, 2010 | 12:00 AM
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Chairman of EXIM Bank, Gary Hendrickson, is flanked by Sandra Glasgow (left), chief executive officer of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica, and the guest of honour, Pamella McLean, outgoing managing director of the bank.
EXIM Bank's Manager of Trade Financing Valerie Crawford welcomes Milverton Reynolds to the farewell.
Milverton Reynolds gives his congrats to outgoing managing director of EXIM Bank, Pamella McLean.
The always-demonstrative Doreen Frankson makes a point to Anthony Bell (left) and Jackie Minott.
New managing director of EXIM Bank, Lisa Bell (left), lymes with (from second left) Carol Clarke, credit analyst; Howard Pearce, chief financial officer for GK Foods; and Finance Minister Audley Shaw.
Finance Minister Audley Shaw (left) listens keenly to Jackie Minott of Jamaica Standard Products. EXIM Bank Chairman Gary Hendrickson is in background.
EXIM Bank's Pamella McLean (second left) gets greetings from Finance Minister Audley Shaw (right), Sterling Asset Management's Charles Ross and her successor Lisa Bell.
Hamlin Pagon, chief officer for information systems, presents Pamella McLean, outgoing managing director of the EXIM Bank, with a painting at her farewell reception held at Alhambra Inn, Tucker Avenue, Kingston 6, on Wednesday, April 28. - photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
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Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

After 24 years of dedicated service, Pamella McLean said adieu to the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank with a reception at the Alhambra Inn on Wednesday April 28.

She was recognised by staff, past and present directors and clients for her years of service, 15 of which was as managing director. Valerie Crawford got things going by saying if they were all marbles, McLean would be a 'pretty'. She lauded her attention to detail, her unerring memory and how she exuded professionalism. She called her an excellent public servant with an eye for innovation, who despite the successes, has remained unassuming. Bank chairman Gary Hendrickson, called her the finest civil servant he'd ever worked with. He said she was the "de facto chairman", and was a legacy all by herself. He turned to McLean's successor, Lisa Bell, and said, "Lisa, big shoes!"

The musical tributes were delightful. The EXIM Divas did a sombre rendition of The Way We Were before kicking it up with EXIM Days, a take on the boppy Summer Love, from the musical Grease. Harold Davis, a former EXIM employee, did a few of his numbers, ably assisted by Carole Reid on The Prayer, before closing with the apt She's Royal.

making a difference

McLean said she was humbled by the outpouring. She said she worked not for reward, but in hope that her work was making a difference. She went down memory lane for a while and joked that she was doing well to keep back the tears. She expressed satisfaction at being with EXIM from its beginning, and in helping to craft some of the policies still being used. She later said farewell to loud applause.

Guests included Finance Minister Audley Shaw, Owen Jefferson, Douglas Archibald, Noel Bennett, Colin Newman, Gerald Wight, Kavan Gayle, Courtney Campbell, Norman Horne, Sancia Bennett-Templer, Audrey Morris, Dennis Cunningham, Fayval McCallum, Charles Lewis, Sharon Powell and Ann-Marie Walter-Allen.