The Tribune

THE Bahamian financial services industry honoured many of its leading professionals at the Excellence Awards Gala Dinner, held on November 3 at Atlantis.

The awards programme, introduced in 2001 by the Bahamas Financial Services Board (BFSB) as a part of its Financial Centre Focus (FCF) initiative, is intended to highlight the talent within the sector.

Those receiving top honours were:

• James Smith - Lifetime Achievement Award

• Wendy Craigg, former Governor of the Central Bank of the Bahamas - The Minister's Award

• Michele Thompson, country managing partner, Ernst & Young - Executive of the Year

• Patrice Gardiner, corporate manager, human resources, Bank of the Bahamas - Mentor of the Year

• Lorraine Johnson, branch manager, CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank - Professional of the Year

• Lanecia Darville, legal assistant, Scotiabank (Bahamas) - Achiever of the Year

• Trevor Lightbourn, associate lawyer, Sharon Wilson & Company - Millennial of the Year

• Charles Carroll Jr. - BBA Economics and Finance, University of the Bahamas - Student of the Year

The BFSB also presented Appreciation Awards to individuals and member firms that played leading roles in supporting itself, and its initiatives, throughout the year.

The appreciation awards for 2017 went to:

• The CFAL group of companies under the leadership of Anthony Ferguson. CFAL has sponsored the Student of the Year Awards, where students receive $5,000 that is placed in an investment account with CFAL. The latter contributes 50 per cent of the prize money along with AIBT.

• The Association of International Bank & Trust Companies (AIBT), under the leadership of Bruno Roberts and Ivan Hooper (co-chairmen), for consistent collaboration with BFSB on industry matters and for co-sponsorship of the Student of the Year award.

• Glinton, Sweeting & O'Brien, under the leadership of Bryan Glinton, has supported every single marketing event the BFSB has hosted over the past year.

The final Appreciation award was conferred upon a three legal professionals for collaborating as industry's legal committee on key international initiatives.

• Brian Moree QC, senior partner, McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes

• Michael Paton, partner, Lennox Paton

• Ryan Pinder, partner, Graham Thompson