The Tribune

MARQUIS Who's Who, the premier authority on who makes a difference in the worlds of politics, law, science, art, business and community, has bestowed its highest honour on visionary entrepreneur Michael D Dingman, naming him a 2017 Marquis Who's Who Lifetime Achiever.

Mr Dingman, a businessman, international investor and philanthropist, is the first Bahamian to have achieved the distinction.

According to a statement issued by Marquis on September 16, Mr Dingman is being "celebrated for his significant achievements, leadership qualities and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field."

Over more than six decades, Mr Dingman's intellectual curiosity, engineering background and constantly inquiring mind have led him to historic firsts in practical science applications, corporate and national economic development in struggling economies and extended to founding the award-winning Dingman Centre for Entrepreneurship at the University of Maryland.

Reached shortly after he received news of the honour, Mr Dingman said he was taken by surprise.

"I am humbled by this honour," he said. "There are so many people out there leading corporations, making important contributions, uncovering cures for diseases or new ways to produce food, it is humbling to think that someone like me who got his start long before the first cell phone call was ever made is being remembered and honoured by the founders of Who's Who. I hope this inspires other Bahamians who believe they can make a difference."

The current president and chief executive officer of Shipston Group Ltd, a private equity company based in Nassau, Bahamas, Mr Dingman began his career as a partner at Burnham and Company in 1964. In 1970, he became the president, chief executive officer, and member of the board of directors of the Wheelabrator-Frye Inc, where he served for more than ten years. Mr Dingman established Wheelabrator-Frye Inc by combining the Wheelabrator industrial-cleaning and air-pollution-control units with Frye Copysystems, a manufacturer of printing inks. In 1983, Wheelabrator was acquired by The Signal Companies, where Mr Dingman served as president and member of the board of directors until 1985.

Allied Corporation and Signal Companies merged in 1985 to establish The Henley Group Inc, and Mr. Dingman maintained his position within the new corporation as chief executive officer and chairman of the board. He was also chairman of the board of Fisher Science International Inc, from 1991 to 1998 and chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Abex Inc from 1992 to 1995. He served as a member of the board of directors of Ford Motor Company, Fisher Science International Inc, Time Warner, Inc, Mellon Finance Corporation, and Teekay Shipping Corp. He also served his community as a trustee of The John A Hartford Foundation.

Mr Dingman received an Honourary Doctorate of Science in Business and Management from the University of Maryland. Mr Dingman is an active member of the advanced board of IEEE. He is also a member of multiple clubs, including Links, the Yacht Club of New York City; Union Club in Boston; Cruising of America in Connecticut; the Bohemian in San Francisco; Lyford Cay in Nassau; La Jolla Country Club; and the San Diego Yacht Club. He has been featured in Who's Who in Finance and Business, Who's Who in Finance and Industry, Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the East, Who's Who in the West, Who's Who in the World.

In recognition of outstanding contributions to his profession and the Marquis Who's Who community, Mr Dingman has been featured on the Marquis Who's Who Lifetime Achievers website. Please visit www.ltachievers.com for more information about this honour.