Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor 
CEO of Pulse Kingsley Cooper shows the pearly whites with Pat Wright (left) and Claudia Pegus. - Photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
And so, after nearly 28 years of being at the forefront of identifying, training, promoting and marketing Jamaican modelling talent to the international community, Kingsley Cooper and the organisation he founded in January 1980 - Pulse - finally earned the recognition of his countrymen. On National Heroes day he was conferred with the National Award of Commander of the Order of Distinction for his endeavours.
A celebration for the siblings. Kingsley is flanked by his sisters Donnette (left) and Carolyn.
To say it was a most deserving honour, would be putting it very mildly! This, however, was the appropriate recognition for a son of Jamaica who created an industry that not only continues to benefit the nation as a whole, but continues to empower its people as well.
Back in the 1980s when Cooper took the plunge and launched Pulse, modelling was largely an unexplored arena.
The ever-elegant Romae Gordon and Kingsley Cooper look simply gorgeous.
LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES
Undaunted by his critics, and persuaded by his conviction that the modelling industry held limitless opportunities for Jamaica, Cooper persevered and thankfully so.
My dears, to celebrate the award, he threw a party at his fabulous Villa Ronai estate on Old Stony Hill Road, upper St. Andrew, last Saturday.
The Verandah's Dave Simpson (left) and Michael Hall were cool as cucumber.
My daahlings, we are talking a glamour outing here. Fabness was in the air and working it like magma! None of the fuddy-duddy stuff, as it was not that kind of a crowd! It was the celebrity cachet and nothing but partying up a wonderful glow that made for one hot, hot, affair!
The newly-appointed Senegalese Ambassador to Jamaica, Her Excellency Nafissatou Diagne, showed her dancing skills and partied like no other; Ken and Pat Ramsey have been divorced for some years now, but you never would have guessed it, watching them dance up a storm; Harold Brady and Hilary Phillips danced like rock stars; Oswald and Shirley James were locked in their own world. The voluptuous Heather Cummings found a new groove with the hot up and coming reggae sensation Faraji aka Fari. Robert Haughton partied the night away with the purring Simone Campbell. But it was 'Commander' Cooper who had the ladies queuing to share the dance-floor with him and, my dears, suffice it to say, he did oblige!
Kamoya Levy (left), CMS contestant in 2006 and Andrea Mills, CMS winner 2004, took time out to pose for our cameras.
SPECIAL GUESTS
Among the notables out were: Opposition Leader, The Most Honourable Portia Simpson Miller and husband Errald, Minister of Transport Mike Henry and his fabulous wife Dawn, MP Phillip Paulwell; Deputy Mayor of Kingston Lee Clarke; Stephen Golding; Head of the EU Delegation Ambassador Marco Mazzocchi-Alemanni; Ambassador Leonora Rueda, of Mexico; the Ambassador of the Dominican Republic, Her Excellency Filomena Navarro; Ambassador Richard Bernal and his wife Margaret. There was also Ambassador Courtney Walsh, Professor Dr. Carolyn Cooper and her sister Donette. Kingsley's daughter Safia Cooper; Joe Matalon and wife Bernadette McKinley Matalon; Robert MacMillan and Lois Sherwood.
Harold Brady (left) seems to have Paul Pennicook puzzled.
Also seen were: Douglas Orane; playwright/actor Trevor Rhone; Gurney Beckford; Ken Ramsey and his former wife Pat Ramsey; James Samuels; Frank and Ann Ventura; Jeff Cobham; Rae Barrett; the fab Marilyn Bennett; Count Prince Miller; Lennie Little-White; Rupert Bent and wife Cindy Breakspeare; Peter Couch. The oh so fab Sandra Kennedy; Carlyle and Diane Hudson; Chris Berry and wife Pat Yap; Harold Brady; Maureen Shaw; Carlos Hill; Cecile Levee; Jimmy Josephs; Gilou Bauer; Dr. Greg Thomas, Karen Neita; Paul Pennicook and his wife Dorothy.
Pat and Ken Ramsay were dancing up a storm.
We spotted: Harry Smith; Valerie Deans; Hugh Tomlinson; Tanya Ho Shue; Lloyd and Sonia Tomlinson; Sandra Samuels; Don and Irena Patterson; D'Arcy and Dell Crooks; Copeland Forbes; Dr. Leachim and Cecile Semaj; George HoSang; Andrea Bickhoff Benjamin; Simon Croskill; Clelia Barreto de Hunter; Carlos MaxBrown, Dionne Brooks; David Sheilds; Jonathan and Paula Surtees; artist Joshua Higgins; Dwight Moore and wife Sharon; Andy Jefferson; Michelle Campbell; Howard McIntosh; Tomlin Ellis; sisters Elsa Kong and Marigold Naar; Oliver Magnus and Sandra Dilmohamed; Devon Reid; siblings Carol and Marcia Reid, Ever Wilson; Grace Silvera and her daughter Nathalie Edwards; Wayne Nunez; the charming Debbie Dewar; Anthony Miller. Also out celebrating were; Allison Stewart, Danny Champagnie Alex Dropinski, Dr. Saphire Longmore, Seyon Hanson, Mitsy Pratt, Adrian and Natalie St. Louis, Tracy Moses, Peter Ferguson, the lovely Zahra Redwood, Dave Simpson, Jacqui Neilson, Sven and Tracey Voelk; Johnny Hamilton; Andru Donalds; the fab Heather Blanco and famed musician, Paul Kastic.
James Samuels (left) and Gurney Beckford in conversation.
Modelling sensations; Nadine Willis, Sunna Gottshalk, Serchen Morris and Una Morgan, Donald French, Irie Love, Lindsay Richards and Adam Kollof.
