Valerie Crawford (left), manager - trade, financing and risk management, Ex-Im Bank, describes how National Commercial Bank's (NCB) small and medium enterprise (SME) customers may access Ex-Im financing. Seated are Glen Shields (centre), branch manager, NCB Oxford Place, and Bernadette Barrow, assistant general manager for NCB's SME unit. The occasion was a recent NCB 'know-how' seminar, held at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel in St Andrew. The seminar sought to bring NCB's SME customers 'in the know' on accessing Ex-Im financing and to promote the 2008 NCB Nation Builder Awards. - Contributed
Applications are now being accepted for the National Commercial Bank (NCB) Nation Builder Awards, an annual programme which seeks to highlight outstanding entrepreneurial performance.
The NCB Nation Builder Awards seeks to recognise and celebrate its small and medium-enterprize (SME) business customers. The award is the first of its kind in Jamaica. Unlike most entrepreneurial awards, the NCB Nation Builder Awards will not only highlight outstanding entrepreneurial performance and sound operational practices, but it will also place a great deal of emphasis on the SME's contribution to community development.
The award programme results from a partnership between NCB, HEART/NTA, the University of the West Indies, Fujitsu, Lions Club of New Kingston, Jamaica Business Development Centre (JBDC), Jamaica Chamber of Commerce and The Gleaner Company.
Fashionable concept
"Entrepreneurship is not just a fashionable concept to support. It is at the heart of our economy's development," said Valerie Veira, of the JBDC. "The significant impact that development in this area can have on the wider society is sometimes not recognised. The fact is that development in entrepreneurship can impact positively on issues such as crime, health, education and the general wellness of the society. The NCB awards programme will be an important contribution to this process."
According to the bank's website, the highest-ranked applicant from each parish will be recognised as the Parish Awardee, who will go on to represent his/her parish as a nominee for the 2008 NCB Nation Builder Award. The 14 parish winners will also vie for the Innovation and expertise awards, which are special category awards that draw attention to businesses that are technology-driven and globally competitive.
The NCB initiative will not only reward the efforts of established entrepreneurs but start-up businesses will have an opportunity to vie for a special open-award - The Strength Award - which will also recognise a winner from each parish. The National Strength Awardee will then be selected from the 14 parish winners.
Categories for Applications
The NCB Nation Builder Awards is open to businesses operating for three years or more which are customers of NCB. However, new business customers are welcomed to enter.
The second category, the Strength (Start-Up) Award, is open to businesses that must have been in operation for a minimum of 12 months to a maximum of three years and the business does not have to be a customer of NCB.
The programme is open to a wide variety of businesses as SME's with an annual turnover of $500 million or less can enter.
Applications for the NCB Nation Builder Awards programme may be submitted at any NCB branch islandwide up to July 4.
For further information, contact an NCB Business Banker or visit www.jncb.com.
Bernadette Barrow (left), National Commercial Bank's (NCB) assistant general manager for its SME unit, and Clement Ellington (centre), business banker, exchange pleasantries with their SME customer, Gavin Orr, of IMSCO Limited, at its recent know-how seminar held at the Terra Nova All Suite Hotel in St Andrew. The seminar sought to sensitise the bank's small and medium enterprise customers 'in the know' and to promote the 2008 NCB Nation Builder Awards. - Contributed
