The Nominations Committee for this year’s **Financial Services Industry Excellence Awards** has submitted its slate of approved nominees to the 2008 Blue Ribbon Panel.
BFSB congratulates the well deserving individuals and firms for extraordinary accomplishments that resulted in their respective nominations. They are:
**Achiever of the Year**
• Racquel D. Kerr-Johnson, ABIFS Accounting & Reporting Specialist
UBS Trustees (Bahamas) Limited
• Marietta Ametia Russell, Computer Operator, Data Centre
Bank of the Bahamas International
**Professional of the Year**
• Francia Arscott, Staff Accountant
Arner Bank & Trust
• Ophira L. Bodie, Head of Back Office
GEM Global Equities Management S.A.
• Kathryn Feder, Location Head Credit Risk Control
UBS (Bahamas) Limited
• Jillian J. Ferreira, Project Manager/Senior Network Administrator
Bank of the Bahamas International
• Jacqueline N. Hunt, CPA, V.P. and Head of Compliance
Pictet Bank & Trust
• Keiko Kawaguchi-Fleming, Programming Specialist
Bank of the Bahamas International
• Berthia E. Knowles, Assistant Branch Manager, Credit
Bank of the Bahamas International
• Jan Marie Whyms, ACIB, Senior Trust Relationship Manager
SG Hambros Bank & Trust
**Executive of the Year**
• Sharon Ena Brown, Managing Director
FirstCaribbean International Bank (Bahamas) Limited
• Beverley Farquharson, ABIFS, Deputy Managing Director-Operational
Bank of the Bahamas International
• Dorothy Hilton, Director, Trust & Fiduciary Services
SG Hambros Bank & Trust
• Tanya C. McCartney, LLB, LLM, Managing Director
RBC FINCO
• Toby Smith, Managing Director
GEM Global Equities Management S.A.
**Financial Services Development and Promotion Award**
• Bahamas First – First Response initiative
• Fidelity Bank (Bahamas) Limited – MoneyBack Mortgage initiative
CEO & Executive Director Wendy Warren says the programme, introduced in 2001 as an integral part of the organisation’s Financial Centre Focus (FCF) outreach, recognises role models in the industry for outstanding performance and contribution to the growth and development of the sector.
The Blue Ribbon Panel selects the winner in each category, for announcement at the Awards Banquet on October 25. BFSB’s FSI “Student of the Year” also will be announced for the first time at the Banquet, being hosted this year in the Balmoral Ballroom of the Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort & Offshore Island.
Also to be recognised at the upcoming Awards Ceremony is Mrs. Ruth Millar, C.M.G., former Financial Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, the Recipient of BFSB’s Lifetime Achievement Award.