Patrick Hylton, group managing director, National Commercial Bank of Jamaica. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer

National Commercial Bank (NCB) has launched an award programme that will "recognise and celebrate" its small- and medium-business customers who are innovative and community focussed.

The new Nation Builders Awards are open mainly to NCB clients but have a component that recognises companies that have no business dealings with the bank.

Partnering with NCB on the awards are sponsors, HEART Trust NTA, the University of the West Indies, Fujitsu, Lions Club of New Kingston, Jamaica Business Development Centre, Jamaica Chamber of Commerce and The Gleaner Company.

Award requirements

To be considered for the award, the companies must be operational for at least three years, and generate yearly turnover of $500 million or more.

The awards committee will first select regional winners from 14 parishes.

The overall winner will come from that group.

Along with the Nation Builder Awards, two other awards are up for grabs for the parish winners, The Innovation Award and the Expertise Award.

The Innovation Award will be given to the firm that uses technology to generate new ideas to create a competitive advantage in its marketplace.

Overseas operation

The Expertise Award will be handed to the company that has a significant chunk of its business abroad. The judges will be looking for at least 60 per cent of the firm's sales to be coming from outside Jamaica.

NCB will also feature a special award category for start-up businesses, which will be open to non- NCB customers who have been in operation for a minimum of 12 months to a maximum of three years. The award, dubbed the National Strength Award, will also have 14 parish winners, from which the overall winner will be drawn.

Valerie Veira, president of the Jamaica Business Development Centre, will be an adjudicator for both the Nation Builder Award and the National Strength Award.

Veira says that for both awards, the judges will be looking for viable companies that show the potential for growth, as well as owners who are role models.

"The character of the person is very important," Veira said at the launch of the awards on Wednesday.

The first awards are expected to be presented in September.

richard.deane@gleanerjm.com

One of the criteria for qualification for the new NCB Nation Builders Award is turnover of $500 million or less, and not $500 million and more as reported on Page 7 of Sunday Business, May 25, 2008.