Saint Lucia has copped two out of the ten annual awards in the FirstCaribbean International Bank ProPerformers Players of the Series for 2009. Each year, FirstCaribbean staff members from 17 countries across the region are eligible to be nominated and chosen for “Player of the Series” awards based on the acronym (C-R-I-C-K-E-T) Customer, Respect, Innovation, Caribbean Commitment, Knowledge, Excellence and Teamwork and the Helpful Partner Standards. Employees who fit these criteria are generally those who go beyond the boundaries of their substantive roles to excel in all areas.

The Player of the Series is the culmination of FirstCaribbean’s annual employee recognition programme, drawing from the results of the bank’s quarterly Helpful Partner Pro-Performers Awards. Winners are nominated and assessed by their leaders and co-workers and the programme aims to reward excellence, professionalism and performance across FirstCaribbean’s regional network.

Portia Compton-James, Senior Branch Manager at Bridge Street is one of the two who brought the glory home to Saint Lucia this year. She has a record of 29 years service, first with CIBC and then with FirstCaribbean—which emerged from the merger with Barclays Bank PLC. Her nomination, made by her colleagues and team, cited her “passion, drive and proactive approach as a contributing factor in the delivery of customer service and the cohesiveness of our business unit.” Ms Compton-James herself cites her “resilience, ability to embrace and rise above challenges and pride and focus in the execution of duties” as likely factors cementing her selection this year.

“This award is based on performance. It takes sterling output from those around me to enable me to touch the ceiling. So it is on the shoulders of my team that I stand and I must acknowledge their strong performance and the great support from my leader, retail director Dawne Williams,” she said.

The other winner is Elaine Borton, Business Support Officer reportable to the Country Management Team. With the Bank since 1985, Borton considers it “truly a great honour to have been nominated and then emerge as a recipient of this very prestigious award.” She credits the corporate focus on customer service excellence, for shaping her own values in that respect.
“The simplest and most random act, word or deed can make all the difference to your client and instantly turn a negative situation into a positive experience.

I always strive to place myself in my client’s shoes and treat him or her the way that I would like to be treated in any given situation. It really is that simple!” Ms Borton says.

Country Manager Mauricia Thomas Francis described her team members as a credit to the organisation, to themselves, and their co-workers.

“In both cases, their contributions are clear and measurable in terms of tangible financial gain made by the bank, and in the general enhancement of their working environments,” said Francis. “To emerge on top, Mrs James and Ms Borton exemplify FirstCaribbean’s Helpful Partner Universal Standards which defines our corporate approach to excellence internally, and in respect of our customers and clients.”

As part of their winnings, Borton and Compton-James received the opportunity to interact with their fellow regional winners and other counterparts from the CIBC group worldwide, at the CIBC Achievers’ Conference in Maui, Hawaii from January 10 – 16. The week-long programme combined business sessions with celebratory events attended by Executives from both CIBC and FirstCaribbean. They were each also allowed to share the experience with one guest of their choice.

In the 2009 review, Saint Lucia was one of three countries making off with two ProPerformers Players of the Series. The others were Antigua and the Bahamas.