From left, Cummings, Vassell, Taylor, Barclay, Leiba, Dr. Wright-Pascoe, Allwood-Anderson, Wignal, Jones, Young, Marks-Dunstan and McLeod.
Susan Gordon, Business Reporter
While business associations and organisations have systems in place for succession planning, many changes in leadership might have slipped your attention, especially if you not are directly associated with these entities.
Since it is always important to keep abreast of your representatives, just in case you need a voice stronger than your own to lobby issues, Sunday Business is keeping you updated for the year ahead.
susan.gordon@gleaner.com
Finance
Vaughn Cunningham of Dehring Bunting and Golding Limited heads the Cambio Association of Jamaica for another two years. He was elected in November of 2007 and succeeded Jacinth Hall-Tracey of Lasco.
Prunella Vassell, elected president since July 2007, heads the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica. Her tenure is expected to last until July 2009.
Tourism
Wayne Cummings is still the president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association.
Vana Taylor, who has chaired the Jamaica Association of Villas and Apartments since 1991, was re-elected chairman last October 2007. Her term in office has benefited the organisation, whose colleagues describe her as a "powerful" chairperson.
Professional Groups
Ena Barclay is president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association of Jamaica, an office that has a term of one year.John Leiba has been president of the Jamaican Bar Association since June 2007. His post, which has a term limit of one year, is up for grabs this June. Secretary of the association, Gavin Goffe, said it was too early to say who would run and who might be his likely successor.
Edith Allwood-Anderson is currently president of the Nurses' Association of Jamaica where she has served her maximum term of three years. This October, she will have to step down to give way to a new president. No one is yet tipped to succeed her.
Services
Collin Innis remains the chief, though reluctant, spokesman of the transforming cable industry. He has for the past 15 years served as chairman of the Jamaica Association of Community Cable Operators.
It is possible that Innis will give up the post this year since he has already indicated a desire to step down. Elections, which are normally two years apart, are due this year. Innis says he has not yet seen a successor emerging.
The Medical Association of Jamaica has had a new president since September 2007 when Dr. Rosemarie Wright-Pascoe was elected. She has up to two years to serve.
Donovan Wignal, president of the Customs Brokers' Association of Jamaica it is hoped will remain for a third year in his role come May, despite his alleged mild reluctance.
Real estate/Construction
The Jamaica Institution of Engineers' president Desmond Young was elected in October 2007 and will serve until this October when elections are due.
Louise McLeod has been the president of the Jamaican Institute of Architects since 2006.
Her two-year tenure will be up this April when elections are due.
Others
Eleanor Jones is the current president of the Women Business Owners of Jamaica.
Audrey Marks-Dunstan has been president of the American Chamber of Commerce of Jamaica since December 2005. Elections are due in or around March, said AmCham executive director Becky Stockhausen. A new president is selected every two years, and it is traditional for the baton to be passed to a new candidate, though Stockhausen said there are no term limits.
