Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer
New branch manager for NCB Duke Street, Leroy Harding, chats with long-time customer Mavis McDonald at Harding's introduction reception at The Jamaica Pegasus last Tuesday.

There's a new captain steering one of National Commercial Bank's (NCB) premier ships.

Leroy Harding has been part of NCB for 20 years serving "all over the place" as he puts it. Now, he heads what is one of the most important branches in the network.

The Duke Street operations, according to Courtney Campbell, general manager of NCB's retail banking division, is the most profitable branch with the largest deposit portfolio.

So lucrative is Duke Street that it's more profitable than some entire companies. So Harding has some work to do. But the affable Harding signalled his intention to work hard, providing customer service of the highest order.

But apart from celebrating the promotion, the bank's officials decided to make the event a customer appreciation reception as well, assuring them their business was not taken for granted. Sure, the evening showers forced guests indoors from the roof of The Jamaica Pegasus but that didn't affect the giveaways and entertainment that had been planned.

Guests included House Speaker Delroy Chuck, Mayor of Kingston Desmond McKenzie, Aubyn Hill, Sonia Fuller, Sonia Copeland, Janice Holness, Wesley James, Alfred Francis, Milton Samuda, Andrea Hoo Fung, Donna Clarke, Justice Roy Anderson, Donna-Marie Solomon, Andrew McCalla, Yvonne Clarke and Sandra Phillipps.

- D.K.