RYLAND Campbell, executive chairman and principal shareholder of Capital & Credit Financial Group, was Wednesday night named Jamaica Observer Business Leader 2005, at a glitzy award ceremony that packed the Pegasus hotel ballroom with the cream of the Jamaican business community.

On a night filled with oratory and mirth, Campbell took the trophy from six other nominees, any of whom could have won the coveted award now in its 10th year, said Observer chairman, Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart.

“This is a very prestigious award and it is an honour even to be nominated and to actually be selected among this distinguished group of persons,” Campbell said in a lengthy acceptance speech which was punctuated throughout by lusty applause and which won him a standing ovation at the end.

The other six nominees representing almost all the major sectors of the Jamaican economy – from tourism, to manufacturing, trade, finance, and services – were: Eugennie ‘Gloriana’ Carroll Minto, principal, Gloriana Hotel; Lyttleton ‘Tanny’ Shirley, executive chairman and principal shareholder of Mitchell’s Auto Supplies and chairman and principal shareholder of Shirlhome Chemical; Ernest ‘Ernie’ Smatt, principal, Shaw Park Hotel and Water Sports Enterprises; Ian Levy, chairman and principal, Ian K Agencies; John Anthony ‘Zoukie’ Marzouca, principal, Zoukie Trucking and Terence Jarrett, chairman and principal, Altamont Court Hotel.

The Jamaica Observer, in association with sponsors National Commercial Bank and Appleton Estate, also presented Lifetime Achievement awards to Michele Rollins, chairman of Rose Hall Developments Limited and business mogul, Tony Hart, for their significant contribution to the development of tourism and Jamaica.

The Business Leader nominees were shortlisted by the Business Leader Selection Committee headed by Dr George Phillip, after a long search that began in September last year, to highlight indigenous business achievements for 2005.

“Jamaican business leaders have over the years been instrumental in the development of Jamaica’s economy and the Business Leader Awards celebrate these achievements and contributions,” Stewart said in a well-received message.

“It is my hope that the success stories of these enterprising men and women will serve to motivate others to invest in Jamaica,” said Stewart, who added that it was opportunities like this, to recognise the best of Jamaica, that propelled the Observer newspaper to a preferred status among readers.

Selection Committee chairman, Dr Phillip, said that one of the major criteria in choosing a winner was to “look at growth in business and how society has benefited” from it.

Capital and Credit, Campbell’s company which he formed 12 years ago, recently posted an after-tax profit of $1.15 billion for the year ended December 31, 2005, representing a 32 per cent increase above 2004’s figure of $865.3 million.

Campbell, the country teacher turned leading Jamaican banker, told the Observer after the ceremony that this award would act as a “springboard” for future development at his organisation as well as for the nominees in general.

“I think this award will at least put a lot of people on notice and put us in some measure of prominence, and to that extent it will be easier to see doors open when we seek to go elsewhere in the Caribbean,” said Campbell.

In reference to Capital & Credit’s expansion plans, Campbell added: “We are looking in the Eastern Caribbean and the Florida area, and we believe that before the end of the year, we should be doing something in both of those places.”

Hailing the Lifetime Achievement awardees, Stewart said Rollins and Hart had been outstanding in their contribution to the tourism industry and “are without doubt, deserving of these accolades”.

“They have committed time and resources to the growth of the industry and we acknowledge their untiring efforts,” the Observer chairman said.

Compere for the evening, attorney Derrick Jones kept the ceremony in stitches with an outstanding repertoire of jokes, against a backdrop of fast-running video presentations by Phase Three, featuring the stories of the nominees in capsule, as well as a ‘last lick’ by 2004 winner, Kenny Benjamin, chairman of the Guardsman Group of Companies.