Executive Chairman and Founder of the LASCO Affiliated Companies, Lascelles Chin will be bestowed the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2016 American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) Civic and Business Leadership Awards and Gala.

The ceremony will take place at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel on Friday October 21, 2016 at 7:00 pm.

The AMCHAM Lifetime Achievement Award recognises individuals who have made considerable and lasting contributions to economic and social progress in Jamaica through ethical leadership, and community-building activities. The 2015 recipient was Father Richard Holung.

Chief Executive Officer of AmCham, Gail Abrahams notes that, “Mr Chin was nominated from a list of nominations and due to his tremendous contribution to national development, business and communities, it was only fitting that the distinguished panel of judges chose him to be AmCham Jamaica’s Lifetiime Achievement Awardee.”

Born in St Catherine, Lascelles Chin is one of Jamaica’s most successful, respected and recognised entrepreneurs. Though entrepreneurship was not his first career choice, Chin ventured into commerce in the 1950s where, as a young man, he imported a wide variety of items across multiple sectors — ranging from teas to hair products.

Armed with a wealth of experience, in 1988 Lascelles Chin went on to found the company in which he has become synonymous with: LASCO. Today, the LASCO Affiliated Companies are in the businesses of manufacturing — LASCO Manufacturing; distribution — LASCO Distributors; and finance — LASCO Financial Services.

Under Chin’s direction, the LASCO Affiliated Companies give back to the community through a number of annual corporate programmes: Teacher and Principal of the Year, Nurse of the Year and Nursing Student of the Year, and its Police of the Year initiatives.

Excluding the three companies within the LASCO group, Chin currently serves as a director of the Bureau of Standards’ standards council, The University of the West Indies’ School of Nursing advisory board and the King’s House Foundation.

Previously, this highly decorated entrepreneur served as chairman of Jamaica Industrial Development Corporation, National Productivity Council, Jamaica Exporters’ Association (JEA), National Industries Development Company, Bureau of Standards Foundation, and Caribbean Community of Retired Persons.

Established in 1986, The American Chamber of Commerce of Jamaica aims to promote investment and trade between the United States, Jamaica and the region. AMCHAM is affiliated with the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America (COCUSA) in Washington DC, the largest federated business organisation in the world, with offices in 65 countries.