IMAGINE having every area of your life planned to the last nanosecond — your career, your life partner, your personal goals, and then comes another beautiful surprise that no one can fully prepare you for — fatherhood. This is the case of Steven Whittingham, deputy CEO, GraceKennedy Financial Group, husband and proud father of four amazing children.

A significant role, one such as the many in his professional career, he admits that once he became a father at 31, his focus was no longer solely on him.

The Harvard Business School alum and financier, who has for the past 22 years worked in New York, London and Jamaica with some of the world’s most prestigious financial institutions Blackrock and Morgan Stanley, knows a thing or two about forecasts and projections. But nothing prepared him for the sheer joy and drive that came with fatherhood. Whittingham immediately gained a new perspective on life from being a first-time girl dad.

“I thought I was ready, but I wasn’t even close to understanding the awesome responsibility of fatherhood that was ahead,” he said beaming with pride.

“The journey…was transformational. You spend all of your life up to that point focusing on yourself. Focused on achieving your academic goals, on advancing your career, on finding your life partner. All decisions you make, all activities you believe are within your control…and then comes being a dad. From that moment onwards, the focus is no longer on you.”

Like his career, life at home is also very hectic, but wife Mary, and his support system heavily reliant on grandparents, keeps it all under control. He beams with pride when asked about his children, Leah, 13, James, 10, Adam, 7 and Asher, 2, the pandemic baby who now runs the show for the Whittingham clan.

“We’ve been so lucky as parents. Healthy and happy children are life’s greatest blessing,” he said.

In speaking on what it’s like raising children, he says, “we have four kids, so honestly, our household is a little crazy. We try, but I can’t say we have everything under control. Every day brings something new and unexpected…each day is a wonderful gift full of surprises.”

He said that his fondest memories are really the little things “…just listening to them, they are all so funny…watching them learn and grow…seeing them interact with and love each other”.

Whittingham was excited to point out that he was the first employee at GraceKennedy to take paternity leave.

“It just so happened that our executive committee had approved a new paternity leave policy around the same time that we were expecting. I’m so proud to be part of a company that champions work/life balance for all staff members, especially fathers,” he said.

Whittingham reflected on his father, Wayne, and how he impacted his life.

“I have lots of memories of my father from childhood, from last year, from last month and from yesterday. My dad may not know it, but he teaches me something new every day. He’s been an amazing guide for me, and I attribute my successes to trying to live my life using the principles I learned from him.”

When asked what message he would like to share with other fathers, Whittingham said, “As much as possible, never let the pressure to provide for your family take away from your ability to be present for your family.”