AS a teenager in Kingston, Janice Mills dreamed of becoming a nurse, which is the kind of career that promised purpose and stability.

However, with a single mother struggling to stretch every dollar, a college education was never an option and that dream slipped away.

Instead, she carried on with the skills from her business studies at Excelsior High School and a quiet determination to make something of herself.

Leveraging her secondary education, she entered the working world quickly, but her first job offered little chance to grow. Hungry for more, in 1979 she was drawn to a better opportunity at what was then the Harbour Street, Kingston, branch of the Jamaica National Building Society.

She said, from those days, the institution had a reputation for opportunity and stability, and with that in mind, she applied and got the job.

What began as a simple role behind a typewriter soon became the foundation of a lifelong career — one that blossomed into 45 years of service and a lasting legacy in banking. After moving up the ranks from clerk to teller, chief teller, manager and, ultimately, head of JN Premier — JN Bank’s premier banking arm — she retired as the longest-serving woman in the history of the JN Group.

For Mills, staying with the JN Group for almost five decades was never just about the work; it was about the environment that nurtured her growth. The company’s culture and values, coupled with the many opportunities to learn and advance, gave her a sense of purpose and belonging that made it easy to build a career there.

“I just never felt the need to shift at any point. I was never stagnant and I enjoyed my time there,” she said. “There were persons who came into the space with me and left, but somehow I stuck with it and I just kept moving from one position to another. I got all of that experience and those exposures to different things, learning as I went along, too, because each area came with a different level of know-how.

“What I gained from being at JN is the patience to work with people — both customers and colleagues — and the ability to guide and supervise effectively. Everyone has different personalities and expectations, and sometimes people behave in ways you wouldn’t anticipate. You have to handle those moments carefully and fairly, showing that you are thoughtful and impartial,” she said.

The company’s appreciation for employee engagement and recognition also left a lasting impression. Mills fondly recalls the activities that brought team members together outside of work and moments that rewarded hard work, strengthened bonds and built friendships.

An actively engaged employee herself, Mills participated in sports days and representing JN in netball. Her netball exploits also allowed her the opportunity to represent the company overseas.

Many of those activities, she noted, have evolved and today continue to thrive through the now established JN Sports & Social Club and People and Culture engagement team, a testament to the organisation’s ongoing commitment to fostering both professional and personal growth among its people, she emphasised.

She also appreciated that people were always involved and ready to help. Whether it was co-workers offering support, or teams coming together to make projects succeed, the spirit of collaboration reminded her that she was part of something bigger than herself. That sense of community became just as important to her as the job she was doing, guided by the belief that “customers must be at the centre of everything we do”.

“The support I got from the leadership team, department heads and teams, I wouldn’t be able to do it without them. Mr [Earl] Jarrett, for example, shows respect in everything he does, and I try to emulate that. I’ve had other managers in the past, like Alwin Smith, who guided me and helped shape how I approach every task, and that support has been invaluable,” she recalled.

Still, perhaps the biggest reason Mills remained at JN for so long was the organisation’s unwavering focus on its members. This commitment, she said, inspired her every day and gave meaning to her work, so much so, that her clients could feel it in every encounter.

Eighty-eight-year-old Leslie Clarke, who has been travelling between Jamaica and New York with his wife, Una Clarke, herself a well-known Jamaican who served on the New York City Council in the 90s, said they have been experiencing that dedication for the last 35 years, ever since they met her at the Half-Way-Tree branch in St Andrew.

“From our first encounter, my wife — now 90 — and I have kept in touch, coming directly to her and her service has been excellent. She always did her best to satisfy whatever you requested of her and we appreciate that. If she said she would do something and get back to you, she always did it and did it in a professional manner,” Clarke said.

Mills’ advice to professionals considering a career at JN is to simply go for it. Pointing to the company’s innovative spirit and its strong track record of preparing employees so well that they are often first in line for opportunities elsewhere, she maintained that JN is not just about providing jobs and facilitating services, but about building foundations for growth and success.

MILLS…what I gained from being at JN is the patience to work with people