Philanthropist Victor Lowe to receive national award for service in telecoms
KINGSTON, Jamaica —Jamaican native, Victor Lowe, will be one of 125 persons to be recognised for their stellar contribution in their respective fields. The entrepreneur, scientist, and philanthropist will receive the Order of Distinction in the Rank of Commander (CD) for his service in telecommunications.
According to a release on Tuesday, Lowe is to be bestowed the honour for his long-standing philanthropic endeavours in Jamaica, including his recent donation of 80 per cent of the funds for erecting the Victor Lowe Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Centre at the Manning’s School in Westmoreland. The centre is the only such institution serving western Jamaica.
As a past student of the Manning’s School in the parish, Lowe said creating a STEM facility in Westmoreland was an obvious choice.
“With the evolution of technology today, sciences are critical and what better place to start expanding support for the core science subjects than the place that gave me my start – the Manning’s School,” Lowe said.
Lowe’s professional acumen began over 30 years ago at the Jamaica School of Agriculture, with degrees from Tuskegee University and University of Illinois; his certification continued at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of California, Davis. These quickly ushered him into international business development within the scientific research, manufacturing, telecommunications, and finance sectors. Lowe has held senior management positions at M&M Mars, Pillsbury Corporation and Carnation/Nestle, as well as executive leadership positions at Cool Car Corporation resulting in cover and feature stories in Business Age, Black Enterprise, and Ebony magazines. In Jamaica, Lowe established Pathway Technologies – a state of the art Call Centre in Kingston providing training and employment for youths.
As an entrepreneur, Lowe was granted the first international telecommunications licence, breaking the then Cable & Wireless monopoly in the Jamaican market. He also owned and operated Jamaica Communications Ltd, an international long-distance telecommunication service provider, as well as, World Telenet International, Jamaica’s first Internet Service Provider offering free access to schools
Currently, Lowe helms Global Capital Ltd, providing financing options to consumers and the MSME sector, all while continuing to provide aid and community development.