John Mahfood re-elected JMEA president

John Mahfood, CEO of Jamaican Teas Limited (JTL), was today re-elected president of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA), serving for the 2022/2023 period.

This would be Mahfood's second year in the post.

Mahfood is an experienced business leader, with a wealth of knowledge on local and international retail and trade, mergers, and expansions. He is also an active philanthropist, social commentator and passionate advocate on many issues that affect the productive sector and beyond.

In his acceptance speech at the association's annual general meeting, held at the Liguanea Club, Mahfood reiterated his views on the manufacturing sector and the need to increase export, particularly into the CARICOM market.

He also spoke about the continued labour challenges being experienced within the sector and urged employers to review wages and incentives to attract and retain quality workers.

He also highlighted recent development stemming from the Supreme Court ruling in the Marksman Limited vs NHT case, which has implications for expenditure related to contracted guards. He foreshadows that this ruling can set the precedent for other contracted class of workers in other sectors, which will likely drive up the cost of production.

Sydney Thwaites, co-founder of Lubricating Specialties Company Jamaica, was elected as deputy president, replacing Jerome Miles, general manager of Rainforest Seafoods Limited, who did not seek re-election. Robert Scott, general manager of Lifespan, was elected treasurer, replacing Thwaites.

Five director positions were available during the election. One was filled by Miles, unopposed. The other four candidates have been re-elected unopposed as director after completing a three-year term. They are Kathryn Silvera, Director of Sales and Marketing Chas. E. Ramson; Sandra McLeish, Managing Director of Sankhard Co. Limited; Brett Wong, Managing Director, Coldfield Manufacturing; Richard Coe, Managing Director, Fleetwood Jamaica Limited/Orion Manufacturing.

In addition to the five directors, the following candidates retained their positions, now forming JMEA's Board of Directors for 2022-2023:

Stephen Dawkins, Group Export Manager, Wisynco Group Limited; Andrew Wildish, General Manager, Grace Foods Processing (Canning); Novlet Deans, General Manager, Corporate Affairs & Finance, ARC Manufacturing Limited; Aswad Morgan, Director, The Morgan's Group; Lisa Johnston, Corporate Affairs Manager, Jamaica Producers Group Limited; David Martin, Director, Tortuga Caribbean Rum Cake Company Limited; Alicia Bogues, Head of Marketing and Regional Development, CB Foods Limited; P. Andrew Gray, Managing Director, Gray's Pepper; John O. Minott, Jr, General Manager Jamaica Standard Products Company Limited; Christopher Powell, Director/Factory Manager, P. A. Benjamin Manufacturing Co. Ltd.; Clover Moodie, Chief Financial Officer Kingston Wharves Limited; Marc Frankson, Operations Manager, Designs by Marc Limited; Kareema Muncey Managing Director, Home Choice Enterprise Limited; and Richard Pandohie, Chief Executive Officer, Seprod Limited, Immediate Past President.

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