SupportingOur Men
Devon Nicholson of Facey Commodity, getting his vitals checked at our Grand Health Fair at Seprod Corporate on September 26, 2024.
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JMEA ANNOUNCEMENT
Team Seprod has won the Breakthrough Product of the Year for Supligen Max, the Prime Minister’s and Governor General’s Champion Exporter Awards at the 2024 JMEA Awards function on Saturday, September 28, 2024.
Our CFO and Corporate Secretary, Damion Dodd, has been elected Treasurer of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association. Sydney Thwaites and Kathryn Silvera have been re-elected President and Deputy President, respectively while Maizene Porter of Red Stripe and David Fairman of Jamaica Broilers Group join the board of directors.
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We want to share the spotlight on our CFO and Corporate Secretary, Damion Dodd, who plays a pivotal role in steering the company towards continued success.
Damion brings invaluable expertise in financial strategy, overseeing our fiscal health and driving growth initiatives, and ensures that we uphold the highest standards of governance, compliance, and corporate responsibility. As a true country bwoy, Damion hails from the parish of St. Elizabeth. Both of his parents were school teachers who ensured that education was of high priority for him, his “adopted” cousin, his older sister and his younger brother. He went to Bogue All Age School, deep in the backwoods of the parish, where he passed his Common Entrance Examinations for Munro College. After boarding at the old Munro up to 5th form, he went to Manchester High School for 6th form. Damion focused on science subjects while at Munro with the hope of becoming Dr. Damion Dwight Dodd.
After not receiving a good grade in CSEC Biology and surprisingly receiving an excellent grade in his then most disliked subject, CSEC Accounting, he made the transition from Sciences to Accounting and Economics, for 6th form at the Manchester High School. In 1994, Damion was accepted by the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus to study for his BSc. in Accounting and Economics. With his family unable to meet the costs of tuition and boarding on campus, he took student loans to secure his tertiary education. During his tenure, he was awarded the regional Sir Frank Worrell Scholarship for outstanding performance, not only a proud moment but one that offered some financial relief.
Having graduated from UWI in 1997, Damion accepted a role as trainee accountant at Mair Russell Grant Thornton (then Mair Russell and Partners) where he stayed for two months. He then accepted a role as trainee accountant at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC, then Price Waterhouse) where he developed his skills as a finance professional with a focus on accounting and tax. While at PwC, Damion strived to produce work of the highest quality despite what the circumstances were. He knew he would be judged by the quality of his output and therefore ensured that his supervisors were aware of the dedication to, and the sense of pride and ownership taken in, completing his tasks. Over his 20 year stint with PwC – from 1997 to 2017 – Damion moved up the ranks, culminating with his achievement of being admitted to partnership with the firm in 2015.
During his tenure with PwC, Damion completed his Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examinations and is Certified by the State of New Hampshire Board of Accountancy, USA.Damion also completed two of the three levels of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) examinations – he intends to complete this internationally reputed finance course which requires several hours of dedicated studies but is currently unable to find the time due to the demands of his job.
Damion proudly joined the Seprod team in October 2017 and was appointed Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary of the Group effective at the start of 2018. As Chief Financial Officer, Damion, is accountable for the administrative, financial, and risk management operations of the Seprod Group, to include the development of a financial and operational strategy, metrics tied to that strategy, and the ongoing development and monitoring of
control systems designed to preserve Group assets and report accurate financial results. As Corporate Secretary, Damion works closely with the Board of Directors and senior officers to provide information on board best practices and tailoring the Board’s governance framework to fit the needs of the Seprod Group, its directors and the expectations of shareholders. He supports the Board in the carrying out of its fiduciary duties, including ensuring that the Group is in compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.
Damion is the Seprod Group’s representative on the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) and did a term as a Director of the Chamber from 2018 to 2020. Damion was recently appointed as a Director of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) and currently acts as the association’s Treasurer. During his downtime, Damion plays football (from which he needs to retire due to his constant injuries at his old age), tennis and dominoes and also visits a bar or three. Damion tries never to miss a Seprod football match and always carries an igloo containing the necessary “hydration” for the Seprod supporters, particularly the clear liquid sold by Mr. J. Wray and his nephew. He is married and has twins (a son and a daughter).
Damion is proud of his achievements and tries to set himself as an example to the members of his team as well as to the Seprod Group overall. He is happy and privileged to be a part of the Seprod Family.
SEPROD STRONG!!!
SEPROD NETBALLERS SUPERB FINISH!
We are pleased to announce that our netballers are the 2024 Business House Netball Association’s Intermediate B 3rd Place Winners. They claimed this title during their final match on Saturday, October 26, 2024!!!
Congratulations, Seprod ladies!
They were tenacious and fought hard to the finish! What many won’t know is that these ladies were graceful on and off the court, true sportswomen! Indeed, they have made us proud and their work ethics have spoken! This is truly a spectacular way to end their season!
Nurses CORNER
During the month of September, the Seprod Health and Wellness department embarked on a massive roll-out of health services to our staff members across the Group.
PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
SERGE DAY 2024
We are incredibly fortunate to have a team of creative minds, within the Seprod Group, who continually push the boundaries of what is possible in the world of digital media.
Among them is one of our Digital Media Content Developers, O’mar McKay. O’mar McKay, affectionately called “Omie”, is our media magician, whose expertise in creating custom videos and photographs has taken our brands’ visual storytelling to a whole new level.
From concept to execution, he has been instrumental in bringing our vision to life through the lens of a camera or the click of a mouse. Whether it’s our high-quality internal corporate videos and staff feature series such as “A Day In The Life”, our Supligen Max and Gimmi Butterkist commercials, or custom-tailored photographs for our corporate or marketing campaigns, O’mar McKay consistently delivers work that not only meets but often exceeds expectations. For him, every video or photograph is not just a piece of content it’s a story being told in a way that resonates with our audience.
For Omie, film is his voice. He recalls that pivotal moment in his life when he discovered the world of visual storytelling.
“In High School [Guy’s Hill High School in St Catherine, and Iona High in St Mary], whenever I heard of a class presentation and general public speaking, I would get anxious. But, when I learned about doing video and photos to share the information, that was the game changer.” O’mar McKay went on to create comedy videos to short films. He discovered the power of visuals. So much so that this graduate of Edna Manley School of Visual and Performing Arts, has worked on numerous commercials, music videos and other projects locally and overseas.
O’mar McKay
The self acclaimed empath revealed a profound truth that has allowed him to excel at his craft. “Being an empath has allowed me to pull on my emotions to tell authentic stories.
Retelling stories visually gives someone the opportunity to experience an event, a moment in time all over again.” Outside of this passion, O’mar McKay is just a St. Ann/St Mary native, who grew up in a very Christian home, loves his family and enjoys the thrill of speedracing. O’mar McKay’s contributions remain a key part of our corporate culture, and we look forward to seeing the execution of his creativity as he continues to shape the visual landscape of Seprod. Keep an eye out for more outstanding work.
Seprod Foundation partnered with Halls of Learning for their annual Outreach Day. Outreach Day invites children of all ages to be immersed in the world of robotics, coding, and STEAM activities under the guidance of seasoned instructors.
The day saw over 175 children, 18 of whom were students from the RISE Life summer programme, exploring each activity through an Adventure Map that brought them through 7 hands-on activity booths.
WORLD SKILLS DAY RISE LIFE SUMMER CLOSING CEREMONY AND AWARDS
In celebration of World Youth Skills Day on July 15, Seprod Foundation partnered with the RISE Life Management Summer Programme to engage 15 students in an enriching information session.
Under the theme “ Youth Skills for Peace and Development,” the session aimed to inspire the young participants about the importance of turning their skills into business ideas, which benefit them as individuals and can potentially add to the development and growth of Jamaica’s economy. The students were also guided through applying to register a business in Jamaica.
The initiative reflected the Foundation’s commitment to empowering the next generation through education and hands-on experiences.
RISE Life hosted its annual summer programme “Stimulating Young Minds to Become Achievers (SYMBA) under the theme “I Can”. The programme hosted 44 students from Parade Gardens and other surrounding communities.
Each year the programme aims to spark a passion for learning and excellence through creative and engaging lessons and activities. The programme culminates with an awards ceremony and the Seprod Foundation was pleased to be present to celebrate and continue in our support of the achievements of all the students.
HOL OUTREACH DAY
On September 9th, in recognition of International Literacy Day, Seprod Foundation visited Clan Carthy Primary School to promote this year’s theme, “Promoting Multilingual Education: Literacy for Mutual Understanding and Peace.” The foundation shared stories with the students that emphasized the values of friendship and peace especially to bring diverse communities together.
As part of its ongoing support for education, the Foundation also donated a collection of books that speak to fostering unity and understanding among the youth. The event highlighted the power of literacy in building a more peaceful and inclusive society.
“This session at the start of the school year, I think will help them to assess how they interact with each other and will hopefully lessen the possibility of bullying and fights.”
Grade
2 Class Teacher, Clan Carthy Primary
PEP SCHOLARSHIP
The 2024 Seprod Foundation Annual PEP Scholarship award ceremony was held on September 18 and saw 38 new awardees being added to our scholarship programme.
35 scholarship recipients are children of Seprod employees, of the various subsidiaries, who have performed well in their PEP examinations earlier this year. In addition to these scholars, the Granville Marsh and Byron Thompson Scholarship awards were presented.
The Granville Marsh Scholarship Award is awarded to two top-performing students from St. Thomas each year. Established in 2018, this award is given in the name of the late Granville Marsh, the longest-serving Seprod Board member and a Seprod Foundation director. This year, Nicardo Barnes (formerly of White Horses Primary and now attending Wolmers’ Boys) and Zhanae English (formerly of Providence Kindergarten and Preparatory and now attending Immaculate Conception High) were the recipients of this award.
The Byron Thompson Award for Academic Achievement is named in honour of Mr. Byron Thompson, the former CEO of Seprod Limited and a current board member of the Seprod Foundation. This award recognizes a student who sat the PEP examination in 2023 and achieved the highest academic average. This year’s award recipient is Jaydonae Williams, a Grade 8 student of St Jago High School.
The students got the privilege of being encouraged by the words of marketer and social impact creator Mr Joel Nomdarkham, who spoke to the students about the event theme, “Realizing Our Potential”.
…what I want you to never lose focus on is that first day possibility that you enter high school with.”
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Joel Nomdarkham, Marketerand Social Impact Creator
2023/2024 L&D CSEC/ City & Guilds Results
THE SEPROD ADVANCED EDUCATION PROGRAMMEFOUNDATION SKILLS SUCCESS 1
The Learning and Development Unit (L&D) endeavour to foster the growth and improvement of our employees by creating training opportunities and programs that enhance skills, knowledge, and performance. In 2023/2024, L&D invested $7.8Mil in a STEM focused partnership with Maths Unlimited for 178 registered employees across the Group. The main certifications were Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC)Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and City and Guilds in Integrated Science, Information Technology, English, Mathematics, Accounting and Customer Service.
The general trend highlighted that the CXC subjects like Information Technology and Integrated Science performed relatively well, while core subjects such as Mathematics, English Language and Principles of Accounts require further attention in terms of student performance and support.
Key Recommendations
The key recommendations are that CXC Mathematics, English Language and Principles of Accounts teaching strategies are revised, additional support given (e.g. tutoring or remedial classes) and best practices in the delivery of Information Technology are adopted for improvements in those subject areas.
Saturday, September 21, 2024 was recognized as International Coastal Cleanup Day. Seprod employees, through the Seprod Foundation, supported the Kingston Harbour Cleanup Project at Sirgany Beach.
Introducing
Lattice is our Performance Management tool designed to enhance the performance evaluation process and support your ongoing development here at Seprod.
It is our go-to tool for performance reviews, feedback, goal setting, and career growth discussions all year round. It will provide greater transparency, clarity, and continuous support to help you achieve your personal and professional goals.
Key Features of Lattice:
Streamlined Performance Reviews: Easily track your progress and receive valuable feedback from managers and peers.
Goal Setting & Tracking: Set, track, and achieve your short and long-term objectives with personalized goal-setting features.
Real-Time Feedback: Give and receive feedback at any time throughout the year not just during formal review cycles.
360° Assessments: Gain insights from peers, direct reports, and managers to foster well-rounded development.
Development Plans: Identify skills gaps and access resources for professional growth based on your performance data.
Improved Analytics: Monitor trends in your performance and feedback over time to make data-driven decisions for your growth.
