JEF Convention Off to Good Start

The Jamaica Employers’ Federation (JEF) annual business and workplace convention and expo got off to a great start on May 3 at the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort in Ocho Rios, St. Ann.

Some 321 corporate executives and 82 exhibitors have registered for the event, which is being held from May 3 to 6.

 The convention, now in its 30th year, allows for chief executive officers (CEOs), general managers, human resource managers and other operators of organisations to interact, network, share ideas, discuss and plan strategies and best practises for their firms and companies.

Themed: ‘Execute, Grow, Sustain’, the convention will feature an impressive mix of local, regional and international speakers, who will highlight matters relating to labour and industrial relations and workplace issues.

Speaking with JIS News, Convention Director, Patrick Sterling, said “we have planned a number of presentations and have attracted several sponsors to share their knowledge and expertise in industry, academia and general business enterprise."

He added that the convention “is a learning experience, where the order of the day will be networking, sharing of information, cross-fertilisation of ideas, and receiving any kind of enhancement that will help our participants to return to their various workplaces re-energised and refreshed to carry business forward."

A slew of activities will take place over the four-day period with presentations on labour laws, human resource matters, how to effectively plan and deliver any type of project or workplace initiative, dealing with conflict and change, addressing employee fraud and business ethics and corporate governance.

The speakers and presenters down to participate include successful American entrepreneur and author of ‘The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur’, Mike Michalowicz; Trinidadian Attorney-at-Law, Vanessa Thomas Williams, who specialises  in industrial relations; Director at the Trinidad-based Tee Luck Singh and Associates Limited, Robert Teelucksingh; and President of JEF and the Caribbean Employers’ Confederation (CEC), Wayne Chen.

Sponsors and exhibitors include: Sagicor Life Jamaica Ltd, HEART Trust/NTA, Gleaner Company, Carreras Ltd., Logo Stitch, BPM Financials, Guardian Life, Seprod, Advantage General, COK Sodality, Mayberry Investments and Jamaica Broilers Group and Jamaica Information Service (JIS).

By Kadian Brown, JIS PRO