8 posts tagged “ghl”
Podcast: Candice tells us how
Episode: 36
In episode number 36, Candace Rollock of
GHL is interviewed and she tell us how she got involved in running, how
she moved from novice status and after one year she was able to show
remarkable improvements in her times and performance
..... plus lots more
An Interview with Maria Reyes Mc Millian - Group Vice President, Corporate Communication for Guardian Holdings
CariFin Enews: Maria I have always been hearing about the
word wellness use in terms of some of the activities done at GUARDIAN HOLDINGS…..
What do you’ll mean when you say “Wellness?”
Maria Reyes Mc Millian: The Guardian Group has a wellness programme
called “Life Pulse” – activities are driven by an employee committee with
complete corporate support. Life Pulse’s mantra explains what we
mean by ‘wellness’ – healthy minds, healthy bodies, healthy lives.
So there is an annual walk/run around
the Savannah
where employees come out with their significant others; there is also a health
fair, back massages and other fun things associated with the annual fun
run/walk.
From my conversation with other Guardian Holdings staff members it seems as though your attempts at creating a sense of personal responsibility for ones health and fitness has been paying dividend over the years?
MRM: Most definitely. The financial services industry is a high paced one – the pressure is always on. It’s critical that we take personal responsibility for our health – that we have ‘me time’ so that we can in turn provide the service that our customers deserve and expect. A balanced life is the aim and hence the establishment of Life Pulse all those years ago.
Would be so brave as to guess a percentage of staff that exercise regularly?
MRM: Not really – the road is paved with good intentions but I can definitely say that the exercise bug is catching! Our CARIFIN team is huge this year (54) – up from 38 in 2008 - and that’s not counting employees who were invited to train with the team even if they weren’t participating in the events.
Could you say what program you have at Guardian that in a practical way encourages employees to be motivated to live an active lifestyle?
MRM: Yes. In addition to Life Pulse and CARIFIN, we also have a Dragon Boat team and our companies play football and cricket against each other. We also encourage employees to take part in the social activities of the Trinidad & Tobago Insurance Institute – in fact, the Guardian General team won the last cricket competition earlier this month.
This year we have seen you have become more involved in CariFin as an institution, how is CariFin as an event helping you to achieve your objective of having your staff engage in a healthier lifestyle?
MRM: We’re a competitive bunch – no doubt about it and competition tends to drive you to excel and to ‘kick butt’ as it were.
Is their any marketing fit between CariFin and GHL and if so, what it is?
MRM: If you mean ROI, then I’d say that the return on our investment is engaged, healthier employees. In a diverse group such as ours, we often simply know people by an email address or extension. This is yet another way to build teamship.
Have you been to any of the CariFin
events for 2009?
What was your impression?
MRM: Once there isn’t a clash in my schedule I’m there, for sure. I enjoy every minute of it. I know Jason Gooding so I know it’s well organized.
In terms of your own team’s participation
… which have increased quite a lot from last year…. Are you satisfied with your
level of participation ….. What figure you would say is good figure for GHL
based on your size
MRM: The bigger, the better. We
haven’t placed a cap.
It’s a couple of weeks before CariFin as the person responsible for Corporate Communication at GHL what would you say to the CariFin family as we get ready for the 18th Edition of the event
MRM: You’ve had a good run – literally and figuratively – use the opportunity to network with your colleagues and to build camaraderie across the industry.
Crystal Ann Awai talks about how she won on the hill. Was it easy or difficult?
She made it look easy!
Brevard Nelson represents Team GHL as the Team Captain and he gave some interesting perspective on the team.
This is a very interesting interview. Team GHL as a team is pushing a lot of top performers in CariFin Urban Challenge to the top. One such person is Crystal Ann Awai – the present winner of the One Lap Savannah and the Chancellor Challenge. Also on the male side Gilford Mornix, Ian Gibbs and Ryan Pierre.
In the walk we expect total dominance in the male section from Hollis Granville and we see Melissa Berkley challenging for the top position.
Brevard will try to demystify this mix of success…. Probably it’s the GHL way?
Any ways just listen and form your own opinion!
An interview with Melissa Berkley
I was quite surprised to see Melissa Berkley of GHL crossing the finish line in the Granny Lucess 15K on Sunday 1st June at La Joya. I thought she is a newbie and newbies aren’t supposed to be out just yet running 15Ks at least not without the support of friends, family and coworkers. And here she is by her self gutting it out on the 9.3 miles course of heated asphalt.
I was inquisitive as ever to find out what the dynamics here…. Just what is her motivation…? Where is she headed? Does she like running? Is she going to be running most of the road races? What was her next event…?
Hah! I wanted the inside scoop on this one to break it to the CariFin family.
She was quite willing to talk after a little while and this is the exchange between us.
Wayne: Hi Melissa how are you today and how was the race?
Melissa: I am good; I did 1.32 this morning so I am cool
Wayne: just you out racing today, no other GHL team members?
Melissa: No just me today
Wayne: so what make you continue run, I mean you did the 15K as oppose to the shorter 5K?
Melissa: Well, I was looking for an opportunity to challenge my self to run longer distances. And I am training for the UWI half and want to finish it in a decent time.
Wayne: You were the best first timer at CariFin what are your goals for CariFin, seeing that the women category is wide open…. Angela Parris winning after a hiatus of 3 years, and no clear front runners?
Melissa: I will like to be the Top female in CariFin 2009. After participating in CariFin I was motivated to train more consistently and run more races. I would like to run as many as I can this year.
Wayne: how was your experience in the event this morning…. How did you feel?
Melissa: Well, the experience was good, during the last couple kilometers I started to loose energy but I just had to keep telling myself to keep moving and don’t stop; that I didn’t enter this race to stop running and start walking. It feels very good to have finished.
Wayne: what you think about the Granny Lucess race anything they could do to make it better…you think?
Melissa: I think that all finishers should get medal as a token that they participated in the race.
Wayne: What is your motivation and what do you like about running?
Melissa: Well I am motivated by the TEAM GHL coaches, Alfred Patrick, Howard Dottin and Hollis Granville who are experienced runners and who keep encouraging me to run more consistently. Also, I have developed a liking for running because it’s more challenging than my work outs at the gym. After a long run I feel like I have really achieved something and when I run one distance I want to push myself to see if I could run a longer distance and so on.
Wayne: What is your training like?
Melissa: Well, right now I am trying to could run between 18 – 25 miles a week. Sometimes I make up the miles and other times I’m only able to do about 15 miles for the week, depending on my schedule. But I really want to start running at least 5 – 6 days a week. I also try to do a little bit of weight training at the gym. I train with a group at times but other times I go out on the Main Road in my neighborhood and run.
Wayne: you won the best first timer in CariFin, you place in the top 5, fourth exactly at Sevilla, and how you would describe your experience at CariFin this year
Melissa: Actually, I was quite surprised at my performance. Before CariFin I had never raced competitively so CariFin really helped to motivate me to compete more. It was also a really good opportunity to get to know some of my co workers seeing that I am new to the Guardian family.
Wayne: What do you think you will have to do to win CariFin and do you think you have that tenacity; you are that goal oriented to stick with this over the 8 to 9 month?
Melissa: Well, generally, I am a goal oriented person so I would stick with running for as long as I could. In order to win CariFin next year I know that I would have to train hard and train consistently and run as many races as I can so to gain experience.
Wayne: what advice will you give to any young woman coming into the financial services sector and want to pursue and active lifestyle and stay fit?
Melissa: I would encourage all females to purse an active lifestyle, even in the midst of a busy schedule she should always make time to workout. Taking responsibility for your health and fitness is always a good thing. Working out not only improves your image but it improves your health, your self esteem and it relieves stress which would definite help to improve your performance in the work place.
Rory at CariFin
It’s not every week we get the opportunity to have a CEO of a major Financial Institution participate in a main sporting event. But in 2007, GHL Irish-born CEO Rory O’Brien, made an appearance for his promised participation in the 3- lap Men’s Cross Country race – the main event at CariFin Cross Country which took place at Sevilla Golf course in Couva on Sunday July 8th .
When Marcia Pierre, GHL team leader announced that her CEO – Rory O’Brien wanted to participate in the main event, I was quite surprised. We all have an idea of the hectic schedule someone like Rory, CEO of a large financial corporation with subsidiaries throughout the English and Dutch speaking Caribbean and also in the UK, would have. As such, I thought it was mere contemplation rather than an actual intent.
When it was announced to his team that he was a few minutes away, driving into Sevilla,
there was that air of anticipation in GHL camp.
In grand style, the MC announced the presence of the senior managers representing the various institutions and then Rory’s arrival, which was well appreciated by all in GHL prize-winning decorated tent. This visibly heightened the mood and frenzy on these parts of the Sevilla grounds. He was met by Howard Dottin, GHL’s Chief Financial Officer and Alfred Patrick, an avid marathon runner (who is famous for running (2) Marathons, in (2) consecutive days, in (2) countries) and the rest of the GHL posse.
Rory was “cool” and outgoing, posing with members of his team for pictures and interacting on a one-on-one basis with each of them. However, we waited to see if he could maintain his light-hearted attitude after running 3 laps around Sevilla’s 2.2 K undulating course – and with an extra piece added for the start and finish, there was a total of 7.5 K which was no light-hearted matter. The question was, “Could he make it?” and if so, “Would he have to struggle to make it or finish with dignity?”
We were awed with his performance - Rory represented his team quite well, completing
the meandering course in decent time to help the GHL team win the CariFin Male team prize - the top 5 lowest aggregate times. Also making a huge contribution to the Team’s winning position was CFO, Mr. Howard Dottin, who finished the race in twelfth place.
But the evening was not done yet for Rory as he was part of the GHL tug-of-war crew, heaving and pulling to help his 8-member team in the semi-final round of the event.
Rory’s active involvement in CariFin 2007 helps prove my point - there are a lot of younger employees in the financial services sector, who have a less demanding schedule and have difficulty finding the time to train or the unwavering commitment to achieve a reasonable fitness level. Rory should be an exemplar to all – we can manage our professional and other family commitments, and maintain our health and fitness. Who knows? With consistent effort, we may even be able to run for 29 minutes and finish in the top 10 of a major Sporting event.
