The Bahamas First Anchors, the Junior Achievement (J.A.) company sponsored by Bahamas First General Insurance Company, captured top awards at the recent 2017 J.A. Awards night, including the coveted 2017 Overall Company of the Year award.
The Bahamas First Anchors made a clean sweep at the awards event capturing not only the sought-after top company award, but also awards for Top Sales, Top Exam Scores and Best Annual Report and many individual Achiever awards.
Junior Achievement Bahamas Program Manager Tammy Lecky commended the top company. "We congratulate the 2017 J.A. Company of the Year, Bahamas First Anchors, and all award recipients for displaying leadership, entrepreneurial drive and creativity, throughout the 25-week collaborative environment of the company program.
"J.A. Bahamas continues to be grateful for the commitment shown by our corporate sponsors and volunteers, who recognize the importance of promoting financial literacy for our future business leaders and entrepreneurs, who will undoubtedly shape and enrich the economic future of The Bahamas."
Leading the way with the most individual awards was the company's President, Enrique Pyfrom, who was named the prestigious 2017 Most Distinguished Achiever (MDA).
Pyfrom, an 11th grader at St. Anne's School, also walked away with the Most Distinguished President, Top Exam and Emerald Awards. Of the 50 nominees for MDA, in addition to taking first place, the Anchors also took home the awards for third runner up, Mikayla Hanna, and sixth runner up, Winton Cooper.
Other Bahamas First Achievers taking home individual prizes included Top Exam Scorers: Whitley Cargill, Courtney John, Rhema Mills and Tyesha Johnson, and third runner-up for Overall Top Sales, Mikayla Hanna.
Bahamas First President and CEO Patrick Ward expressed, "Bahamas First has been a part of Junior Achievement for over ten years, recently doubling our investment in keeping with our commitment to youth development and entrepreneurship in The Bahamas.
"We are very proud of the accomplishments of our J.A. company and their dedicated volunteer advisors.
"Their outstanding achievements are a testament to the possibilities when you combine vision, hard work and the determination to be first in everything you do."
Ward also commended the Anchors for their earlier victory at the J.A. open house, at which they won first place.
In the categories for Most Distinguished Officers (MDO) the Anchors cleared the top honors for four (4) officer positions and placed in the other two (2) categories:
o Most Distinguished President, Enrique Pyfrom;
o Most Distinguished VP of Marketing, Whitley Cargill;
o Most Distinguished VP of Human Resources, Mikayla Hanna;
o Most Distinguished VP of Production, Winton Cooper;
o Most Distinguished VP of Public Relations, second runner up, Courtney John;
o Most Distinguished VP of Finance, third runner up, Yennique McCoy.
The leading insurer also presented internal awards to deserving achievers: the Emerald Award and summer internship recipients were Mikayla Hanna and Enrique Pyfrom. Winton Cooper was also awarded a summer internship.
The ABCD (Above & Beyond The Call of Duty) Awards went to Richaun Moss and Drenay Rahming.
Executive Advisor for the Bahamas First J.A. Company, Nicole Leary, expressed excitement and pride over the impressive finish and said that it was a year well worth all of the hard work.
"We have an impressive team of committed and experienced advisors, always willing to go the extra mile for the students, and this year we had a talented and driven group of Achievers."
Winning The Bahamas First Advisor of the Year awards were Marcia Johnson and Deandra Strachan.
The Advisor Team also included Raymond Imhoff, Ruthnell Bethell, Gina Brooks, Valarie Darville, Drew Bartlett, Ramon Ferguson, Aranah Lloyd, Valya Gray and Donica Pickstock.
The Anchors' products included jewelry, a signature hair product, Anchor My Curls; cufflinks, lemonade, portable chargers and throw pillows, along with a variety of events and services.
The company was awarded second place in Product of The Year Competition for Anchor My Curls, an all-natural shea butter based hair and skin product. Its total company sales for the period exceeded $20,000.

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