“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighted in his way.” (Psalm 37:23).
Janice McIntosh, Chief Representative Officer of the JN Bank Florida Representative Office, lives by that Psalm, daily.
“If I wasn’t intentional about those words, I would have no peace in my life. Therefore, as a result of practicing this for years, I can truly say that God has been faithful to His Word; and I seek Him always to find directions about how to live my life,” she related.
The soft spoken Immaculate Conception High School (ICHS) past student, has been leading the JN Bank Representative Office, in Florida, USA, for almost a decade.
She joined the Jamaica National Building Society in Kingston, Jamaica in 2005 as the Promotions & Sales Manager. In April 2009, she became part of the Florida Representative Office team and in August 2010, was appointed Chief Representative Officer.
This year, she ushered in the Representative Office’s 16th anniversary. “I’m proud to be witnessing this significant milestone of the JN Bank Florida Representative Office, here in Florida. Over the years, we have maintained a strong brand in the market,” she said.
She also revealed that this was accomplished by being active in the market, through weekly promotions, Radio interviews, attending several networking events and playing an active role on various boards and committees in the community. In addition, all members of staff engage in numerous community activities, such as festivals and community events, which add visibility to the JN brand.
“Our strong link with JN Bank in Jamaica is vital to our operation in the USA and clients are appreciative of the response they receive from direct and online contact,” she explained.
A typical day for her commences at 5:30 a.m. and ends most times at 8:00 p.m. This is an attestation to the number of things lined up on a daily basis with both personal and professional commitments.
“No two days are the same. And, although the nature of the job is the same, the highs and lows vary from customers, along with their challenges, some not even directly to the business of the Rep Office. We see ourselves as the ‘middle-man’ at times, mitigating frustrations our customers sometimes face when living remotely from home (Jamaica). We cannot turn back anyone who has an issue because we are keepers of the brand and if we look bad in the US, we will also look bad anywhere so it’s a duty and obligation that I instill in my team to always take care of our customers.
I also believe that this job has made me into a ‘solutions-oriented person,’ and I try to ensure I am part of the solution and not the problem,” she related.
The St. Andrew born native is a team player, an attribute she credits to her upbringing, having grown up in a large family with four siblings.
“I am a motivator. I like when there is involvement of the team, and, as of the vision, the project becomes easier to execute when there is buy-in from all sources. Then, I become the cheerleader, and that helps to get the job done,” she explained.
But, for Janice, having a balanced life is also vital, therefore, her family and volunteerism are important to her.
“I give thanks to the support of my family who has been my bedrock throughout my career,” she said.
She has held key positions on many non-profit boards in the US, which continues to provide needed information and services to the Jamaicans in the USA. One memorable achievement was raising more than US$85,000 for the ICHS Alumnae Association.
Mrs. McIntosh is also a founding member of the Jamaican Women of Florida, an organisation which provides mentorship and empowerment to Jamaican women in the USA and Jamaica. She serves as director of the Jamaica USA Chamber of Commerce; and is also on the board of the Jamaica Legacy Foundation, a Master teacher and Bible teacher at her church and the parent coordinator on her daughters’ Volleyball team.
For her outstanding work in communities, Mrs McIntosh was conferred with the Lauderhill Chamber of Commerce (LRCC) Woman of the Year Award in 2014.
Her encouragement to young people is to strive for excellence and to be self-motivated. “Life will throw you curve balls at every turn; and, therefore, it’s not what happens to you in life, it is how you handle it. Also when you work, work as if you’re working for the Lord, because you will never be able to satisfy everyone. Ensure that your motivation is intrinsic, so that, even if you are not validated, or shown any value, you can still stride and give your 100 per cent all the time,” she affirmed.
