“Courage makes people face the unknown and find their own paths.”
That quotation from Canadian painter, David Milne, has guided the decisions of Harrington Stephenson, manager of the JN Representative Office in Canada for decades.
It was that same courage and belief in self, which gave him comfort almost three decades ago, when he left his home in St. Catherine, Jamaica, with only CAN $500 in his pocket, to attend school in Toronto, Canada.
“I came into the unknown with no friends or family, and had no idea what I would be faced with,” he explained. “If it wasn’t for that deep courage from within, I probably wouldn’t have made it this far.”
At 19-years-old Harrington enrolled at the George Brown College, under an exchange programme, through the HEART Trust/NTA, where he completed the two year diploma in Hotel and Food and Beverage Management.
“I was determined to succeed; therefore, nothing could stop me from completing that diploma programme. Two years later, I graduated with a diploma in hand; and applied that same spirit of determination to building a career and a stable life,” he related.
Mr Stephenson admitted that along the way he also benefited from the kindness of strangers, who would eventually become friends.
“There were many persons, who helped me along the way,” he said.
After completing school, he worked as a night auditor at the Holiday Inn for three years. He later moved to the Stage West All Suite Hotel, where he was employed as a night manager.
In 1996, he decided to open an account with the Jamaica National Building Society, through its representative office in Toronto.
That was the start of his life-long ‘love affair’ with the JN family.
“About two weeks later, I received a call from the manager at the time, offering me a part-time job, as a customer service representative,” he said. “Of course, I didn’t hesitate, because even when I was living in Jamaica, I always wanted to work with Jamaica National.”
Twenty-two years later, he remains an integral part of the JN family and continues to make a positive impact on the customers and members who visit the JN Rep Office.
“It has been a wonderful and fulfilling journey. I wouldn’t change any moment of it. The most fulfilling part has been the role I play in the lives of our customers; and my contributions to the achievement of their financial goals,” he stated.
“The JN slogan, ‘We’ll Help You Find a Way,’ is profound and meaningful and is the philosophy that has guided my interactions with our members, as I do cherish the opportunity to make a difference in their lives,” he revealed.
Mr. Stephenson, who is originally from Ewarton in St. Catherine, attended Charlemont High School. He later moved to Kingston, where he attended Excelsior High for Sixth Form. He’s a widower, with three children, 18-year-old, MacKenzie; 21-year-old, Reginald; and 29-year-old, Kimberly.
“My children are my joy and motivation,” he said, revealing that his youngest daughter, MacKenzie, recently graduated from high school with honours. “She has certainly made me proud. On graduation day, she received several awards, including the Principal’s award for Student Leadership and the Essah Bursary in Community Leadership, and she will be moving on to study Law at the University of Toronto.”
The father of three also enjoys watching documentaries in his spare time and is an avid football fan.
